Please be patient with me

[Robbie]

I'm sorry to keep posting and asking questions, but my anxiety is really getting the best of me. I have an appointment with a psychiatrist next week, but in the meantime I am feeling awful. Is it common to get symptomatic again while you are tapering your vanco? I don't have diarrhea, but I'm having a few bms a day that are formed but thin and small, but I have lots of bloating, and discomfort. I start the every 3 days next week and I'm scared. Is tgis the spores coming to life and then the vanco kills them? Is it normal recovery? Please help

[roy]

Yes thats "normal".
The theory behind the taper/pulse is that it allows the spores to vegitate (thinking the threat from vanco is gone) and the next dose kills them before they multiply.
During that time your natural gut flora recovers and takes over the job when the final vanco pill has been taken.
Dont forget that vanco is also an antibiotic and disturbes your gut flora so minor GI problems can be expected.

[Robbie]

Thanks, Roy. I guess that makes sense. Does this pulse usually get all the spores? Why are most people left with symptoms, even if the c diff is gone?

[roy]

For every one that joins this site (usually because they have ongoing problems or extreme anxiety because of their internet research!) theres thousands more that recover quickly and never mention c.diff again.
It's not "most" people, it's a small minority that get noticeable IBS type symptoms after c.diff is gone.

[panda18]

Robbie wrote:
> I'm sorry to keep posting and asking questions, but my anxiety is really
> getting the best of me. I have an appointment with a psychiatrist next
> week, but in the meantime I am feeling awful. Is it common to get
> symptomatic again while you are tapering your vanco? I don't have
> diarrhea, but I'm having a few bms a day that are formed but thin and
> small, but I have lots of bloating, and discomfort. I start the every 3
> days next week and I'm scared. Is tgis the spores coming to life and then
> the vanco kills them? Is it normal recovery? Please help

Let me share my experience with c diff and maybe it will help. 11/7-11/9 i was admitted in the hospital. I was given vancomycin oral and flagyl via IV. 11/9 after medication I had a bowel movement and it was formed but very narrow (think of a pencil) which was good. I was sent home on 10 day course and missed a week of work. My first BM at home I was nervous and scared to look at my BM, but when I did it looked just like at the hospital. Fast forward to 11/30 I met with my PCP and described it and she didn't say good bad or good. I said I have so much anxiety and I got tested again for c diff. I tested negative. I was told I could eat a normal diet. I did return to one except I did not eat any raw vegetables and I still do not. Because fast forward to 12/20 I got a sinus infection and was told to take clarithromycin! Ever since I took vancomycin I have been taking a probiotic supplement.