I am new to site my mom who is very ill immune suppressed was diagnosed w/ c diff about 9 wks ago. She was diagnosed w/ IBS about 7 yrs ago has numerous problems #1 she has been on steroids for 12 yrs due to adrenallectomy. major GI bleed 2 yrs ago followed by surgery and placed on prevacid, she has had strokes and about 12 major surgeries-thier is not enough time in the world to explain all problems supposively got c diff from antibiotics w/ no suprise @ one point they had her on 22 meds which left her catatonic. Anyways she has been severly dehydrated which I know throughs off all electrolyte she was admitted on friday and immediately started IV and of course she's trying to drink alot the doctor said what he thought about the heart attack this morning was when you are severly dehydrated ur body secretes ADH (anti-diurectic) hormone which forces your body to with hold fluids and w/ all the IV and drinking fluids he thinks it overloaded her heart which makes sense as I'm in nursing school now learning all of this I wanted to know if any1 else has experienced this- shes been on Vanco for 9 wks cant hold anything in- Im worried she will die and as usual the doctors don't seem to be doing enough- i read about immunoglobin any 1 have info on this please.....
jackie [/b]
mom diagnosed w/ C diff had heart attack today could this be
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Taurus0478
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Bobbie
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Taurus,
So sorry about your mother's many problems.
Welcome to the site. Read the first forum ALL USERS READ THIS FIRST & its subtopics. They will guide you in using the site & answer some of the most frequent questions. Read Dr. Borody’s & Dr. McDonald’s articles and the areas in FAQ that interest you – especially FAQ-Hygiene, Nutrition, Dehydration, & Testing.
I hope your mother is seeing a GI or an ID. If you want up-to-date info. in IVIG, one of our moderators (Christina) had the treatments & I am sure she will post. You can also call National Jewish Medical Center (google it) & find a toll-free #. It is staffed by RN's who can tell you more about the treatments.
With best hopes & prayers for your mother. Let us know how she is doing.
So sorry about your mother's many problems.
Welcome to the site. Read the first forum ALL USERS READ THIS FIRST & its subtopics. They will guide you in using the site & answer some of the most frequent questions. Read Dr. Borody’s & Dr. McDonald’s articles and the areas in FAQ that interest you – especially FAQ-Hygiene, Nutrition, Dehydration, & Testing.
I hope your mother is seeing a GI or an ID. If you want up-to-date info. in IVIG, one of our moderators (Christina) had the treatments & I am sure she will post. You can also call National Jewish Medical Center (google it) & find a toll-free #. It is staffed by RN's who can tell you more about the treatments.
With best hopes & prayers for your mother. Let us know how she is doing.
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Taurus0478
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thank you for replying i will look into those- she is seeing a GI- they all seem to be pretty ignorant though and unfortunately before c diff we had about 4- 6 doc appts- what a sham she is only 52- last april she was falsely diagnosed w/ frontal temporal lobal dementia its a nuero brain degenerative disease i guess if we could beat that we can beat anything I'll never forget I took her home april 4th to die and then i got my miracle she lived we got her off of those 22 meds ang she began to speak again I can vouge for it MIRACLES REALLY DO HAPPEN- but know this i feel like here we go again- do i have it in me??? Im currently in nursing school- i am so sick & tired of the whole medical field so I decided to do something about it... it's digusting especially starting clinicals nursing homes are horrible if anyone has anyone thier stay on them constantly- i feel for the ones who have no one and mark my words im going into law and will do something about all of this thanks again!
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Bobbie
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Taurus,
I applaud your decision to go to nursing school to help understand your mother's health problems.
One other thought. You might consult a pharmacologist re. all your mother's medications as 22 seems excessive. (Remember, I am not in the medical field.) Ask her docs. to bring in a pharmacologist. If they won't, you might contact Kelly Karpa (see FAQ). She is a pharmacologist (her son had C. diff. ) and a professor and has a consulting business.
I applaud your decision to go to nursing school to help understand your mother's health problems.
One other thought. You might consult a pharmacologist re. all your mother's medications as 22 seems excessive. (Remember, I am not in the medical field.) Ask her docs. to bring in a pharmacologist. If they won't, you might contact Kelly Karpa (see FAQ). She is a pharmacologist (her son had C. diff. ) and a professor and has a consulting business.
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Christina
- Long Time Contributor
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- Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2005 6:13 pm
Hi,Taurus. I'm so sorry for all that your Mom is going through. C-diff is hard enough but she is so lucky to have a daughter who is willing to search for answers.
I was "cured" by IVIG's. I was given 3 total, one every 3 weeks. Normal protocol for severe recurrent C-diff is two and I have no idea why my Dr. decided on two except that I was given the option for "good luck". Thankfully we did do three as the 1st two didn't take. My non medical opinion is that the 3rd one took because it was done during a very serious relapse. Not really sure if that is why it worked but that was the only difference.
Each treatment consisted of 400mg of Polygam S/D. I had no problems w/ the IVIG's themselves as they were very easy to take. They took 3-4 hours each at which time I was fed and played cards, etc. The hardest part was letting them do their work as it was a long road to recovery(about 5 months). I was pulled off of Vanco immediately following the first one not to be put back again unless absolutely necessary. The theory behind the IVIG's is to hold off the C-diff long enough without taking Vanco, for your normal good bacteria to replenish itself. Nothing more, nothing less.
The downside to this is because they are considered experimental for the use in C-diff most insurance companies will not cover them. Each IVIG runs about $2,600. If it is a last resort because all else fails it is worth giving it a shot but just like everything else w/C-diff it does not work for everyone.
Please keep us posted as to your Mom's progress and I wish her well every soon.
Christina
I was "cured" by IVIG's. I was given 3 total, one every 3 weeks. Normal protocol for severe recurrent C-diff is two and I have no idea why my Dr. decided on two except that I was given the option for "good luck". Thankfully we did do three as the 1st two didn't take. My non medical opinion is that the 3rd one took because it was done during a very serious relapse. Not really sure if that is why it worked but that was the only difference.
Each treatment consisted of 400mg of Polygam S/D. I had no problems w/ the IVIG's themselves as they were very easy to take. They took 3-4 hours each at which time I was fed and played cards, etc. The hardest part was letting them do their work as it was a long road to recovery(about 5 months). I was pulled off of Vanco immediately following the first one not to be put back again unless absolutely necessary. The theory behind the IVIG's is to hold off the C-diff long enough without taking Vanco, for your normal good bacteria to replenish itself. Nothing more, nothing less.
The downside to this is because they are considered experimental for the use in C-diff most insurance companies will not cover them. Each IVIG runs about $2,600. If it is a last resort because all else fails it is worth giving it a shot but just like everything else w/C-diff it does not work for everyone.
Please keep us posted as to your Mom's progress and I wish her well every soon.
Christina
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Christina
- Long Time Contributor
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- Joined: Fri Sep 30, 2005 6:13 pm
Studies on antibodies,IVIG, and antibody response in recurrent C-diff:
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lance ... 0/fulltext
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lance ... 3/fulltext
You will need to sign up to read these but it is totally free.
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lance ... 0/fulltext
http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lance ... 3/fulltext
You will need to sign up to read these but it is totally free.
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