Lost, Confused, Need Help or Guidance

[jgreen837]

Hey, I'm new to this forum and relatively new to C.Diff, I've had it since the middle of December 09. I have a lot of questions that I need answered since I'm a college student and don't have time for C.Diff to be bothersome.

I took Penicillin for tonsilitis in December and had diarrhea during it. I stopped taking it, the diarrhea stopped, put not the urgency or blood/mucus expulsion and a week later the doctor confirmed I had c.diff. He put me on Flaygl and two days after I finished it, the mucus/blood came back put no diarrhea. I did another round of Flaygl and the same thing happened. Went to the doctor again and they confirmed the toxins were in my stool, but never told me if I had c.diff. He put me on Align (a probiotic).

I've never had any fever and only experienced painful cramps before i was diagonosed. I went back to the doctor for a completely different reason (white, furry tounge from Flaygl) and he asked me how I was doing and I said that the days vary and sometimes I have no bowel movements and other days I have small, small amounts of blood and the usual mucus with occausional urgency with solid BM's. He forgot about my tounge and put me on Vanco and told me to go to the ER if it got worse.

That took me my suprise and scared me, because I wanted to know what was wrong with my tounge, (it's been a week and I've brushed almost all of it off) but I never got the Vanco filled because I felt realtively fine and didn't want to put my body through another round of antibiotics, just give it time to naturally heal.

So here is where I'm asking for guidance. I stopped taking Align, and put myself on Florastor and each day I've been on it, it feels like its getting better. My BM's are solid, (they've been since Flaygl), but I still experinece expulsion of mucus, not a BM, occasionally and rarely blood. I'm still worried though.

I've read all the horror stories of near death and hospitals. But, I'm 18 year old male and I haven't been sick in a very long time. Still I'm worried, I'm just looking for a intelligent answer because each doctor I go to tells me something different and I just end up fending for myself.

If anybody answers, thank you, and thank you for the time you took out of your day to read my story. Any advice would be greatly appericated.

-Ryan

[Vikingjeff28]

Ok, the tongue thing happens with a lot of antibiotics and I even got thrush with mine. I have been on Flagyl three times and Vanco now three times, I have been battling a year and a half. The mucus and blood concerns me and if it continues for more than three days and you have a history of C diff I would take the vanco and florastor. The furry tongue comes from antibiotic usage and your fluora being disturbed in your stomach. I think your doctor was wise to give you the vanco given your symptoms and history, if it were me(and I have the same battle) I would take the vanco. I am not a doctor but your doc says to take it so I would do so. I usually clear for a few weeks or months after vanco and I keep relapsing, hard. Many people on here do not have the massive D that I do but have fairly normal BM's with blood and mucus. I have never had blood but a lot of mucus. Mods, you can move this to TMI if you wish but I wanted to answer the question with some detail. Hope you get better!

[beth22]

There is a liquid medication that you can swish around in your mouth for your tongue called Nystatin. That helps thrush. The Florastor is also supposed to get rid of bad yeast in the intestines. Some people have had luck with it after taking antibiotics to keep the c difficile away. I would call your doctor and tell him what you are experiencing and see if he wants you to do another test. Maybe it is not c difficile any more and just inflammation. You don't mention how often you are going. If it is only once or twice a day (I know you said sometimes you don't go) then maybe wait and speak to the doctor first and tell him that you are not keen on going on the vancomycin. If suddenly things get worse, then you really should get on the medication. But, I would definitely call the doctor and talk to him.

[Nancy1]

Ryan,
Welcome to the group that no one wants to join. Be sure to read All Users Read This First, Dr. Borody's article, Dr. McDonald's article (in the FAQ section under Articles by Experts), and all areas in FAQ that interest you.

We can't give medical advice here. So I join with the others who have said talk to your doc. If you don't trust your doc, find another one. Having a good doctor if you are fighting cdiff (and it's not clear to me if you are or not) is a big part of the battle. Good luck. Let us know how it goes.

[pwood62]

I had the white furry tongue 3 times its called thrush and they gave me Fluconazole which cleared it right up. Like I said it came back but the DR. said it is from the antibiotics. Hope that helps. Just one of the lovely little suprises that goes along with C-Diff. Hang in there and call your Dr. You will get better!

[jgreen837]

Update: Now on 500 MG of Vanco, 3 times a day, for 10 days.

Will see how this goes, my tounge has healed and I hope this Vanco will give it the final kick. Thank God for medical insurance, Vanco is a tidy sum.


Should I take Florastor while on the Vanco?

[mayotte]

I was told by my doc that it was encouraged to take Florastor along with the vanco. Florastor is not killed off by Vanco as it is a friendly yeast. I took it several hours after I took the Vanco, and that schedule was fine for me.

[Vikingjeff28]

Right on with the Florastor, take it during and after the Vanco

[Kathy George]

I agree with taking florastor....... I took it for the 4 months that I suffered with C-Diff and continued to take it 8 month post C-Diff. Guess I can say I was terrified that the C-Diff would return. However, I stopped taking florastor 3 months ago and remain C-Diff free. Good luck to you!!!!