Zpack + Vanco for strep

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cake918
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Re: Zpack + Vanco for strep

Postby cake918 » Sun Aug 12, 2018 7:23 am

I tried to beat the the strep without antibiotics for 4 days. The pain in my throat, headaches, fever and throat covered in white patches finally sent me in. Positive culture. I tried to beat it without but I couldn’t. I should have dealt with the pain and ride it out but I didn’t. My anxiety is through the roof which I know doesn’t help. I’m debating on even finishing the antibiotic now as I’m feeling better but afraid strep will come back if I don’t finish it.
Last edited by cake918 on Sun Aug 12, 2018 7:40 am, edited 1 time in total.

cake918
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Re: Zpack + Vanco for strep

Postby cake918 » Sun Aug 12, 2018 7:40 am

I tried to beat the strep for 4 days. Fever, sore throat, white patches and headache finally sent me in for s culture. I didn’t want to take them but I was in a lot of pain and caved. Stomach continues to gurgle, not looking forward to this day or the next. Does the D resolve after stopping antibiotics? If I test for cdiff will the vanco give a false negative?

NanciT
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Re: Zpack + Vanco for strep

Postby NanciT » Sun Aug 12, 2018 9:35 am

The D if antibiotic induced will stop as you get off the antibiotic. You may have to give it a few days. Since you are taking vanco, you would need to put off testing.
Always check with your GI when any antibiotic is needed, that is the one thing I wanted to add here. It's best to have the physician or dentist you are seeing that wants to treat with antibiotics speak with your GI.
Hopefully as you are off them things will improve but it can take time, being on both antibiotics can often upset the gut.

Give it time for everything to resolve, hope you feel better soon

NanciT

cake918
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Re: Zpack + Vanco for strep

Postby cake918 » Sun Aug 12, 2018 9:45 am

I consulted with my GI as soon as I tested positive. She says that if I ever needed to be on antibiotics I would go on vanco prophalacticly. I’m hoping they resolve too. I have a family vacation in 2 weeks and have already runied so many events I was hoping not to ruin another one.

beth22
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Re: Zpack + Vanco for strep

Postby beth22 » Sun Aug 12, 2018 1:18 pm

Again, it is highly doubtful that you have c difficile when you are on vanco. Zpak is not one of the high offenders either. Are you supposed to take the vanco for a few days after stopping the Zpak? That is what they told me to do when I took it with Levaaquin. If you are worried about going on the trip, ask your GI if you can have a RX for vanco to take along with you on the trip. In the early days of recovery, I always carried it with me when I traveled. I don't think I ever needed it, but I took it along just in case.

roy
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Re: Zpack + Vanco for strep

Postby roy » Sun Aug 12, 2018 1:56 pm

Also that's quite a high dose of vanco.
Uncomplicated strep is not a serious illness no matter how "bad" it made you feel.
I am surprised a Dr said to continue taking antibiotics if they suspect they are causing side effects (c.diff symptoms).

cake918
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Re: Zpack + Vanco for strep

Postby cake918 » Sun Aug 12, 2018 2:31 pm

I am on 10 days vanco so it will last for 5 days post zpack, my first day of vacation. I may ask her for a script for just in case, not sure she’ll give me more without a positive test but I’ll ask.

cake918
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Re: Zpack + Vanco for strep

Postby cake918 » Sun Aug 12, 2018 3:25 pm

Roy, I do understand that uncomplicated strep is not that bad. I did not want to take the antibiotics but I did, that’s done. I tried for 4 days and I’m weak and caved. I will never again in the future. The vanco dose is what my doctor ordered. I may ask her if I can taper off for days 5-10 but I’m concerned at this point that stopping it will cause more harm than good. I’m not a doctor but I have to trust my GI doc, second guessing her every decision on top of mine when there’s little tease arch either way of the affects of using vanco prophalatically (found two studies that it’s positive).
Beth- what was your vanco dosage during your levaquin antibiotic? Curious if I should ask to taper off rather than cold turkey at day 10?

beth22
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Re: Zpack + Vanco for strep

Postby beth22 » Sun Aug 12, 2018 5:15 pm

It was 250mg twice a day.

cake918
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Re: Zpack + Vanco for strep

Postby cake918 » Sun Aug 12, 2018 6:27 pm

Think i should ask her to taper me over the 10 days? I’m new at this, I didn’t know that would be too high.

beth22
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Re: Zpack + Vanco for strep

Postby beth22 » Mon Aug 13, 2018 12:51 am

I don't know what is too high or not and I'm not sure doctors do either. Since I was taking it as a preventative and did not have an active infection, I only took it twice a day. I would tell your doctor about your vacation plans and see if he or she can give you enough meds for the time you will be gone.

cake918
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Re: Zpack + Vanco for strep

Postby cake918 » Mon Aug 13, 2018 10:55 am

I don’t have an active cdiff infection. She gave it to me preventively. I’m just going to ask for coverage through vacation so I don’t ruin yet another event. My D is once a day now, last day of zpack. Hoping it goes away when antibiotic gets out of my system. I just want to be done with this!!

roy
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Re: Zpack + Vanco for strep

Postby roy » Mon Aug 13, 2018 11:17 am

Its not too high but its unusual to be so high as a preventative.
Personally I would not want to be on such a high dose for 20+ days straight, all meds have potential side effects.
if your not having c.diff symptoms it might be better to have a "first aid kit" of vanco with you, or be on a lower dose.
Even the lowest dose (125) is supposed to be 10x the therapeutic strength that kills c.diff.

cake918
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Re: Zpack + Vanco for strep

Postby cake918 » Tue Aug 14, 2018 9:11 am

Well I talked to my GI doc yesterday. She said she doesn’t want me to take any more vanco past the ten days. She said she treated me because of the difficulties I had with cdiff last time but does not recommend continuing on past 10 days treatment. She feels what I have right now is antibiotic induced and will clear. If I have symptoms after the vanco, she will test. My muddy D is down to 1-2 x day. I’m taking 2 florastor twice daily and may add in culterelle. I’m lactose intolerant so yougurts kill me and I’m diet limited still from the cdiff so natural probiotics are hard. I was getting better then this happens. I’m trying to believe that it’s just antibiotics but cdiff is an evil thing. Along with a FMT I think I need a brain transplant!!

cake918
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Re: Zpack + Vanco for strep

Postby cake918 » Tue Aug 14, 2018 12:46 pm

How long after stopping antibiotics does it take for the d to resolve? Today is my first day off of antibiotics and I’m still having Muddy d and nausea. I know one of the side effects of Vanco is D but I didn’t have it the last time I took it. Confused and just want everything to go away.


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