Pediatric fecal transplant????

[cindy w.]

My 7 year old with c.diff symptoms since late Dec. '06 has been off Vanco now for 24 days. As you may recall from previous posts, she has low level symptoms since stopping the Vanco...about 1 time/week small amount of bloody or non-bloody mucus with or without stool...occasional loose stool, approximately 3-4 formed stools/day with the intermittent, vague stomach and headache. She mostly was testing neg while on Vanco. Had "perfect" colonoscopy while on Vanco. Just had a positive for toxins sent 3 weeks off Vanco. Now ped GI wants to do stool transplant. I was hoping to ride this out, give her time to reestablish flora with Culturelle and Florastor. Her symptoms are annoying but really fairly mild and tolerable. Any experience with pediatric stool transplant???? I'm told it's done through the colonoscope following a usual colonoscopy prep. Anyone do transplant with relatively mild symptoms? I'm going to research this thoroughly with the help of my wonderful pediatrician. (I also need to retest my cat...ugh..for those of you who recall that saga!!) Thanks!

[cindy w.]

Also wondering why we're jumping to transplant...perhaps Questran or Rifaxamin first...less invasive, for sure. My ped GI's will speak to L. Brandt, MD (has experience with transplants, but with adults)on Monday re: all this. My ped. is going to email Dale Gerding...turns out she is a former student of his...Cindy

[Bobbie]

CindyW,
Sounds as tho. you have good medical connections & they are sympathetic and willing to work with you

I'd go the lst route first as long as your daughter still has mild symptoms. The transplant can be done later as a last resort. It's encouraging she tested negative (if the testing was done correctly), after being off Vanco. 3 wks. The Vanco. probably negated the other tests while she was one it (including the "perfect" colonscopy).

Her body might be trying to adjust. It might take awhile as C. diff. can be a devastating disease for many. I'd don't have much knowledge about transplants for kids but believe they are done the same way as with adults.

I'd take it "one day at a time." (Why we call it the WWW - watch, wait, worry disease.) What do your advisors say about the cat?

[cindy w.]

Hi Bobbie and thanks for always responding...just to clarify...she tested POSITIVE 3 weeks off Vanco despite her symptoms persisting only mildly. When you suggest going the "first route", do you mean just waiting and hoping that with probiotics her body will get over this or were you thinking something else..Questran, etc.? When I reviewed, AGAIN, Dr. Borody's article, it seems he suggests the transplant for "marked" symptoms and as a last resort. As for the cat, no one really has much to say about that...I'll test him again this week and take it from there...hoping he'll be negative again and that will close that chapter (at least for a little bit)!!

[Christina]

I'm also not sure about the stool transplants in children. I think maybe at Johns Hopkins they may have done a couple but don't quote me on that. My guess would be that if your Dr. emails Dale Gerding that he may suggest the Xifaxan/Rifaxamin if it can be used with children. I think it can but again am not sure. He is pretty big on it since he was also one of the ones to discover it worked for C-diff and helped to come up w/ the "chase". I also know since I have talked to him several times, that he is also big on the stool transfers. He is all for them and believes highly in them. As far as Questran goes read Addison, Randy, Desiree - Family, c-diff for all! - case history. Their here in Columbus and their little boy was finally cured with Questran and Flagyl.

I hope you won't need any of these but they're are other option to try first if need be before the stool transfer.

I hope your daughter gets well soon!

[MissyS]

I do not think that Xifaxan/Rifaxamin is approved for pediatic use (children under 12). If it is I would like to know. Anyone ever used it on a child under 12?