Anti Fungal medications

[micheler23]

Hello Everyone,

Even though I haven't posted in months, I have been checking the boards nearly everyday. I had a real hard time emotionally because of this disease and was put on anti anxiety meds. They have helped me a great deal. I am not so doom and gloom that I won't recover from this.

To update everyone, my colonoscopy on Halloween, ( my treat) showed that my cdiff returned and that I had mild p. colitis. I have been on a new pulse method of one day on, two days off from mid November to mid February.

I am now off vanco for 36 days. During this time I have been battling impetigo and ringworm on my face. As soon as I clear it up with topical prescriptions they appear again in new spots. The dermatologist wants to put me on antifungal pills. But from what I read here Difulcan can mess with the gut flora. I am also concerned because I am only off the vanco for 36 days. Last time when I relapsed I was off the vanco for 28 days.

Has anyone taken antifungal orally and if so what were you put on?

I know that you are not doctors but I am asking about your experiences.

Thank so much,
This board is incredible,
Michele[/i]

[Bobbie]

Michele,
See FAQ-Anti-Fungal Medications (Yeast Infections).

[micheler23]

Thanks very much Bobbi for your reply.

I checked the FAQ's for Anti Fungal and couldn't find anything that I could use for facial fungal rashes.

The Dermatologist sent a fungal sample to the lab and I have to wait 10 days for the results. He even seems perplexed by this rash. He called it bizarre
!!! LOL I seem to be getting one thing after the other since contracting Cdiff.

I don't know how you have dealt with this for the many years you have without much knowledge about the disease or a support board like this. I am grateful for the time and knowledge you put into this site. Thank you for always answering questions, I really appreciate it.

Michele

[LindaSp]

Michele,
I am confused. Impetigo is a bacterial infection, ringworm a fungal infection. Was it the appearance of the rash that gave him the diagnosis?
Are they scabs, blisters, areas that look like rings? He is for sure right about rashes. Often they go away without ever knowing what they were!

Just a side thought. My daughter developed some rash looking area on her face only to find out when she quit using a certain makeup it went away! Look at your habits, any changes of cleansers, etc? Just thinking.If only it were so simple...

Wishing you well,
Linda

[Bobbie]

Michelle,
Thx. for the thx. Always appreciated.

Like you, I've devoped one thing after another since having C. diff. altho. aging & genetics could be involved. C. diff. certainly didn't help.

I agree with Linda -- rash could be caused by something you are putting on you face -- makeup, cream, etc.

I have a facial rash called atopic dermatitis. When it gets bad, it cracks & bleeds & is just lovely. When I am stressed (most of the time), it sometimes gets worse. The "cure" is a cortisone cream which works almost immediately. You can buy it OTC or get a script for it (script variety is stronger -- only have to use twice a day) I try not to use it often because I'm on so many other meds. & salve containing cortisone can thin your skin if used too much.

The dermo. told me to use only Cethaphil products (factial cleanser, soap, and cream) & most dermo's recommend this line as it is "perfume free," etc. You might try it. You can purchase it at Walgreens, Target, CVS, & it is inexpensive. For makeup. I use either Clinque or Almay.

If the tests come out negataive, you might run the above by your dermo.

Wish I had a dime for every doc. who's told me, "Now this is bizarre."

Good luck.

[micheler23]

Bobbie, Thanks for your suggestions.

I use Dove unscented soap but am going out today to buy the cetaphil cleansers. I did add VSL#3 11 days ago to my probiotic regimin of Florastor, Acidophilous and Culturelle, and my "new" dermatologist suggested I stop because it could be causing an allergic reaction on my face.

He is not ruling out cellulitis yet. Which quite frankly scares me to death because it will have to be treated with an antibiotic. I am off vanco 39 days at this point. I used the list on this site because he wanted to prescribe a cephalosporin and I said NO WAY, since it is frequently associated with cdiff. The only other option is doxycycline which is in the tetracycline family.

He actually spent 40 minutes on the phone with me this morning trying to figure this out!! I took pictures of how the rash progressed last night and he asked me to email them to him. He then called back and went through each picture with me! I am amazed at his dedication.

We are going to wait a day or two more before starting the antibiotic. I am still taking the prednisone for another 6 days hopefully it will knock it out if it is an allergy.

Linda, you are correct in that impetigo is a bacterial infection and ringworm is fungal infection. This started right before Thanksgiving and I have been treating it all with the topicals prescribed.

This past Friday I went for a second opinion to another dermatologist because my whole left cheek became red and hot after putting on the cortisone cream the old derm said to put on when I went to her the day before- Thursday and she told me I now had eczma.

Cdiff does a number on you!

[Nancy1]

A couple of folks here have taken doxycycline after cdiff without problems. I think it was because of tick bites, to prevent Lyme disease. But I remember one person who got cdiff after taking doxycycline. Almost any antibiotic can cause cdiff. Good luck. Let us know how it goes.

[micheler23]

Thanks for the info Nancy.

We are holding off on the doxycycline because I responded well to the prednisone. I am being tested for lupus and will have to wait 5 to 10 days for the results. The doctor said an infection can trigger lupus- and that cdiff could of triggered it.

Taking it hour by hour sometimes. I will post when I know anything.

Thanks
Michele

[pointer]

Hey,

I found this site while looking for oral thrush related posts. I wasn't able to reply in the thread that I found as it was for administrators only. This one is on a similar topic so here goes.

Do you have any oral thrush information? Just the basics.

[cindym]

I have taken diflucan for yeast infections during cdiff and had no ill effects. Have you considered that the probiotics could be causing your breakouts? My fact was breaking out around my nose in awful looking pimple looking things each and every time I took anything with bifudus in it. Through trial and error I found out for myself what was causing it. The dermatologist was calling it several different things but in the end ---it was the probiotics and since I stopped them......no more breakouts.

[cjforrest]

Michele,
I find it interesting that a dermatologist advised you to use cortisone cream on ringworm. I battled a persistent case of ringworm 2 years ago and I was told by my doc that hydrocortisone cream was the WORST thing to put on ringworm -- that it feeds it and makes it worse. What finally worked for me was plain old jock itch cream that I purchased over the counter. I found one that worked better than others, but unfortunately I can't remember the brand name. It seems to me that it started with the letter "L" and it had the word "ULTRA" on the label. I had to use a lot of it, but it finally worked.
I hope you find relief soon,
CJ