My 4yr old daughter and myself struggling with C Diff

[laurabluize]

My name is Laura, and I am new to this site. I just posted my case history, but to make along story short, my 4 year old daughter and I both have C Diff. It's been 7 long hard weeks for our family. I've been on Vanco for 3 days now. Today I woke up, looked at the clock, it said 8:30am and my first thought was, I slept all night!! I'm not running to the bathroom!!!! I felt normal!!!! I'm not sure if it's all due to the Vanco, or all the supplements also. Now I know that this could all change the minute I stop the vanco, so I don't feel like I'm cured at all. I am still so nervous. I am just going to try and stay positive and slowly start changing my diet and keeping my immune system in tip top shape. We will see what happens. As for my little girl, I called her pediatrician today to tell her that she still has diarrhea. I spoke to the phone nurse who spoke to an on call dr who said they can start her back on the flagel or get a stool sample. I am waiting for a call from her regular dr tomorrow. I want a stool sample done. I pray she is in the clear, but I don't know. So now I am a little confused as to if me and my daughter can keep spreading it to each other. We are continuously washing our hands. I disinfected my bathroom today. I know the spores can stay in the environment for a couple months, so how do you prevent yourself from getting reinfected? I also have read that many babies are carriers, so if my 18 month old is a carrier, will I always be at great risk? If anyone can give me some feedback on some of this, I would really appreciate it. Also, I would love to hear anything that anyone has to say. This is all pretty new to me. I am so glad I found this site. To get the details of our full case, please feel free to read it. I wish you all the best.
Thanks,
Laura

[Bobbie]

Laura,
Here is my standard reply to all "newbies."

Welcome to the site. Read the first forum ALL USERS READ THIS FIRST & its subtopics – especially the announcements: PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU POST and GUIDELINES FOR POSTING TO OUR DISCUSSION BOARDS. They will guide you in using the site & answer some of the most frequent questions. Read Dr. Borody’s & Dr. McDonald’s articles and some of the topics in FAQ – especially Hygiene, Nutrition, & Testing.

Let's hope you are one of the lucky ones who recover with one to two rounds of Flagyl or Vanco. If antibiotics contributed to your C. diff., be careful about taking them again. (See FAQ-Antibiotics.) Some people can tolerate them without a problem; some develop C. diff. again. (See Dr. Borody’s article.)

If your daughter continues to have C. diff., I'd take her to a ped. GI. Doubt if your l8 month old is a carrier. Does he/she have symptoms?
Children often recover from C. diff. faster than adults do. Hygiene will answer some of your sanitation questions. Washing hands & bathrooms is the major way to control C. diff.

Remember, 80% recover from C. diff. with one or two rounds of Flagyl or Vanco. The odds are good that you & your daughter will be in the lucky 20%.
Sorry, but it's very late (2:18 AM in KC) & I need to go to bed. Hope I've answered most of your questions.

[nsewell]

Make sure she has been off meds for at least two weeks before they retest. As for your 18 month old carrrying it, ive read that babies only have it for the first year.

[laurabluize]

I want to thank you for giving me a lot of information that I didn't know. I really appreciate any advise. Thank you.

Does anyone know if I should be off from work while I have C diff? I just don't know about the spores being spread. I wash my hands all the time, but am I still very contagious? I work at a hotel as a manicurist. Thanks again!

[Bobbie]

laura,
I'd check with your doc. about working -- expecially since you work on people's hands. If you do go back to work, be extra diligent about handwashing.

If you don't think the Flagyl is working for your daughter, I'd suggest Vanco. to her ped.

Yes, Vanco. is very expensive. The liquid IV form converted into oral should work as well as the actual tablets. My son had C. diff. when he was 4 & was one of the first & the youngest children ever put on Vanco. The pharmacists converted the IV form into the oral form. (Prior to this time, it was strictly an IV drug.) This was back in l979 when few (including docs. had heard of Vanco.)

If you need assistance in paying for the Vanco., see FAQ- Aid in Obtaining Meds. Scroll down until you get the info. about Viro Pharma. - the manufacturers of Vanco.

[laurabluize]

I told Mia's pediatrician that the flagyl hadn't worked at all on me or Mia, so she is starting her on the Vanco. I pray this works. I am so thankful that some pharmacists will make up the liquid IV instead of the tabs. $80 compared to $800. I guess we got lucky by my ER Dr suggesting this option for me. This has all happened at the worst time. NO INSURANCE!!! Not for 45 more days. I never thought all this would happen between the gap of no insurance. 3 hospital visits for me, 2 for Mia, labs, etc. They say I make too much money to qualifly for any assistance. WE ARE BROKE!! You basically have to make no money to get help. If Mia and I get cured from this, to me it was all worth the money. So we will see how she feels soon. Thanks again

Laura