Back after 5 years - mostly success!

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.
DrPoo
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Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2015 11:22 pm

Back after 5 years - mostly success!

Postby DrPoo » Fri Apr 10, 2020 2:33 pm

As at least one other person has noted, if we beat this beast we rarely come back. Which means the stories can be pretty overwhelming and discouraging.

You can find my original story here: viewtopic.php?f=8&t=14353

Since that time I have not had any flares that have required medical attention.

It took more than a year before the c. diff feeling/smell stopped striking terror in my heart. But I've got a routine that works, and keeps c diff mostly out of my life.

It rears its ugly head about once a year. I take s. bouliardii for a few weeks and the symptoms vanish. Every time (so far). It takes about 3-4 days. I also take s. bouliardii whenever I take an antibiotic. I NEVER-NEVER-NEVER take clindamycin. I had a spiral fracture last January, which required a titanium implant, which (for a year) required pre-medication before dental treatment. My only alternatives were clindamycin (which caused this) and penicillin (which tried to kill me when I was 12). I chose the penicillin. I hate c. diff that much. The good news is that in the 5 decades since I last took penicillin, my allergic response has vanished - at least to small doses.

So - it is possible to get past this, with only mild PTSD. I have other chronic health conditions - most notably a muscle spasm in my back that keeps my pain level a 1-2 all the time. When physical therapists (regularly) try to fix it, I inform them that my back and I have worked out a truce - they may not disrupt that truce if they want to treat me for the condition for which I was actually referred to them. If they can't live with that restriction, I'll find another therapist. I've only had to fire one.

I have similar a truce with c. diff. I know it lives in my gut. It wouldn't be flaring up once a year if it was completely gone. I'll tolerate it's small family, if it runs back into its cave when I hit it with s. bouliardii.

Best of luck to those of you still in the trenches.

beth22
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Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 2:23 pm

Re: Back after 5 years - mostly success!

Postby beth22 » Fri Apr 10, 2020 8:46 pm

Thanks for sharing your experience and giving hope to others. May you continue with your truce with both your back and your GI tract. I have a similar truce as well!


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