natural approach!!

[Krvall]

I spent about a week researching blogs and forums as a silent ghost trying to find a solution to my c diff. I decided that it's been a week of me feeling better and I need to tap in and post on the forum my success. 

I have been diagnosed with Crohns colitis since May 2007.

That being said, here is my story. 

Was bitten by my dog (my fault) and he hit a nerve for relatively small bite and I ended up in the ER. I had just been to a Crohns conference two weeks before and was introduced to what c diff was. I had never heard of it. So I told the ER doctor my concern and he prescribed me clindamycin and cipro. I left thinking he had my back since I repeated my c diff concerns about 3 times. I didn't think to call my GI and tell her what i was being given to take.  My GI is at the mayo clinic. Went through about 5 days of those antibiotics before my gut started acting up and I started googling the antibiotics and freaked out seeing that they practically cause c diff. Doctor said just finish the course and let's see u are already like 6-7 days in. Sure enough 3 days after antibiotics finish I am poopig blood the works. Call mayo clinic and ask them to send lag request to get tested for c diff. I test positive. Blah. I get put on vancomycin for 10 days, 4 times a day. Did that for a week after I was done it was running to the bathroom. I thought the c diff had triggered my Crohns so I ignored it. I called mayo again. They sent another lab test for me. C diff positive again. 10 more days on that expensive vancomycin. After day 6-7 I started getting flustered. I was pissed the c diff side effects of nausea and dizzy and light headdress was driving me crazy. I started intense research only to read that people have this for 8 months to years. I kept tellig myself I cannot feel like this for 8 months. Then I read how some people die from this and I freaked out. I didn't work my bum off in Law school to die now. So I was done I the vancomycin and I knew I still had c diff but I had a plan to go natural. I called the mayo and got the OK from my doctor with a few tweaks to try the natural/herbal/ holistic route and after 2 days of being on it I feel amazing. Wow!  I am pooping firm stool something that hadn't happened in over a month and a half!!  So here is my regimen 

I take 1 capsule of both primal defense plus and jarrow formulas s. boulardii+MOS the moment I wake up in the morning.  I read how u can't drink with s boulardii cause it wi kill the effects and I decided to take it in the morning since I wasn't gonna stop drinking my glass of white wine at night. Pick ur poison 

Then I go take the dog for a walk etc and I came back in and make breakfast. In the middle of breakfast I am taking 1 capsule of 300mg of turmeric, 1 capsule of 150mg of oil of oregano, Mason brand cod liver oil chewable, 4mg of zofran, 800 mg tablet of asacol, 400 mg tablet of asacol
midday snack I am eating a Bubbies brand fermented pickle or Saukrat from the refrigerator aisle at Whole Foods. Must be with fermentation. 
Then at around 5pm I make sure I haven't eaten in the past hour and that I won't eat for an hour. I am taking Yerba Prima great plains bento clay in the liquid form, 1 tablespoon in 8 oz of water. 

At dinner time, I take first before dinner another capsule of Primal Defense Plus. Then In the middle of my meal, I am taking 1 capsule of 300mg of turmeric, 1 capsule of 150mg of oil of oregano, Mason brand cod liver oil chewable, 4mg of zofran, 800 mg tablet of asacol, 400 mg tablet of asacol

At night before bed I make sure to have 6oz of yogurt since my doctor expressed her concerns about taking Too much of the type of probiotics i was considering can give me a yeast infection. 

I am also gluten and sugar free since both feed the bad bacteria. 

It's been a week of firm stool and feeling great!  I am thinking this net week I will drop one of the zofrans so that I am only taking it once a day in the morning, but continue with everything else for about a month and then Start to eliminate one at a time. I am thinking the oregano oil first. And maybe Doing it every other day for a week or two and then eliminating it completely. And then the turmeric every other day and then eliminating it completely. And then eliminate the bento clay. And lastly the s.boulardii. 

Let me tell u that before all this I was taking primal defense plus once or twice daily so that was in my system along with the asacol dose. 
I also take ortho tri-cyclen lo and have been for about 7 months. 

I'll touch back and let everyone know how it's going. I am so happy to have had a week of wonderful!

[beth22]

Thanks for posting. I'm glad that the regimen is working for you. Is the Asacol for the Crohn's or are you taking it for the inflammation from the c diff?

[Krvall]

The asacol is for the crohns. Been on it since March of 2009. The dose increased in October 2011 by 800mg but before th c diff my doctor and I were talking about dropping one 400mg tablet, waiting two weeks and taking tumeric instead. I was doing so wel that it makes This c diff has been so frustrating. My doctor is accepting of alternative therapies thank heavens. Hence, the ok from her to proceed with the regimen that I am now on. Honestly, this regimen is easier than taking the vancomycin 4 times a day.

[Krvall]

The yogurt I'm taking is nonfat plain yogurt or nonfat plain Greek yogurt. I sweeten with 1 tsp of local honey that's been diluted in water and add some raisins and dehydrated trader joes strawberries

[Bobbie]

Glad you are doing well. "Different strokes for different folks." As always, and as Krvall did, always check changes, new meds./supplements with your doc.

[allenmj]

Very glad to see more positive information regarding probiotics.

All three of the Drs (and the nurses) that treated my little one during her hospital stay for C Diff were very vocal about making sure I included Probiotics in her treatment, and they even included Yogurt in her hospital meals once she was cleared for solid foods.

[AThurston]

Happy to see that you are feeling better and that you are on the road to recovery...

[debdee]

Krvall, Thank you for posting your success story! Please continue to keep us posted. It's good to know there are alternatives out there! I'm allergic to vanco and flagyl doesn't work for me, so I love reading success stories about alternative methods! I'm one of those who has battled a long time -- 3 + years. The first year flagyl worked and I was doing okay, but after 30 days of broad spectrum antibiotics for bronchitis and a sinus infection, I haven't been the same since. I pray you continue to get well.

[Krvall]

I encourage everyone to try the natural approach it wont hurt to try it!

[cdiffrun]

Fascinating read!

I've also discovered the natural path (from reading wikipedia) involves taking S boulardii and L acidophilus.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clostridiu ... Probiotics

The probiotic I'm going with is Benebiotics, they have both strains as well as 16 others (18 in all) and there are some positive reviews. I'm going over it with my doc on Monday. I think the natural approach certainly makes more sense than the antibiotics i'm being prescribed since ANTIBIOTICS GAVE ME C DIFF IN THE FIRST PLACE!

[ppp67]

Thanks for your update.
I'm new to CDIFF. I've relapsed once and I'm on my last day of VANCO.
Well, I bought some tumeric and made rice with it. It was so good.
And now I'm reading tumeric is just as good as VANCO (and it tastes good).

I'll try to eat this every day now, along with yogurt, kefir and probiotics.

[Bobbie]

Whatever works for you. Have heard good things about turmeric before but no proof it really works. If it doesn't hurt and might help, go for it. Do run this by your doctor, however.

[ppp67]

Done the VANCO, so I feel like a baby bird that's just jumped from his safety nest, hoping not to fall.

Did a lot of reading today. Turmeric has both antibiotic and healing qualities. The big question is, will
it kill my good bacteria as well as the bad? If studies show it is as effective as VANCO, and 1000x cheaper,
why isn't it getting prescribed? One person complained that like any other antibiotic, they got sick in a week.
But that was the only complaint.

You know what's bad about vanco?
You need to take it every six hours. Which means, you really only get 6 hours sleep. OK, you can go
to the office and snooze in your comfy chair if you're lucky.

BTW, I'm not taking a supplement. Instead, it's just a simple rice recipe (which works out to about 500 mg per big serving).
(rice, water, butter, turmeric). But I need to talk to the doctor. He said eat a normal diet. And I don't normally
eat turmeric. I found that sugar would aggravate my condition so I'm trying to do without. I also used to drink alot
of milk. Now, just in case, I'm not. But still eating yogurt (pro-biotic + sugar free) and kefir. And COOKED VEGGIES (other
than tomates, potatoes, peppers, cucumbers (the nightshades) ... hey, what vegetables does that leave me??)
Bottom line is, I've haven't followed my "eat a normal diet" instructions anyway.

Anyone one who knows more about turmeric or how best to restore your gut flora with the PROPER bacteria, please let me know.

[beth22]

I am post c diff, but have a lot of symptoms which are probably SIBO or IBS. I see a SIBO specialist. He recommends curcumin to his patients. He told me that it would not make me relapse with c difficile. He said specifically to use curcumin though and not tumeric. He told me to take one capsule a day. I tried it, but I got a lot of heartburn because I have upper GI issues as well. I am having an upper endoscopy this week and if I don't have an ulcer or gastritis, I may try the curcumin again. It is supposed to kill the bad bacteria that is in the small intestine. I don't know how much of it reaches the colon. But, I also know of some other people who have gone to naturapaths and were prescribed curcumin for various Gi issues. The way you are using it does not sound as if it is harmful. It is, after all, just an herb and you are using it in food. Capsules form are much more concentrated.

[JennB]

Ppp67 look into Manuka Honey and Raw Sauerkraut! I am waiting til I finish my round of ABX and I will start a Natural regimine to restore and repair my system. I am also juicing now for micronutrients that our bodies can easily and quickly absorb. Trying to stay away from sugar as it is truly poison (as you know)..cancer feeds on it, bad bacteria feeds on it...I don't want to actively contribute to my win demise. Too bad most of our food supply is ravished with it...it's hard to stay away from!! Good luck finding what works for you.