Can ones body overcome the illness?

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cryingsilly
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Can ones body overcome the illness?

Postby cryingsilly » Wed Jun 06, 2007 6:47 pm

I have been reading posts about relapses and have a question.

After coming off of the Vanco, if you test positive, or have mild symptoms and test negative, is it possible that your body will recover on its own?

I have been off of Vanco for 8 days. The first 7 were wonderful. I felt great, I had energy, bm's were almost normal! Very excited.

Then last night I felt bloated, 3 bm's in a row, loose not D (never did have frank D with this thing) felt achy. This morning, feel urgency, only one bm, loosely formed, colon hurts under the ribs, feel tired.

I am going to take a stool sample in to the lab in the morning. Am trying not to panic : )

But really would like to know if it is possible that cdiff can show some signs of relapse, but the body takes care of it.

Thanks so much
Darlene

Nancy1
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Postby Nancy1 » Wed Jun 06, 2007 8:50 pm

That's what the 3-day rule is about, so we won't panic if we start to feel worse. I hope this is just a short interlude for you now, and that you feel better soon. If you feel worse, or if after 3 days you don't feel any better, talk to your doc. Good luck.

cryingsilly
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Postby cryingsilly » Wed Jun 06, 2007 10:52 pm

Have any of you though, felt sick again off meds, increased bm's achy, maybe a low grade temp... but then pulled out of it on your own?

I guess thats what I was really wondering.

I am hangin onto that three day rule like a baby monkey to its mama : )

Thank you!

Darlene

Christina
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Postby Christina » Thu Jun 07, 2007 6:48 am

I had diarrhea, cramping off and on and still tested positive for about 4-5 months after my last treatment. That was last August and by January things began to straighten out. So yes, it is possible as long as you can tolerate your symptoms and they remain mild your normal good gut bacteria will eventually "cure" you. It certainly is not an easy route to go but it works. The only way to get "cured" is to get off of the antibiotics. Of course though if your symptoms are not tolerable and/or they progress there is no choice but to get back on the Vanco/Flagyl. During this time I was on a very high fiber/roughage diet, 8 Pepto Bismol tablets/day, 1 Activia, and 1 DanActive per day.

If you get worse or you feel you are seriously relapsing I would consult your Dr. This is what worked for me but it was under very close medical supervision.

cryingsilly
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Postby cryingsilly » Thu Jun 07, 2007 10:23 am

Thank you Christina, that is what I was wondering.

Can you tell me, what does the pepto bismol do? Does it aid in curing or does it help you tolerate symptoms.

I bought Activia and DanActive last night. Am taking the Boulardi and the Culturelle.

I collected a specimen this morning and it doesnt smell or look like cdiff, so I am pretty sure its not going to test positive anyway.

my concern was how sick I had to get before I got a positive test result.

Am on the WWW road. So many questions, so little answers : )

thank you again.
Darlene

Christina
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Postby Christina » Thu Jun 07, 2007 12:01 pm

Pepto Bismol has anti C-diff properties somewhat like an antibiotic. Studies done at Baylor University and elsewhere have shown that some have been cured by high doses of Pepto alone. It is also supposed to help with the cramps and diarrhea although it didn't help me in that area as I continued to have cramps and diarrhea despite the high dose I was on.
I advise you to consult with your Dr. before doing so as it was my GI Dr. who put me on this regimen and we kept in close contact the entire time.

Good luck and I hope your symptoms improve.

Christina

cryingsilly
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Postby cryingsilly » Thu Jun 07, 2007 5:08 pm

Sorry to bother you again Christina, but I wanted to ask you about the high fiber.

Did you find at first that it increased your nausea, bloated feeling?

I have been trying to eat oatmeal for the fiber, and sometimes find its too much.

I have not tried a fiber supplement and wonder if that is easier on your stomach.

From what I understand through reading, its soluble fiber that we want, is that correct in your experience?

Thank you again

Darlene

Christina
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Postby Christina » Thu Jun 07, 2007 5:37 pm

I still follow the same diet now and have been since last August. It certainly is a much healthier diet compared to what I ate BCD so I've just stuck with it. I also buy organic whenever I can especially meat and fruit. I won't eat any meat or fruit that is not organic due to the antibiotic factor.

An example of what I eat would be for breakfast either: Kashi Go Lean Crunch-Honey Almond Flax 8g of fiber/serving, Kashi-Heart to Heart Oatmeal 5g of fiber/serving or Nature's Path-Optimum Slim Cereal 11g of fiber/serving. I'm lactose intolerant so I use soymilk in it. I also have my DanActive but I just stopped that as my Dr. has now put me on a new probiotic that I started this past Sunday. I also have some fruit.

For lunch I only eat salad and 1 Activia. Sometimes I may throw in a slice of high fiber bread w/1 TBS. of peanut butter.

With my dinner I always have a green leafy vegetable or cauliflower. Something that will make my insides rumble and sometimes more salad as well.

I also eat a lot of black beans. Black beans burritos w/ rice cheese and salsa are my favorite.

I shoot for 25g of fiber per day. Sometimes I go over, sometimes I eat less but 25g is my goal each day.

I also only drink bottled water throughout the day.

The only changes I noticed at the beginning were possibly increased BM's until I adjusted. Because I have severe PI-IBS I am usually bloated and sometimes nauseous anyway and also, I was very sick when I started this diet. I still had C-diff. My new normal right now is having a BM once every 7 days or so. I usually look like I'm 10 months pregnant. That is still on the high fiber diet!

You should have both soluble and insoluble fiber in order to get a good balance.

Good luck and I hope this gives you a bit more info.

cryingsilly
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Postby cryingsilly » Thu Jun 07, 2007 7:54 pm

It does Christina thank you for taking the time to post that information. I think I need to be less afraid of "upsetting" my stomach.

Bottled water is such a good idea. The chlorine in my water is probably taking out the good bacteria as fast as I can put it in.

Organic on the meat too, I didn't think of that.

Thank you again Christina, you have given me a place to start, and better yet, a feeling that I can personally have some control over making myself well. With C Diff I have felt so out of control.

thank you

Darlene

poltroon
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Postby poltroon » Tue Jun 26, 2007 7:28 pm

cryingsilly wrote:Have any of you though, felt sick again off meds, increased bm's achy, maybe a low grade temp... but then pulled out of it on your own?


Yes, and I'm 6 years out now. It kept coming back after the antibiotics stopped (3 courses IIRC), and eventually, especially when my doc decided to move me to Flagyl, I decided I'd had enough. (Flagyl makes me nauseous and unable to eat, not a good thing.) Finally with diet and just establishing a healthy gut environment, I got better. I had several months of severe fatigue and other "Ain't Doin' Right" type symptoms after, but I did get better.


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