So Much Better

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.
Zay
Regular User
Posts: 53
Joined: Tue Dec 17, 2019 4:09 pm

So Much Better

Postby Zay » Wed Jan 22, 2020 10:46 pm

It has been nearly 2 weeks since I went through round 2 of antibiotics for this beast of an illness and I know I have a chance to get sick again, but I feel as if I at least won this round and wanted to share some things.

It was hard and scary as y'all know. My doctors told me nothing, most information I got from here or friends in the medical field.

The first round I was hopeful and super paranoid, but I knew I would relapse and the second round I was convinced I was dying, but once I got better I realized a few things.

That the meds can make you sick as a dog. I could barely walk, I was dizzy, vomiting, brain fogged, covered in hives, it was bad, but I got through it and so will you. Sea sick bands worked very well when the zofran fails.

Florastor was my best friend as was other probiotics taken through food and still are. Suja juice has some very good probiotic drinks with bacteria in it that has been shown to keep c diff from reoccurring. The red one is delicious the green one tastes like a spicy sad celery meets spinach drink. Kefir tastes like booty and Kombucha is pretty tasty. Saurkraut and pickles must specify about fermentation and are usually in the cold section to reap the benefits of probiotics. Also, Goodbody juice tastes funky. Banana strawberry may sound good, but it tastes astringent.

Bland foods are your best friend even after. Slowly introduce more foods because 1 wrong food will make you regret life. Feed that bacteria! Bananas, apple sauce, tapioca, benefiber, oatmeal help build up the good bacteria and help gets rid of all the excess nasty.

Keep washing your hands, but don't obsess. Keep your home clean, but don't obsess. I started obsessing at first and was scared and paranoid, but it was stealing the joy in my life. What is the point of getting through this only to be scared and miserable for the rest of it?

Also, don't obsess what is in the toilet, your bowels are not gonna be right for a while. You may be a 4 on the poo scale then a 5 then a 3 then a 4 that feels like a 1 and occasionally a 6, it is okay. Stop looking.

The pain will be there still and come and go. I find if I am active then it comes back with a vengeance which brings me to fatigue. Take it easy when you can. You have been sick for a hot minute and it is gonna take a hot minute for all the damage to repair, be kind to yourself.

Refined sugar is no bueno and can cause worse inflammation and feed the nasty stuff in your tummy, time to limit it.

If you ended up getting a fuzzy white, orange, or black tongue from the meds, illness, or not eating rough food get you a tongue scraper and scrap every time you brush and brush your tongue. It'll go away slowly and help your breath smell way better.

This place has been a fountain of knowledge and is a blessing especially in a time where the medical field feels like it is failing in important ways. I wish all of you the absolute best and will pray for all of you to get better.

Bobbie
Administrator
Posts: 12688
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2005 8:00 pm

Re: So Much Better

Postby Bobbie » Sat Jan 25, 2020 4:02 pm

Thank u for posting your "well" hints. Congrats on beating the beast.

Keep posting to encourage others.

AnnieB
New User
Posts: 13
Joined: Sat Feb 08, 2020 9:02 pm

Re: So Much Better

Postby AnnieB » Sun Feb 09, 2020 4:02 pm

Hi Zay,
I just found this forum yesterday and I’m so glad I did. I REALLY appreciate your post! The advice, the humor, and the attitude about not obsessing, especially when it comes to looking in the toilet.
I am on day five of vancomycin. This is my second bout of C diff and it seems much worse than the first one. I thought the poop would be more solid-ish by now because the first time I had it, the D cleared up after a couple days. But not this time. Makes me feel like the vanco isn’t working, but I’m trying to be patient and not obsess and not get scared. But it’s scary.

Based on advice from this forum I have just added kefir to my diet. And I have a question about Florastor. Everyone on here raves about it. So I looked it up and it seems the reason it’s good is cuz it has Saccharomyces Boulardii in it, which I have. Is there something else about Florastor that makes it so good, or can I get the same from S. Boulardii?

Thank you for your prayers and I hope you continue to be healthy!

beth22
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 10852
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 2:23 pm

Re: So Much Better

Postby beth22 » Sun Feb 09, 2020 10:53 pm

Florastor is just the brand, but it is S. Boulardii. There are different brands. I don't think one is better than another. Some are mixed with other probiotics, so just compare the ingredients.

Zay
Regular User
Posts: 53
Joined: Tue Dec 17, 2019 4:09 pm

Re: So Much Better

Postby Zay » Tue Feb 11, 2020 8:11 pm

Annie, thank you and I agree this forum has been a life saver.

Vancomycin can also cause stomach distress and diarrhea so sometimes it is hard to tell. Those are both side effects along with a whole big list. Vancomycin and Flagyl both made me sick as a dog honestly and I couldn't tell if I was getting better or not until I finished my medication.

There are other brands as Beth said and a lot of people like them because they work just as well as Florastor and are cheaper. I think Florastor is generally more expensive. You just want the bacteria. Your antibiotics won't kill it because it is a yeast and once you finish your antibiotics your tummy won't be devoid of the good bacteria. In short, "there will be more kids in the playground to keep the bullies in check"

Bobbie
Administrator
Posts: 12688
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2005 8:00 pm

Re: So Much Better

Postby Bobbie » Wed Feb 12, 2020 2:02 pm

Zay and Annie,
Glad the site is helpful. We love good news. Keep "hanging in there" and posting; we are here for you.


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