Antibiotics Most Likely to Cause C.Diff/Antibiotic Resist.

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Bobbie
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Antibiotics Most Likely to Cause C.Diff/Antibiotic Resist.

Postby Bobbie » Sun Aug 07, 2005 8:29 pm

Most recent info - Sept. 2017
https://www.goodrx.com/blog/which-antib ... -diarrhea/
From a woman's magazine


Safe and Unsafe Antibiotics
LIKELY TO CAUSE C. DIFFICILE:
Clindamycin
Keflex
Ceftin
Ceclor
All other cephalosporins
Amoxicillin
Augmentin

MIDDLE OF THE ROAD:
Cipro
Levoflex (also Levaquin)
Tequin
Avelox
Bactrim
Erythromycin
Biaxin
Zithromax

SAFE TO TAKE:
Macrodantin (Macrobid)
Sulfa
Aminoglycoside
Flagyl (metronidiazole)
Oral and IV Vancomycin

Jennie provided this list. Thanks, Jennie.
Dr. Barlett of Johns Hopkins Hospital gave her the information. He is the doctor who discoverd that oral Vanco. is effective against C. diff. (Before l979, Vanco. was only given as an IV drug to treat staph infections.) Jennie posted the list on our old board, but it was deleted when the hosting company went out of business.

Keep in mind, however, that even the "safe" antibiotics (except Vanco.)can occasionally cause C. diff. even though Flagyl is often used to treat it.

New Post:

christina
Posted: Tue Mar 14, 2006 9:23 am

Could you please add Penicillin to the list of safe antibiotics.I flew in to see Dr.Kelly yesterday and it seems as though I have tonsillitis. He did a swab and results will be in in two days.I was sent home with a script for vanco and penicillin. He said it is a very low risk c-diff offender and rarely causes c-diff.Thanks
Last edited by Bobbie on Wed Aug 06, 2014 12:03 pm, edited 7 times in total.

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Postby Bobbie » Sun Aug 07, 2005 8:29 pm

We can add this one to the UNSAFE list:

Cleocin (really clindamycin)

This is unsafe in any form - oral, topical or vaginal.

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Postby Bobbie » Thu Aug 25, 2005 12:59 am

One of our recent C. diff. sufferers, who is a 4th year student in pharmacology, posted this. He points out how antibiotics are grossly overprescribed in this country.

Posted: Wed Aug 24, 2005 8:18 pm Post subject:

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I will be frank and honest here when I tell you that although I can help people with all types of medications and their side effects and some pathophysiology; we just don't get much training on c. diff. As far as which antibiotics themselves are more prone to cause c diff, I would assume that the more general broad spectrum ones, especially those which allow the flourishing of anaerobic bacteria (mainly found in the gut) would be the culprits. However, other factors would come into play as well such as decrease immune response, stress, etc. The reason broad spectrum antibiotics is because they are capable of killing all types of bacteria, most of which we know live symbiotically and keep bad guys like C. Diff in check. Now this relationship IMO, would rely on the proper use of antibiotics in the correct setting.

I cannot warn anyone enough the kinds of "misuse" of antibiotics I have seen in certain teaching hospitals from scared ID teams who will the throw the book at someone instead of rationalizing patient care. This is what leads to the general public at risk of contracting resitant strains of bacteria which have mutated under selective pressure.

I do believe that in most our cases we are contracting mutant strains of c. diff which have had time to become "hardy" and that is why we are having such a problem in getting rid of it. I am saying this from a strict "newbe" approach but considering the experiences that I have had in the past year, I may have had this all along and it didn't manifest itself incidiously until now. I will continue at this point, much like the rest of you, to become knowledgable about this.

Name Withheld
Doctor of Pharmacy 2006

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Postby Bobbie » Thu Dec 08, 2005 2:50 pm

starzmom posted this. Thanks.

Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2005 4:03 pm Post subject: Help. 38 1/2 Weeks Pregnant and Sinus infection/Bronchitis
I am , probably like anyone else who has had a bad bout with C.Diff, am scared to death to take antibiotics. I had a sinus infection exactly this time last year and successfully took Ketek..which only targets the lungs and sinus and is not broad spectrum. But...being pregnant this is Class C and only Class B can be prescribed to pregnant women.

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Postby Bobbie » Tue Feb 14, 2006 1:29 pm

NOTE;
On January 20, 2006, researchers reported three cases of severe liver problems, including one death, from the antibiotic Ketek. The FDA is investigating.

I'm not a pharmacist so if your doc. prescribes Ketek, bring up this issue. Also, consult your pharmacist. Keep in mind that any drug can cause problems in some people.

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Postby Bobbie » Tue Feb 14, 2006 1:54 pm

A well-known authority on medications says azithromycin has less effects on gut flora than the other options.

Azithromycin (Zithromax, Zmax; sometimes called Zpak) is chemically related to erythromycin and clarithromycin (Biaxin). It is effective against susceptible bacteria causing infections of the middle ear, tonsillitis, throat infections, laryngitis, bronchitis, pneumonia and sinuses, and certain sexually transmitted infectious diseases, such as nongonococcal urethritis and cervicitis. It stays in the body for quite a while, allowing for once a day dosing and for shorter treatment courses for most infections.

Azithromycin should be taken at least one hour before or two hours after meals since it may bind to food and not be absorbed from the intestine. For most infections, azithromycin is taken once daily for a relatively short course of treatment (usually five days). The first dose is often a "double dose," twice as much as the remainder of the doses given. For acute bacterial sinusitis, azithromycin way be taken once daily for three days. Zmax usually is given as a single 2 gm dose.

DRUG INTERACTIONS: Unlike erythromycin and clarithromycin, azithromycin is generally considered free of interactions with most other medicines. Do NOT take at the same time as aluminum- or magnesium- based antacids, such as Mylanta or Maalox because antacids will bind the azithromycin and prevent it from being absorbed from the intestine.

Side effects can be nausea, abdominal pain, and vomiting (about l out of 20 chance).

NOTE: This info. differs from our original list of antibiotics. (See first post.) This site is not recomending this antibiotic. Any antibiotic (including Flagyl on rare occasions) can cause C. diff. This isn't a guanantee that it won't cause C. diff. My son had C. diff. twice -- once from ERYC (a form of erythromycin). Many years later, he was able to tolerate a Z-pak which is broader spectrum.

Always consult your doctor and pharmacist. Ask for testing to determine if your infection is bacterial whenever possible.

This is NOT a medical site. This is NOT a recommendation. Consult one of the medical sites or "google" it for more info.

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Postby Bobbie » Mon May 01, 2006 11:43 pm

Cindy contributed this. This is one of the antibiotics she was on. Thx, Cindy.

http://articles.news.aol.com/business/a ... 15&cid=474

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Postby Bobbie » Tue Jun 13, 2006 1:10 pm

Wikepedia is a good source (free on-line encyclopedia) for medical terminology & info. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antibiotics for info. on antibiotics.

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Postby Bobbie » Fri Sep 29, 2006 11:48 am

Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 5:43 am Post subject: 4 Antibiotics that cause c-diff (Contributed by "Icky Tummy.") See Media Reports for other info. Christina posted.

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http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/545269

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Postby Bobbie » Tue Oct 03, 2006 12:50 pm

Christina contributed this. Thx.

Tetracycline May Protect Against C. difficile Colitis

http://www.psychiatrictimes.com/psychia ... eakingNews

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Postby Bobbie » Tue Nov 07, 2006 5:22 pm

Christina contributed this. Thx.

Here is a list:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beta-lacta ... enicillins

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Antibiotics & C. diff. - Google Alert

Postby Bobbie » Sat Mar 31, 2007 5:22 pm

Posted: Sat Mar 31, 2007 9:21 pm Post subject: Warnings About Antibiotics & C. diff. - Google Alert

These are from different countries. All have the same theme: "stronger isn't necessarily beter. Many docs. go straight to the "big guns" or broad spectrum antibiotics when narrower spectrum ones would have worked w/o as many side effects such as C. diff.

http://www.femalefirst.co.uk/health/Rem ... s-897.html (UK)

http://www.spiritindia.com/health-care- ... -7710.html (India)

http://www.pharmaceutical-business-revi ... 9B1A78DA1B

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/554119?src=mp - Medscape; same info. study from the UK

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Postby Bobbie » Tue Apr 17, 2007 8:33 pm

Sheila provided this info. Thx. Sheila.

Here's an explanatory on antibiotics that I thought was pretty good because it was less technical. For your reading pleasure....
http://healthresources.caremark.com/topic/antibiotics

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Postby Bobbie » Mon Jun 04, 2007 12:17 pm

This thread is re. antibiotic resistance. It explains why sometimes stronger & stronger antibiotics are used for persistant infections.Thx. to all who contributed.

pam2738

Does this make any sense to anyone? Is it correct?

"Unfortunately, with bacterial films, the antibiotics only kill some of the bacteria, while other bacteria within the film are not only resistant, but somehow use the action of the antibiotic to prosper and protect the other bacteria types within the colony. They act as a community to thwart any antibiotics. So, from what I understand, c diff isn't a type of bacteria, but a group that live and work together."

Allison
Site Admin


Pam,

The statement you read is just a round about way of describing general bacterial resistance. As far as I know, this phenomenon is not really unique to cdiff, but is the action of alot of bacterial colonies.

It's been going on since the first bacteria appeared on this earth, and will continue to do so indefinitely. You can liken it to Darwin's "survival of the fittest" theory.

Every single time an antibiotic is administered for any infection, there will be a number of bacteria that survive the attack....and thus the need for stronger antibiotics that work by different mechanisms to kill or disable them in future. This is not necesssarily an important occurence within one host, but is meaningful for the general population as a whole.
Antibiotics...the drugs designed to stop bacteria in their tracks, actually enhance their ability to survive for the long haul.

christina
Moderator


I read this in a book I was recently reading which I posted and recommended on the site. It's a bit freaky but here goes.

If you stay on one antibiotic for a longer than a normal period of time, the "bugs" inside of you will become resistant to not only that antibiotic but to numerous antibiotics even if you have never actually taken those antibiotics. This is not only the case w/ C-diff but with all bugs that are inside of us. For example, most of us probably have some form of E.Coli inside of us whether or not it is making us sick (just like C-diff) is another story.

I'll use myself just as an example. I got C-diff from being on Doryx (doxycycline) for three years for acne. Because I was on Doryx for those three years if I am carrying any strain of E.Coli it most likely would be not only resistant to the antibiotic used to treat E.Coli but it would also become resistant to other antibiotics as well. Most cases of long term single antibiotic use have produced bacteria inside of the host that is resistant to as many as 6 different antibiotics even though that host never even took those antibiotics. So if my E.Coli became resistant to say the Doryx (I don't even know if it's used for E.Coli, but I'll just explain it using that) which I'm sure it has, if I carry it then it is almost guaranteed that the E.Coli also became resistant to many multiple antibiotics as well. Basically, I could be in serious trouble.

This does not seem to be a "given" in people who use different short term antibiotic treatments although it can and does occur.

I found it quite scary but also amazing that this happens. My son spent two solid years on Omnicef when he was younger so I often wonder about him as well. It makes sense then why the first treatments for C-diff and most other bacterial infections start off with short term course of antibiotics . Who knows it may be the reason why my C-diff strain is resistant to Flagyl and also Xifaxan. Two antibiotics that I have never touched previously in my life.

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Postby administrator » Fri Aug 03, 2007 3:40 am

Christina contributed this information and obtained permission from Dr. Kelly & the editor of the medical journal to copy it on the site. Thx. Christina. Don't believe it mentions Macrobid - previously considered "safe."

Antimicrobial agents that predispose to C. difficile associated diarrhea and colitis

Image


Adapted from Kelly CP, LaMont JT: Treatment of Clostridium difficile diarrhea and colitis. In Wolfe MM (ed): Gastrointestinal Pharmacotherapy. Philadelphia, WB Saunders, 1993, pp 199-212).


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