5 months out and c diff free for 3 yr old

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Marcy Alexander
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5 months out and c diff free for 3 yr old

Postby Marcy Alexander » Thu Jun 19, 2014 8:42 am

In November of 2013 my great grandson, who lives with me, was given a third antibiotic for his ears...Six doses in to it he developed diarrhea, progressing in a few short hours to only blood and mucous. It took 5 days for a culture to come back and begin Flagyl. Relapsed 3 days after finishing Flagyl...took another round...relapsed again 3 days later and was hospitalized and given Vanco..by this time I had researched everything imaginable, did daily cleaning religiously as I had read about, gave probiotics, the whole nine yards. This time I was bound and determined to find out everything I could and form a plan. First I convinced the Drs (he was seen by 9 while hospitalized who basically admitted that they had never seen such a severe case in a child) to administer a long and tapered dose of vanco...around 6 weeks in all...I rolled up and put away anything that may have been contaminated that couldn't be bleached, I ordered cleaning wipes that specifically killed c diff spores and wiped down every possible surface twice a day. I learned that a bleach solution is only effective as mixed for a day, and finally, I found an article written by a dr at St Luke's Hospital on an experiment with 8 elderly c diff patients that kept relapsing. their regimen was Florastor , 500 mg twice a day and 4 oz of Lifeway Probiotic Smoothie Yogurt at each meal. We did this religiously and 1 day before the last dose of Vanco he had the blood and mucous again. We went straight to ER as instructed, with a very heavy heart I might add, and was told that he would have to start all over again on the Flagyl and then the Vanco. But my gut was telling me to wait, because he wasn't acting sick. I collected a stool sample and it was submitted for testing and it came back neg!! By now I had figured out he could not have anything acid. No mustard, ketchup, pickles etc. We continued our Florastor and yogurt regimen for months with no relapse. So far so good. His GI specialist said that he is no more likely than anyone else to get it again. He has not had an antibiotic since Nov. We are a lot more careful and ask that the dr "prove" that he needs an antibiotic instead of just giving one so freely. Hope this might encourage someone as I was feeling so helpless at that time. We still have " poop checks" everyday. His only question was " can I have a pickle now?" We are now doing just 250 mg of Florastor nightly and ordinary yogurt as snacks.

seekingcure
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Re: 5 months out and c diff free for 3 yr old

Postby seekingcure » Thu Jun 19, 2014 8:52 am

Thank you so much for sharing your grandson's story. It's wonderful to hear about someone who has beat this thing and will give encouragement to those who are still suffering though it.

I also was finally cured with a long taper/pulse of Vanco coupled with probiotics and kefir. Bea
Bea

Marcy Alexander
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Re: 5 months out and c diff free for 3 yr old

Postby Marcy Alexander » Thu Jun 19, 2014 11:32 am

Yes, Bea it was Lifeway Kefir...I almost forgot it was Kefir. We couldn't get that in our area, so my husband drove 100 miles with an ice chest and bought about 8 bottles to get us started. Our boy really loved the Strawberry.

beth22
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Re: 5 months out and c diff free for 3 yr old

Postby beth22 » Thu Jun 19, 2014 12:01 pm

I just posted an article about using kefir with a taper in the Media Reports. I found it quite interesting. I am going to see if I tolerate it, as I just finished antibiotics for pertussis. Thanks for sharing your story and I'm glad he is doing better. Wishing him continued good health. This is a terrible illness for an adult and is heartbreaking to see in children.

AllisS
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Re: 5 months out and c diff free for 3 yr old

Postby AllisS » Thu Jun 19, 2014 5:47 pm

Sorry to hear about the little fellow's ordeal. Glad he's doing better. Your "prove it" approach to antibiotics is commendable; they are still prescribed so casually, even with C. difficile now rivaling (perhaps surpassing) MRSA as the number-one hospital-acquired infection. It's also now much more rampant in non-hospital settings, as in your great-grandson's case.

A little puzzled about the mustard-ketchup-pickle restriction you mentioned. Is this because he had a problem eating them? There are no specific dietary restrictions post-C. difficile, though a number of people report newly acquired food intolerances afterward.
If your illness was preceded by use of a medication, e.g., an antibiotic, please fill out an FDA Adverse Event Report at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/default.htm

seekingcure
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Re: 5 months out and c diff free for 3 yr old

Postby seekingcure » Thu Jun 19, 2014 6:51 pm

I also drank the Lifeway brand of kefir and, at one point, was also making my own, although it was much less palatable than the Lifeway, much more sour. I had read a research study online that seemed to support kefir's benefits for treating relapsing c-diff so I thought why not try it. Bea
Bea

Bobbie
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Re: 5 months out and c diff free for 3 yr old

Postby Bobbie » Thu Jun 19, 2014 8:54 pm

Congrats, G. Grandmother. Your instincts were "right on. " Beats a doctor's diagnosis almost every time.

Thanks for posting. Keep in touch. You are an admirable lady!

Marcy Alexander
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Re: 5 months out and c diff free for 3 yr old

Postby Marcy Alexander » Thu Jun 19, 2014 10:53 pm

Beth...if you havent already, try the Florastor with your antibiotic and after...it is a yeast and is not affected by the antibiotics...

Marcy Alexander
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Re: 5 months out and c diff free for 3 yr old

Postby Marcy Alexander » Thu Jun 19, 2014 11:00 pm

AllisS...I believe that during the healing process, that his colon was very irritated and anything acid, like mustard, pickles etc caused more irritation and we would see mucous in his stool....of course any time I saw this I would get anxious but then I cut anything acid from his diet and also milk. We substituted almond milk until we were reasonably sure we were past the critical time.

Marcy Alexander
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Re: 5 months out and c diff free for 3 yr old

Postby Marcy Alexander » Thu Jun 19, 2014 11:18 pm

Thank you Bobbie...this was in the top 2 "crisis" in my 65 yr old life....but I must also give credit where credit is due..there was lots of prayer for his recovery everyday.

getwellsoon
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Re: 5 months out and c diff free for 3 yr old

Postby getwellsoon » Fri Jun 20, 2014 5:30 am

Prayers are so important everytime. I keep all our sufferers in prayer, it gives me peace after the turmoil of this infection. Your Grandson will be included in mine. Praying he stays well and this horrible disease is behind him for good.
CAROL

Bobbie
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Re: 5 months out and c diff free for 3 yr old

Postby Bobbie » Sat Jun 21, 2014 5:16 am

Marcy, my youngest son had C. Diff when he was four. This was in 1979 when few - including docs - had heard of it - he almost died, Thx again for posting


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