Does a FMT rid you of Cdiff spores so you can take antibiotics???

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DianaLyn
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Does a FMT rid you of Cdiff spores so you can take antibiotics???

Postby DianaLyn » Tue Jul 17, 2018 8:53 am

I'm new here and had a FMT 2 years ago but am fighting a sinus infection which is not responding to doxy or biaxin.

I read if you have had a FMT, you are much safer if you need to go back on antibiotics because the FMT destroys all the spores. Is this true?

If biaxin and doxy isn't working what are the next best antibiotic options for me?

Thank you and God bless!!!

DianaLynn

roy
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Re: Does a FMT rid you of Cdiff spores so you can take antibiotics???

Postby roy » Tue Jul 17, 2018 12:27 pm

Even if you did eliminate all the previous c.diff infection your health history proves your gut flora is susceptible to severe damage from antibiotics.
Theres an increased chance that you could pick up a brand new infection if you damage the flora again.
Be certain that an antibiotic is needed to cure or prevent damage and not just being used to cut short an inconvenient minor illness.

DianaLyn
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Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2018 8:32 am

Re: Does a FMT rid you of Cdiff spores so you can take antibiotics???

Postby DianaLyn » Tue Jul 17, 2018 3:45 pm

So I'm not clear about the answer. Does a FMT help you fight off Cdiff better than if you never had one?

I understand about the issue with the gut and damage and agree with you about unnecessary antibiotics.

Thank you.

roy
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Re: Does a FMT rid you of Cdiff spores so you can take antibiotics???

Postby roy » Tue Jul 17, 2018 4:22 pm

FMT (and any other targeted treatment) encourages the good gut flora to return and boost the immune system so that it can overcome c.diff and bring it down to normal levels.
If symptoms resolve c.diff is no longer causing a disease, although it can remain as part of the normal gut flora.
Theres no point in testing if theres no symptoms so theres not a lot of "proof" that FMT kills off 100% of the spores.
I think it's fair to assume that if healthy people can carry c.diff without symptoms then its probable that after FMT the patient is more likely to be colonized than someone who has never had active symptoms.
From my own observations I have noticed that the people who have a lot of treatment for relapsing c.diff seem to be at higher risk of a new infection if they take antibiotics again.
If antibiotics are the only alternative (serious infection) then all you can do is use probiotics (might help), avoid ingesting new spores for several months (hand washing, bleach, hygiene.) and hope!
If you pushed me for an answer then I would say that an FMT does NOT reduce the chances of c.diff if you have another course of offending antibiotics.


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