Still not feeling better

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SGS
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Still not feeling better

Postby SGS » Thu Apr 06, 2017 1:38 pm

Hello,
I have been dealing with C Diff for about two months now. I just finished a second round of Metronidazole 500mg 3X/day 14 days on Saturday April 1st. It was tough being on the antibiotic. At times I couldn't tell what was making me feel worse. I still feeling some cramping and stomach pains along with bad headaches and some acid reflex. I'm not having bad D, but I am having very soft movements once or twice a day this has been fairly consistent for the last several weeks. I'm just not sure I have this monster beat, I have a new test kit and am going to submit the test tomorrow. My Dr. is fine with me retesting this soon after my last course of Flag but I want to make sure I'm not rushing into retesting to soon.

My fear of a positive test has me also trying to decide the best next course of action. My Dr. is open to my input as far as Vanco or Dificid next. I just can't go back to Flag it was just too hard on me. Any insight on Vanco vs. Dificid would be helpful.

Thanks,

Musings
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Re: Still not feeling better

Postby Musings » Thu Apr 06, 2017 1:45 pm

You should not test for at least 10-14 days (but the longer the better) after finishing the antibiotic as you may get a false positive. Your doctor should not have agreed to testing this soon.

Flagyl can cause digestive issues all on its own so several soft, but formed, stools only a few days off the medication sounds like you are in recovery. Stick with a bland diet and slowly introduce new foods to see what you can tolerate and not upset your stomach. If you can tolerate them, it may help to try a probiotic or foods/drinks with probiotics in them like kefir.

If you do fail flagyl twice, would push for Dificid as it is the only medication specifically designed to target c. diff but some doctors/insurance companies will want to try vanco next which has a better success rate than flagyl and is a FDA approved treatment for c. diff.

~Lauren

NanciT
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Re: Still not feeling better

Postby NanciT » Thu Apr 06, 2017 6:14 pm

Hello SGS and Welcome to the site. Please read the first forum for all new posters

Since you just completed your treatment you need to give it some time. If Watery Diarrhea returns( we usually say for 3 days) and your symptoms do not improve then speak with your doctor.
It can take some time to get everything back to "Normal" post treatment. Are you on any probiotics? I stayed on VSL#3 which helped me post treatment. There are also medications if you are having Post IBS you can speak with your MD about them.
Go easy with your diet also, I stuck with a bland diet after treatment.

Unless you feel it's back with the diarrhea, I would give things some time to settle down. If it does return and your MD is willing to give you Dificid, that is what I would go with.
I hope you feel better soon
NanciT

georgina
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Re: Still not feeling better

Postby georgina » Fri Apr 07, 2017 12:40 am

Another vote for Dificid ! Dificid should be the first line of treatment , not Flagyl or Vanco , if doctors would give their patients Dificid instead of keeping them on the Flagyl/Vanco train , the reoccurrence rate would not be the lowest.

SGS
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Re: Still not feeling better

Postby SGS » Thu Apr 13, 2017 10:42 pm

Hi, thanks for the posts.
I tested positive for C Diff again today. I took the test this morning and got the results back tonight. My Dr called and gave me the news. He did say that if my symptoms are not bad that a positive test does not mean I'm going to go back to a full blown C Diff attack again. I'm having some on and off stomach pains, I'm only having one bowel movment a day it's soft and loose but not D. I'm really concerned about having to go back on antibiotics, my Dr is suggesting I wait as I'm not having bad or full blown symptoms. I have been off antibiotics for 12 days. I'm currently taking Flora store probiotic and drinking a few glasses of Kefir a day. They seem to help, if I skip I notice more stomach pains/discomfort. Has anyone heard of testing positive and C Diff clearing up or will I need to go back on an antibiotic?

Thanks,

Tsc1964
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Re: Still not feeling better

Postby Tsc1964 » Fri Apr 14, 2017 12:34 am

I think your dr has given you great advice. Over treating can get you in a cycle of over treating an make symptoms worse. I had it also 15 years ago hospital gave me flagy which made me horribly sick so i quit taking it i reallly had no idea what cdiff was an didnt research it back then. My body fought it off. If you start having symptoms contact your dr.

georgina
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Re: Still not feeling better

Postby georgina » Fri Apr 14, 2017 2:23 am

You doctor seems like a keeper , he seems knowledgeable. Do not rush into treatment just because you have 1 soft BM per day and some cramps or just because you tested positive. I've been testing positive for month for toxins with symptoms similar to yours and decided not to treat , not keeping diet , etc and i never got worse although i have a script for Vanco in my drawer and spoke to my doctor about a FMT in advance just in case it goes full blown again. Treating mild symptoms can actually make your situation worse create more unbalance in your flora and after treatment is stopped can result in more relapses that will be even harder to cure. It seems that you have a low-grade infection that your own immune system can take care of it.

amyc
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Re: Still not feeling better

Postby amyc » Fri Apr 14, 2017 3:03 am

Did your doctor offer to write you a prescription to keep on hand if your symptoms get worse? It is possible you will improve without treatment and your flora will recover enough to conquer C diff with no further treatment, but it's also possible you will get worse, and you could end up feeling terrible pretty quickly, in which case you don't want to wait for days trying to get a hold of your doctor or have to visit an ER.

Ril
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Re: Still not feeling better

Postby Ril » Fri Apr 14, 2017 9:13 pm

I totally agree with Georgina. You are very lucky to have such a wise dr. One soft BM per day is nothing to worry about and is not indicative of an active infection. Symptoms should be treated- not test results. You may never get any worse symptoms and just go right into recovery which is what your symptoms actually sound like. You can be colonized and have a positive c diff result, or just a low grade infection, which is why testing is not always wise.
Watch your diet, stay on probiotics to replenish your good gut flora and best of luck.
Rita

SGS
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Re: Still not feeling better

Postby SGS » Fri Apr 14, 2017 10:53 pm

Thanks for the information. Unfortunately my stomach is sore a good portion of my day and the positive test results are concerning to me. My Dr has been good, I'll give it until the middle of next week to see if I have some improvement before I go back in to see him again. I felt a little better a few days ago. At least I'm not having full blowen symptoms right now. It's a grind to beat this.

Pinecone
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Re: Still not feeling better

Postby Pinecone » Sat Apr 15, 2017 3:11 am

I'm surprised you completed two courses of Flagyl! That stuff was absolute heck for me. Good job toughing it out for so long :)

I had a lot of leftover pain and soreness after finishing my recent course of vanco. I think that much is normal. It wasn't until I was back to having agonizing cramps that I was worried, and not until the D came back that I was sure. So, I think waiting and watching is alright for the time being, so long as the symptoms remain minor. Seems like your doctor is a good person who will treat you as soon as you think you need it, so that's a huge boon already!

Best of luck in the coming days, wishing you a speedy recovery!

cnatra
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Re: Still not feeling better

Postby cnatra » Sat Apr 15, 2017 9:19 pm

IMHO if you have to treat again I would skip the Vanco and go straight for the Dificid.

I've had 3 rounds of Flagyl and a long Vanco taper over the last 15 months and still don't have C Diff beat.

Ril
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Re: Still not feeling better

Postby Ril » Sat Apr 15, 2017 10:01 pm

Cnatra, I would not recommend anyone take 3 rounds of Flagyl. It's over with now, but from reading on this site I would guess you have seen that your dr should have switched you to vanco or Difficid after your first relapse, certainly not repeating Flagyl 3 times.
So sorry you are still suffering. I hope you are now seeing a dr with expertise in c diff.

Rita

dunerkat
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Re: Still not feeling better

Postby dunerkat » Wed Jun 07, 2017 11:17 pm

I'm new to the site so I thank all of you for the wonderful insight. Reading the posts and knowing I'm not the only person worrying gives me some peace of mind. I have nothing to add other than that.

cnatra
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Re: Still not feeling better

Postby cnatra » Fri Jun 09, 2017 8:50 pm

get some Dificid if you can


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