Urgently need a question answered about Vancomycin!?!

[markjs]

OK, I know this is almost medical advice but I am kind of desperate here and I don't know where else to ask! I was on a month long course of Vanco and after the first ten days the pills started tapering down week by week. This worked for a short while then I got an abscess tooth and the penicillin shot that all to hell. So I got a second prescription after testing positive again, but this time the doctor just called in 10 days worth, which I have done multiple times with multiple failures, so I called and asked to see the doctor and of course they wanted to know why, and when I explained, the office, which is known for very poor handling of a great many things, insisted on handling this with the doctor's nurse. So what I got at the pharmacy was an additional 80 pills and the instructions were 4x daily. This obviously amounts to 4 pills a day for 30 days with no taper off.

So the stuff makes me kind of sick while I am taking it at that level unless I can eat masses of probiotics which I cannot afford. I actually am still sick with the probiotics but noticeable less so. I am fearful hat if I took 120 pills in one month without significant probiotic therapy that the flora of my intestines could get bad enough to make me really sick and be no more effective against to C-Diff, but they STILL don't want to let me see the doctor. I think when I get done here I may just call again and not let them off the phone until I have an appointment, but my only question is, am I right, is a course of Vanco like that a bad thing, or abnormal. As often as this has recurred I will need to know the answer, but I am afraid my doctors office is going to try to rebuff me again!

[mayotte]

I was on Vanco for a very long time as everytime I would stop taking it I would relapse. Before I did a long taper, I was taking a double dose for about a month. This was done out of desperation by a GI that was really not informed. Luckily I had no problems with this high dose, and finally was able to taper off.
One of the probiotics that is often recommended is Florastor. It is a friendly yeast that many people tolerate quite well. Perhaps you could discuss this with your doctor if you are not already taking it.
I am sure that many people on this site can share what helped them.
I wish you well. Hang in there.

[anlockwood]

I am really sorry for everything you are going through right now. The only advice I can give is it sounds like you need a new dr asap. I would fire a dr who refused to get me in to see them. That is unbelievable. I have had miscommunication between a nurse and my dr and myself so I insisted on coming in that day and they got me in. They always take the time to listen to me also and that makes me feel alot better about my treatment.

[markjs]

I am really sorry for everything you are going through right now. The only advice I can give is it sounds like you need a new dr asap. I would fire a dr who refused to get me in to see them. That is unbelievable. I have had miscommunication between a nurse and my dr and myself so I insisted on coming in that day and they got me in. They always take the time to listen to me also and that makes me feel alot better about my treatment.

Would that it were so simple. The doctor is good, but I live in an EXTREMELY liberal "hippie" town, and the office girls are pot smokers and other very low wage people. The ones that are any good get promoted beyond receptionist fast. Word about town is that the doctor I have is among the finest that will accept medicare/medicaid. I finally went up there and told them I would wait until they could give me some instructions. I was only there about a half hour, and I have a smart phone and unlimited data, so I browsed for info on C-Diff while I waited.

In any case I got a PM referring me to the concept of calcium disodium ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA). It looks promising considering a lot of factors of my case and most importantly it looks affordable. Florastor might be pushing it financially for me, but in a cursory search it looked like maybe, or maybe not.

One thing is for sure, is that the medical establishment cannot or will not provide the help I need. My doctor is an over worked GP who has been open minded about alternative therapies, but she just doesn't have the time or need to do the reasearch, especially given that I am so capable of it myself. The only GI specialist I have seen about this told me essentailly he wanted to run a battery of expensive tests on me and that the C-Diff, since at that time was not coming up positive on the tests, was "in my head". I don't have a lot of patience with the scientific medical community and I don't have a lot of coverage for anything else. The best doctor in town, who would know all about this,and probably would have had me cured a year or two ago, is the most expensive in town and does a cash only trade.

So you guys are my best hope, and I am interested in any anecdotal information you can give that you think might apply. Many thanks for being here!

[nsewell]

What is the MG of each pill?

[markjs]

125

[nsewell]

then four pills a day only equal 500mgs. Thats normal. Some of us even had alot higher dossages. I had 250mg pills at 3-4 times a day. The 125 mg's 4/day didnt help at all.

[markjs]

Yeah but my question was is that normal for a full month with no taper down?

[beth22]

I had 250 4 x day with no taper down for a month. And yes, I think it did kill my intestinal flora and I did relapse after. I also did not feel well on it. But, I also relapsed after a tapering dose. 125 mg is not 250 though, so it may not affect you as much. I never took that dosage.

[nsewell]

I was on vanco the 125mgs for about 6 months before I finally went on to a diff doc that had me do the 250mgs and then started pulsing me. Then it didnt work so he had me chase it with 20 days of Xifaxan and that did the trick. I guess what im saying is that every doctors regimen is different. I think what also helped me was I started drink pineapple juice and eating activia. I also took a probiotic that had bifidus and acidiphyllus in it. And remember to space things out. I did that faithfully.

[monacat]

hi.... my first dosage of vanco was 3x125 a day for 30 days and no taper. it didn't work. second time has been thus far 4x250 for a month(yup)3x250for 2 weeks 2x...ect.... i am still on it 80plus days later.
I would ask another doc if you can. and really consider making the florastor a priority. It really has helped me alot.

[diane]

I was on 250mg 4x a day for months before I went to 250 3 x a day.. I was on vanco for almost 3 years , I did a few tapers and a pulse or two in there.. but I don't think it will hurt you..

[cindym]

In my opinion if your doctor is prescribing you vancocin yet refusing to see you then he should be reported to the Medical Board in your area. Vancocin is a potent drug and should be administered as such with a doctor overseeing your care. I totally lose more and more faith in the medical community as each year passes.

[markjs]

The doctor was not refusing to see me. The front desk girls were insisting that I have some big reason to give me an appointment. I have a feeling, that when next I see her, and I tell her of my experience, they might just end up with some new office girls.