Probiotic worked and than they didnt

[BaneS]

I will post my full story in another post i wanted just to get feedback on this interestong thing im experiencing now. I got watery stool 2 months ago. Tested positive for c.diff and toxin A and B. I took 2 samples and took them to 2 different labs one came back positive for c.siff the other didnt. I took probiotics every day and day 5 i got better the stool was almost firm but always yellow. I tried different probiotics and fount the one that made my stool most firm and keep taking it. After 1 and a half month I got my first firm brown stool. I though well maybe i should lay off the probiotic, 2 days later again i got a slushy stool. I did not take any antibiotic for the c.diff and i got the c.diff when i returned from vacation i was on sea. I might have got the c.diff for a while but without symptoms for a year. My grandmother died from it year ago and i was taking care of her so you get my idea.im 30 years old, 6 years ago I was on penicilin a full year because of tonsils problem. I never had problems with the stomach nor i have ever taken probiotic at that time. My question is, should i treat the c.diff if my stools are normal while on probiotic and good planed food intake? Ive asked 3 infectious disease doctors and they all have different opinions, one says treat it the other say dont tske only probiotics. These month and some day i have made 5 stool tests. 4 ware negative one positive. I think the lab that os getting the positive test has a newer testing methods.

[OCmama]

That is really interesting can I ask where you are? Are you in the US?

[BaneS]

OCmama wrote:
> That is really interesting can I ask where you are? Are you in the US?
Nope, europe, macedonia.

[beth22]

You can test positive on PCR, but be negative on EIA. If the c diff is not producing toxins, then the EIA will be negative. PCR will pick up if you have the bacteria in you, but not necessarily an active case. I have the same problem with doctors. Asked 3 about what to do and got 3 different answers. If you feel ok on the probiotic, I would continue with that. You can ask for a test that is not PCR and see what the result is. Perhaps it is indeed negative.

[BaneS]

beth22 wrote:
> You can test positive on PCR, but be negative on EIA. If the c diff is not
> producing toxins, then the EIA will be negative. PCR will pick up if you
> have the bacteria in you, but not necessarily an active case. I have the
> same problem with doctors. Asked 3 about what to do and got 3 different
> answers. If you feel ok on the probiotic, I would continue with that. You
> can ask for a test that is not PCR and see what the result is. Perhaps it
> is indeed negative.

The thing is i dont know the name of the test they did. The ones that ware positive ware from private hospital very expensive one. They did fast test for toxin and a test that you wait for 3 days for the bacteria to grow. The ones that ware negative ware on the 3 days bacteria grow test where they see every bacteria. I think its on a blood agar dish. I dont know how the same sample can test positive in one lab and negative in another. (Here in macedonia you can do a test for 3$ with insurance and 15$ without in private hospital) so i took 2 stool samples in both places.. anyway im worried about taking almost 2 months probiotic non stop. What if the c.diff decided to overgrow the probiotic or get used to it and than what? Antibiotics and again more probiotic? Interestingly i have to remove my wisdom tooth sooner or later is makong problems and i will have to take antibiotic. I think it will be the best to take vancomycin when i will take my tooth out because vancomycin will kill streptococus pyogenes (that is the bacteria living in my hiden wisdom tooth)..btw i have never tried flagyl nor vancomycin so i dont know if im allergic..im not on penicilin im 100% positive. Anddd i also have polycitemia vera about 10 years now..high hgb (180) htc ans rbc (6.5) so that is making things more complicated if i get dehydrated

[beth22]

My daughter had wisdom teeth removed and no antibiotic was necessary. Check with your dentist to be sure you have to take one. I had 2 different surgeries in 2013 and usually antibiotics are given, but when I told the surgeons about my c diff history, they did the surgeries without and I did fine.

[amyc]

Strep pyogenes can become dangerous, do you have pain, swelling, pus? Oral vancomycin will not treat the tooth infection. To get the strep in your tooth it would have to be IV, which they can do.

If you have an infected tooth I would get it out right away. If you have to take antibiotics take them. You do not want infection getting into your bone. Your dentist or surgeon will tell you if you have to take antibiotics.

If you get diarrhea again, see the infectious disease doctor again to find out if it is C diff. If it is C diff, I personally would want to treat it.

[gcalaba]

Hi there, I am in the same boat as you! I started taking probiotics instead of filling my script for flagyl because I had such a horrible reaction to it last time I was on it. I had c diff 5 years ago so my dr prescribed it to me without a confirmed stool test. I started taking florastor and one with s. Boulardii in it and it made my diarrhea go away (still yellow poop though too just firm.. very yellow). So I haven't been able to do a stool test- they only test wAtery diarrhea in Canada. So I don't know what to do... will by body eventually go back to normal? Or do I do the flagyl?! I feel your pain!