Getting desperate...

[TheVike]

Well here it is in my 5th day of feeling like crap here in Amman rollercoaster nasuea Mon 15 BM, Tues 4, Wed 5 Thurs 4, Fir so far 4 30 pm only four again but my stomach noisey and gassy and little to no appetite.. As I said before my GP prescribed me Ciprofaloxacin in the event of Traveleer's Doaqhhrhea but don know worried about taking????? He would not prscribe Flagyl in the event Should I go for it for some relieve, take chance just a bug not CD??? Only threee day course 500mg tweice daily should I try it? Last dose of anto B's was Flagyl on the April9/10th I believe? Please help?

[Bobbie]

TheVike,
You are asking medical advice on a support site. We don't have the medical knowledge to advise you.

Note: Cipro is "medium" as C. diff. offender. See FAQ-Antibiotics.

I would find a doc. there, explain your situation, & see if doc. will prescribe Flagyl or Vanco. Otherwise, call your doc. at home long distance & explain emergency.

[TheVike]

I knew this of course but still wanted to keep all here informed... I emailed his office and they called within the hour after explaing my situation. For better or worse he advised me to take the Cipro now/immediately... My "gut" instinct (no pun intended) is it is C Diff back again bit what else to do...He for whatever reason didn t want to give me "just is case" flagyl.... So he just wanted to see I guess what happenede with the Cirpo! At the very least it ought to make me or get me feeling better for GOD knows one day until I stop my 3 day course or in the best case scenario several weeks before it comes back, right? At least by the 10th of July I willl be stateside. I have been on Probiotic product almost a month now BUT no SB in it :((((((((( this came after two weeks of as I posted before of the Dan Active. I have are well all and been feeeling pretty great the last three weeks until this! sooooo I ho-e and pray all will turn out ok! Should I stay on the Probiotics...stoppped the "Travelan for E Coli and traveller's D for it obviously wasnt this biut I am sure there areother offenders to a really messsed up stomach again uh? Not just C Diff and E Coli thoughts?

[Bobbie]

TheVike,
"If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, & waddles like a duck," it's usually a duck.

You are the best one to judge if you still have C. diff. or "traveler's diarrhea." I'd try to find a clinic there & ask to be tested but doesn't sound too promising in that part of the world. The same with the probiotics -- do what you think is right. One hint: drink only bottled water -- if available there.

I honestly don't know what to tell you. You are asking for medical advice on a support site from across the world by computer. We can't help you.

Good luck. At least you will be back in the US soon. I'd look for another doc. when you return.

[TheVike]

After taking my second Cipro tis am here my time thought I was gonna die! Guess plenty of water with it was too much for me esp yjis earlyin the am. I am drinking bottled have been water only as well as boiled but still who knows reaaaallllly what is in it or not drinkinf flat sprite and OC Cranbery and Grape along with homemade tea agaiin with bottled waer doint the BRAT thing basicallly the nausea and severity of pain in my stomach is beginning to subside somewhat 3rd tab Cipro due in two hours therefore I will be halfway thru my prescribed course of treatment. MY GP hasbeen very good and I ttrust him naval doctor 20 years! His willingness and promptness to speak to me from such a distance ought to be noteworthy no? My family on my wife's side here come from "royalty" pr just beneath so to speak all the food and drink etc etc...comes very clean etc... they have a maid get the pic? They have a family doc who comesto them If I am feeling worse or have more D (only went twice tis am by the way rather frank too but small volume due to not eating much) they will be calling him here to see me where I ll explain and get the Metro I am pretty sure w/o a stool spec i would think? Threr really isn t anything else it could be no Bobbie? I mean trave;an, pro B's now Cipro if I don t feel considerably better in am this is the plan TY for being there! :)

[MaryT]

I have never travelled to that part of the world, but you sound like you have a plan and are doing the best you can. I do travel all the time to Mexico though adn have never gotten sick there. In addition to drinking bottled water, I brush my teeth with bottled water, rinse my toothbruths with bottled water. I stay at 5-6 star resorts that have water purifications systems but even still I don't eat any fruit tha twould have been rinsed in water, or fruits and veggies. I will have a drink from resort ice, but never eat off the resorts and if I have a drink of the resorts, I have it without ice. I stick to cooked things and eat only fruit I peal myself. Just some helpful hints...just in case. Good luck.

[jennie]

TheVike, I too have had bad experiences with Cipro, on top of a c.diff infection. It is not the correct med for c.diff, it certainly made me more sick. I hear you that you are in a very difficult situation, and also because there is very little, if any knowledge about c.diff outside of the US and Europe.

I do not understand why your doc in the US did not give you Flagyl before you left, IF this is the med that worked for you when you were diagnosed with c.diff in the first place?

If it was me, I'd call the doc in the US, and make sure that he takes care of this. Can they send a prescription via fax to Amman? Or, can they call or email the doctor you are seeing there? The Centres for Disease Control, in Atlanta, has a web site, they explain c.diff infection, and it can be accessed from any internet portal.

I am sorry to hear you are going through this. In my opinion, it is necessary to find doctors where you are who will link up with the US docs, and get to work on what will get you out of this trouble.

Another idea, is there an American hospital in Amman, can you get over there? What about calling the Embassy, and asking if there are American doctors in the area? They may be more likely to know about c.diff, how to recognize it, and treat it, or how to find the information on it.

It is very difficult, if not almost impossible to obtain Vancomycin outside of the US for a c.diff infection that is not life-threatening, but if you get into very bad shape, again it is important to find doctors who will help you. Which is why I am asking you if Flagyl worked for you the last time around, and if your US doctor will do the necessary to help you?

I do agree that when you get home, it is necessary to find a doctor who understands c.diff and that it can take a few rounds of meds to get rid of it. It is not a joke traveling with this bug.

You do know that if you get blood and mucus and a flood of d. you must seek urgent medical attention. Fever and severe cramping/ pain are also signs of needing medical care as soon as possible.

Some c.diff infections are not that terrible, it depends on what happened to you the first time, and what is going on with you now.

Keep up fluids, that is one thing you can do for yourself.

Please keep us posted.

[TheVike]

On my 4th Cipro 500 mg right now will take a 5th then one left tongiht and tomorrow am! Stomach is still feeling achy subpar D has subsided took one movement tis am and was not fran soft and small volume due to again not eating hardly any food! I will be talking to my US doctor tomorrow afternoon to see where what i should do he gave me an additional three day dose just in case....but as I said again i am very very leary of taking this an really expected (maybe tomorrow) to feel better. 1st round of CDiff was totally debilitating back in April doesn t seeem to bad or as bad if this is in fact what I have??????????