multiple cdiff relapses plus other unknown symptoms?

[beth22]

I was told that prednisone tablets could cause c diff. I think if you get shots, not so much, but the shots are usually cortisone, not prednisone. I am going to check myself again because I may need the prednisone for lingering hoarseness due to the whooping cough I had, but if it can cause c diff, I'm not so sure I want it. Your symptoms could also be from the Eustachian tube. I have had that before. You could try taking antihistamines to see if it helps the problem. If it is Eustachian tube or allergies (which can also cause dizziness, popping, etc) it should help. Those won't give you c diff.

[tmb74]

Hi there, my daughter was also born in early April, and I got cdi after taking abx following an unrelated surgery in early May. I was prescribed flagyl and had an adverse reaction within 24 hrs. I don't know if it was from the infection or the meds. Perhaps a combination of both. I had the memory issues, actually I stood in front of my kitchen sink trying to remember how to put my breast pump flanges together. Seriously it's three pieces. I couldn't remember what I had for lunch. I went to urgent care and they prescribed vancomycin. I am on the opposite end of the spectrum, they wanted me to take 500mg 4x a day for 10 days. Way too much if you ask me. I took 375mg for 14 days. I've been symptom free for a week post vanco, I take florastor 3x a day and culturelle, drink kefir and eat greek yogurt. I still feel like my stomach is weak, I'm exhausted, and I worry constantly that my family is going to get sick. I amok wwith memory stuff now, but I only took four doses of flagyl. I have sore muscles and joints as others have described... not sure what is infection related vs what is medication related. In my opinion, you're not getting enough to make the initial infection go away. Hopefully the doctor's office will respond with more vigilance on Monday. Can you just show up? I'm in California, and at Kaiser Permanente you can be seen at urgent care and they have pretty good doctors. At any rate, you will getbetter. It may take ssome time, but you will. I will too. We have zero family in town, and my husband's commute is an hour each way. We have a 4yo too... so I completely understand how hard it is. Hopefully the older children can help a bit. Sending lots of positive thoughts and hugs your way. We'll get through this!

[Bobbie]

Kim, I would see a good ENT about your ear. You can take a nasal spray like Afrin 24 hour super moisturizing that might help open up the Eustachian tube. also an oral antihistamine might help. I have used both in the past without a problem. Agree with Beth. Have been on prednisone lots of times -no link with c diff I know about. Check this info out with a doc. Haveread that antibiotic ear drops can be used instead of oral - little absorption.

It's maddening this has to happen now. You need a break from problems.

[kim223]

I mistakenly took some Claritin because my eczema was starting to flare (I usually take it daily to control my eczema but had stopped when the dizziness started) and then remembered that in the past plain Claritin would block my ears/sinuses and I had to take Claritin D. May explain why the dizziness was better Friday when all the popping/crackling was happening but after I took the Claritin now I'm back to being pretty dizzy again. I hate taking medications in general and especially just to see what will happen but I may try some original Sudafed and some plain Mucinex and see if that helps. If the dizziness is ear related that might be a better deal than it being Flagyl related. Maybe I'll call my PCP tomorrow and see if he'll check my ears. Thanks Bobbie and Beth - If prednisone comes up in the conversation with my Dr I'll make sure to ask about it and c-diff.

tmb74 - So sorry you are a new mom too and going through this! It's so hard to know whether the pains and memory stuff etc are from giving birth or from the infection/medications. Having had a 10lb baby and being kind of a small person I still felt like my insides had been ripped out weeks past delivery and I believe that was actually the infection now not the big baby. We always joke that each baby I have sucks my brains out but this got so bad it went beyond that. I hope this is it for you and it doesn't come back!

I could go to urgent care but it'd be a crap shoot whether I'd get a competent Dr or not. One time I went in for a sinus infection while pregnant and the Dr told me to take the antibiotic until I felt better and don't worry about not finishing it. I'm not that dumb. Wish me luck - I see my GI PA tomorrow and she better prescribe me more Vanco so I can do the taper because I've been taking 4/day all weekend against her instructions. She also wanted me to do a stool sample but thankfully I haven't had any D so I didn't do it. I don't normally go against what my Drs tell me but this just seemed more logical.

[Bobbie]

Good luck tomorrow.

[kim223]

She rather condescendingly told me that I took a 6 week taper and condensed it to two when she told me not to and she would not prescribe me any more. I have 8 pills left. I told her I didn't feel normal/have normal stool until this past Saturday. She told me to take 2/day for 4 days. If the infection comes back, then she will talk to Infectious Disease. I feel like this is the Flagyl courses all over again - the Dr doesn't prescribe enough or correctly and it comes back. I don't know what to do.

[getwellsoon]

While I can see your PA got upset at you not following directions I think she is being totally unreasonable. Can you go in and talk to a Dr. I would refuse to see her. If they won't give you anymore Vanco you will either have to just follow their protocol and see how you do. Who knows, maybe you will be better. If not you can then go back and it sounds like she will at least then talk to the ID. At this point if it were me I would see another Dr. someway. Don't know if you have good insurance but you might have to go to the ER to get treated properly. Maybe you can print out something from the site about the usual course of meds for Cdiff. Most people get at least 10 days at 4X a day, some get it for 14 days. I got numerous courses at 14 days and my tapers were longer also. They sound like they really don't know what they are doing so for your own sake you really should seek better care. Hope you do better and can get in to see someone else. Let us know how you do.

[beth22]

I agree with Carol. I would go to an ER or even an urgent care may give you more medication. You can go in after you finish these pills and say that your symptoms are coming back and you need to treat. Or, try and call the office where you saw the PA and ask to get in touch with the doctor. I think she is being unreasonable too. Tell them to call an ID right now and ask what the proper protocol is in your situation.

[kim223]

That was a good suggestion to call them and have them consult ID now rather than later. Before I saw that though I called and left a message with the nurse at my PCP's office. Then I emailed my PCP through the hospital online health network and explained what was happening in more detail. Tonight I got a call from the nurse apologizing (they were not the ones who referred me to this GI so no apologies necessary but it was still nice to hear) for the unprofessionalism of the GI's office and telling me my PCP would be referring me to a GI specialist back in the hospital network he and all my other Drs are a part of (large hospital, level 1 trauma center.. the GI's office was part of a small hospital network). I should expect a call tomorrow or the next day. She said if they can't get me in right away hopefully they will have me see their PA or do a phone consult so I can take care of my meds. So relieved. And btw, one of my friends who's a PA in a family practice looked up in her medical reference what the proper dosage is.. she said for a second recurrence the dosage of Vanco was "125 mg every 6 hours for 10-14 days then 125 mg every 12 hours for 7 days then 125 mg daily for 7 days then 125 mg every 2-3 days for 2-8 weeks". See GI PA - you're wrong; I'm not crazy.

[beth22]

Good that you were persistent. It's incredible how much time one spends talking on the phone to people in the medical field that don't know what they are doing. Hopefully they will give you the meds and you can do the proper taper.

[getwellsoon]

So glad to hear you are having a better outcome and will get the care you need. Hopefully you will kick the Cdiff. Let us know how you do.

[kim223]

Well, the update is I was referred to another GI.. didn't hear from them by mid-day the second day so I called my PCP to ask for the phone number of the GI (they hadn't told me what office they referred me to). Called them and the lady I talked to said they were scheduling out to October. I told her I needed to talk to someone about my meds and she said none of the Drs would talk to me without seeing me first. She also said since this was my 4th round of treating the c-diff they would just refer me to ID anyway. Called the PCP back to report all that. The nurse who called me back was super understanding when I told her the entire story of how the last 10+weeks have been for me and took down everything I said about finishing the taper and went to go beg my PCP to prescribe it to me. They called back last night to let me know he was referring me to ID AND prescribing me the rest of my taper meds. Finally! Called the pharmacy and they didn't have any Vanco in stock so they ordered it to be delivered today. There was a hassle with my insurance not covering it because under my previous Rx I would still have meds left and it wasn't time to refill. I explained the original Rx wasn't correct, my meds were gone, and this Rx was fixing all that. The tech fixed it (yea!) and I picked up the meds this morning. I still feel great.. have since Saturday. Taking probiotics (Culturelle & Align) and I picked up Florastor when I got my prescription. Hoping this is truly the end! Thank you to all of you! Hopefully the next update will be 5 weeks from now saying I'm done with the meds and still doing great.

[kim223]

I apologize if this is TMI and I did not post it in the correct area - I'm on my third day of 2/day vanco (down from 4/day) and today I started having some mild issues I had before - mild abdominal pain, gurgling, gas, and stools are much lighter and softer and going toward an almost orange. I've read a taper is prescribed so when the spores "hatch" or whatever, the vanco kills the bacteria. Is that normal then to have some slight symptoms come and go while tapering or should I have stayed feeling completely normal with normal stools?

[beth22]

I always had lots of symptoms when I tapered down a dose. Give it a few days for your system to adjust, but if things get worse, notify the doctor.

[getwellsoon]

Yes, you can have some symptoms but if you feel very ill you might have to go back up a step. Call Dr. if you get bad otherwise it is pretty normal to have a few things reoccur but you shouldn't start to feel real bad. Let us know how you do.