cdiffdiscuss.org

I can't use detergents or cleaners on my clothes due to auto-immune problems. I just got through with 14 days of Flagyl (Metronidazole) on Monday. I decided to boil the underwear as my best hope. Anyone else do this?

Also... Has anyone else gotten very swollen legs and ankles during their battle with C-Diff?

Also... Has anyone felt worse a day after stopping Flagyl (Metronidazole)?

Thanks for reading.

Machaon
Welcome to the site , sorry you are dealing with Cdiff.
Don't know what to say about boiling your underwear , spores are very resistant even at high temperature so boiling might not be so efficient. If i were you and i would have stained underwear , i would throw whatever is stained and buy new one.
You said you are feeling worse now that you stopped Flagyl , describe worse.Are you dealing with frequent bouts of D , abdominal pain , fever? Cause if you are having those , you might be relapsing. Also , i never heard anybody complaining about swollen legs during Cdiff ,you should get checked for other illnesses.

Hi georgina! Thanks for the welcome.

Can't throw "organic" underwear away due to the expense. Must find a way to reuse them, sad to say.

I felt better later in the day after I stopped Flagyl after 14 days (nasty stuff). Right now I feel constipated, weak and ucky.

No pain or fever.

To be more descriptive, I am a 73 year old man, who was dealing very well with heart failure, afib, extremely sensitive asthma, autoimmune and insulin resistance. This c-diff has weakened me, made me sickly and robbed me of energy. I was hoping the Flagyl was more to blame.

Thanks for your response!

No need to boil.Add bleach to the hottest water in your wash cycle - l part bleach, 8 parts water and wash in hot water. Expect some shrinkage.

Flagyl is nasty stuff although it works for some. Ask your doc about Vanco or Dificid.

I am 76 and survived three bouts of c diff. Never too old!

Keep us posted.

Flagyl can leave you feeling pretty bad - so some of the weakness, sickly feeling and fatigue can be from the flagyl. I never heard of swelling in the legs and ankles. You should address that with your doctor.

I am not an expert on how to wash soiled underwear, but I would think washing them with bleach on hot and then putting them in the dryer would be enough to get them clean of spores, as Bobbie said.

Hope you feel better soon and that the c-diff is permanently gone!
Lisa

Someone's got to ask!
What the heck is "organic" underwear?

Bobbie, thanks for the reply!

Bobbie wrote:
> No need to boil.Add bleach to the hottest water in your wash cycle
>

Can't add bleach. Have autoimmune problems that prevent me from using many chemicals.

> I am 76 and survived three bouts of c diff. Never too old!
>

Unbelievable that, at your age, you could survive such a miserable infection 3 TIMES! Congrats but sorry you went thru that!

Are you finally c diff free? How long after a bout that you discovered it coming back?

Thanks!

Lisa33, thanks for your reply!

Lisa33 wrote:
> Flagyl can leave you feeling pretty bad - so some of the weakness, sickly
> feeling and fatigue can be from the flagyl. I never heard of swelling in
> the legs and ankles. You should address that with your doctor.
>

I never had the swelling before I got c diff. I have a feeling that it was caused by the flagyl interacting with my warfarin blood thinner and my varicosed right leg.

> I am not an expert on how to wash soiled underwear, but I would think
> washing them with bleach on hot and then putting them in the dryer would be
> enough to get them clean of spores, as Bobbie said.
>

I need a non-chemical solution. I was hoping that someone else used boiling water.

> Hope you feel better soon and that the c-diff is permanently gone!
> Lisa

Thanks! That is very kind of you!

roy, thanks for your reply!

roy wrote:
> Someone's got to ask!
> What the heck is "organic" underwear?

No pesticides, no chemicals used in manufacturing. Tis quite expensive, but it works for me.

Assuming it's cotton can you use the products that are used to clean baby's cotton nappys?

I had the picture of boxer shorts knitted out of banana leaves:-)
No need to use the quote feature.
It makes the posts look untidy.

Organic cotton I assume?

I am not sure about that Flagyl interaction. To be safe I would ask the pharmacist and if he can't confirm that's what it is, check in with your dr. You don't want to take chances that something else is going on.

Rita

As far as I know , Metronidazole increases the effect of oral anticoagulants. As Rita suggested , do check that with your pharmacist.

Weird suggestion--could you soak them in a gallon of white vinegar for a while and then launder on hot? Clostridia don't like acid at all, which is why acidifying canned goods helps prevent botulism. I don't know if vinegar is strong enough, or how long would be required to actually do anything. Otherwise I would just go buy regular white cotton underwear, launder them a couple times before wearing to eliminate any chemical residues, and try those. Then you can toss your organic ones.

A pressure cooker or canner can create spore-killing conditions also, but I wouldn't want soiled underwear in my pressure cooker.

Great idea Amy! pickled underpants!
Poster would smell like a Big Mac.

Roy, you totally crack me up , LOL!!