C Diff free since October

We spend a lot of time talking about the bad news in this discussion group - here's the spot for the good news. If you've had c-diff and are now well, please tell us about it here.
kitkat
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C Diff free since October

Postby kitkat » Fri Feb 07, 2014 4:42 pm

Hi! I posted a bit during my scary time with C Diff back in August. I am now C Diff free and I will tell you how I got through it.
I got C Diff from taking Cipro for a UTI - ended up in the ER like most of you may have, and was put on Flagyl. Flagyl ripped the life out of me. I couldn't even hold my head up while taking it, and I cried all day. YES, a side effect of that drug is crying. I would cry for hours at a time and stare into space ALL DAY. So, my doctor put me on Vancocin instead. This drug started to affect my hearing. My ears felt like they were being tugged on, and I would hear sharp high pitched noises going in and out often. I already have a bit of tinnitis and when I researched that Vancomycin can cause hearing loss...I FREAKED OUT. My GI doc (who was HORRIBLE and treated me like I was just a lunatic through all of this) said it was impossible to lose hearing and to have ear problems because the oral form of the pill is not in the bloodstream. WELL- anything is possible and I have never been more terrified. If I take the pill to cure me, I was going to lose hearing.....if I don't...I'd well, die of C Diff. (that was my thinking) It was a terrible, depressing time for me...and I thought a lot about my own mortality as I'm sure you guys have or do, too while sick with C Diff.

I decided to stop waiting for the Vanco to work. I saw an ear doc who said I did have high pitched hearing loss but that he thinks it's best I keep taking the Vanco.
I decided to take matters into my own hands. I found a naturopath who had experience with C Diff.

She put me on Florastor 1 three times daily with food and 2-3 hours away from antibiotic
Bacillus Coagulans by Thorne 1 three times daily with food and 2-3 hours away from antibiotic
Garden of Life 400 billion ( i was already doing this so it was just continued) - once a day
Meriva Curcumin-SR 500mg 1 twice daily with food
Drink stomach ease tea by Yogi after meals
Papaya enzymes - chew two with meals
GI REVIVE - 1 tsp in smoothie once daily
Milk Thistle by Gaia - 2 capsules each night before bed

I added myself:
Oil of Oregano three times a day


Now after driving myself nuts for an entire month (halting my life and spending every day in bed terrifed and in pain) my anxiety level was through the roof. If felt good to take charge with other things aside from just hoping an antibiotic would work. I read that there are different things that people do to get rid of C Diff- tapering method, pulsing method, etc. And I had a gut feeling (pun intended) that taking the Vanco was starting to make me worse. I wanted to be off of it so badly. I had 4 days left of the antibiotic and decided to taper. I only took two a day instead of three at first....then I just took one a day....I had 6 pills left and just couldn't bring myself to keep taking it- so I stopped. Yes, I had IBS- and looked in the toilet every time I went and had to watch what I ate for a while...but I continued the probiotics (sometimes taking the 400 billion twice a day) and it went away. I found a new GI doc who said that the Vanco most definitely caused the hearing loss and the other dr was wrong to force me to keep taking it. The new GI doc was also very happy that I took the other things in conjunction with the Vanco. I tested negative back in October!

So I highly recommend seeing a naturopath. I still have tummy problems- and a nagging soreness in my left side, but I am regular, and C Diff free. I can even drink coffee again!!!

Cathy

getwellsoon
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Re: C Diff free since October

Postby getwellsoon » Fri Feb 07, 2014 5:15 pm

So glad you are doing better. I would think the flagyl would have caused the ear ringing as this med is a nasty one and can have severe and numerous side effects. Vanco is non systemic. IV Vanco can cause all sorts of things, ear ringing being one, but the oral kind is usually symptom free and easy to take. Either way glad you are better. Carol
CAROL

kitkat
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Re: C Diff free since October

Postby kitkat » Fri Feb 07, 2014 10:11 pm

Hi Carol!

No, the ear ringing was from Vanco. I was only on Flagyl for two days, then Vanco and the ringing started and got worse as I took Vanco. My previous GI doc said the same thing...about it only happening in IV form and that it was impossible to cause ear problems with pills... but it was definitely happening with my Vanco pills. My new GI doctor said he has had patients report ear ringing and some hearing loss with the Vancomycin and was glad I was able to stop taking it. So, I guess I was part of the .01% of people that have hearing loss from Vanco pills :-/ it's not common, though. Thank goodness my hearing loss is only high frequency sounds and doesn't affect me too badly on a day to day basis. My tinnitis did get worse and I sleep with an intense white noise machine. BUT- I'm happy to be better. I'll probably never take antibiotics again unless it's a life or death situation!

seekingcure
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Re: C Diff free since October

Postby seekingcure » Fri Feb 07, 2014 11:59 pm

I actually had read somewhere that very rarely someone will get tinnitus from oral vanco. I'm thinking that perhaps if someone has "leaky gut," or damage to the colon lining from the c-diff that some of the vanco could cross the intestinal barrier and go systemic. Don't know if that's actually the reason for it, but it makes sense to me.

So glad to know you are doing better.
Bea

getwellsoon
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Re: C Diff free since October

Postby getwellsoon » Sat Feb 08, 2014 7:16 am

It is definitely a rare side effect so please don't let it put off anyone who is prescribed it. I didn't mean to imply it couldn't happen, just that the Flagyl was a med that produces myriad side effects and Vanco usually doesn't. As with any med. the miniscule few can have these rare things happen but most people take Vanco with little or no side effects since for them it is non systemic. Hope that is all cleared up now. Carol
CAROL

Bobbie
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Re: C Diff free since October

Postby Bobbie » Sat Feb 08, 2014 2:16 pm

Yes, one of the side effects of IV Vanco. can be hearing loss.( Another can be kidney damage.) It is seldom a side effect of the oral form, but, as we know, with C. diff., anything can happen.

I've been on oral Vanco. (at high doses) many times. I was also on IV for 6 -8 weeks in l993 for osteomyelitis of the jaw while on oral Vanco. for C. diff. No hearing loss but repeated UTI's years later. A correlation? I'll never know.

Every medication has side effects so you have to "pick your poison." Vanco. allowed me to lead a near normal life for years.


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