Contracted C-diff April 18th. 14 days of metronidazole (Flagyl), now 4th day of vancomycin

[Machaon]

The 14 days of metronidazole (Flagyl) were a torturous waste of time. The medication just made me feel bad and did little to alleviate the C-diff or it's symptoms. I've now been on vancomycin for three full days and my appetite is coming back, I feel better, I just had my first non-watery, semi soft movement.

I am still very weak and have swollen legs, ankles and feet. The big mystery is my legs. I am hoping that sometime during my 14 days of vancomycin my swelling improves along with the C-diff. At least I have some hope that I might get better.

[NanciT]

I would check in with your GI and PCP about the swollen legs. You don't mention if this is something new with Vanco? Any type of reaction should be called in. The Flagyl is really a terrible drug, we do have posters that do well on it. I had a terrible time taking it and it did little but made me feel worse.

Do get the legs checked. I hope things improve soon!

NanciT

[georgina]

Glad things improve from vanco , hopefully this course will do the trick. Sorry to hear that legs are still swollen , go to the specialist and get them checked.

[Machaon]

Thanks Georgina and NanciT for your responses and suggestions! Much appreciated!

I am not going to check with MD on swollen legs, ankles and feet. Both legs are puffed up. My blood tests do not show any kidney or liver problems. I've bumped up my heart medication from 6mg to 25mg as a precaution.

Why my decision? I am 73 and have survived heart failure, permanent AFib, Autoimmune, Insulin Resistance for decades, mostly thru my own doing with little help from the medical profession. I will only spend the money and the time visiting an overworked, hurried doctor if it is urgent. Prying hundreds of hard earned dollars out of my fist for a visit to a specialist is not on my idea of a good time! :)

Last night I had a good appetite and felt better than I have felt in over 50 days! Instead of several watery diarrheas per day, I have now been constipated for two days. No pain, just pressure.

I get absolutely no side effects from Vancomycin. What great stuff! With each pill, I seem to get slightly better! So much better than Flagyl, which made me very ill feeling with each pill, and seemed to do very little against my C-diff.

For the first time in a long time, I have HOPE!!

[Soimez]

Hi get yourself some good organic kefir some bio k and some sacc boulardi, try and eat as much fermented foods as possible. Plus prebiotic foods asparagus apples etc..

[Machaon]

Thanks, Soimez for your suggestions.

I've got an unusual diet. I eat six whole eggs per day along with two large salads, cereal, a fiber bar and an occasional 1/8 pound of beef.

I just hope that the Vancomycin kills the C-diff and that I beat the 50/50 negative odds of being elderly and not have a recurrence!

[Ril]

I would be very careful with the fiber. First, that much fiber without sufficient fluid intake can cause the constipation. But second, the majority of us have found that in recovery we develop food intolerances and fiber is one of the most common intolerances that develop, especially to raw vegetables, leafy greens, etc. A more bland and balanced diet would probably serve you well and help your gut to heal. I am 4 1/2 years out and can still only tolerate limited amounts of salad. It is very harsh on a gut that has been attacked by a c diff infection and needs some TLC!

Best of luck to you and please keep an eye on those swollen legs. If you don't want to call a dr, check with your pharmacist about whether it is a side effect of the vanco and if so, what you should do, other than keeping your legs elevated at rest.

Rita

[Lisa33]

I like you, had a very hard time with Flagyl. The vanco was like a Godsend. I had relapsed two weeks after finishing flagyl, and was put back on flagyl. This second time, I could not physically tolerate the med at all. It was making me sicker than the c-diff. It was pure torture for 9 days, until I was finally switched to vanco. I had zero side effects on vanco, and a 14 day course cured me. Hopefully, that will be the same for you. As Soimez said, if you can tolerate any probiotics, especially the sacchromyces boulardii, it may help to restore the good gut bacteria to ward off the c-diff.

Lisa

[Machaon]

Ril wrote:
> I would be very careful with the fiber. First, that much fiber without
> sufficient fluid intake can cause the constipation.

Thanks for the advice! It's now been several days of constipation. Not great but at least it isn't WATERY DIARRHEA!!! :)

> But second, the
> majority of us have found that in recovery we develop food intolerances and
> fiber is one of the most common intolerances that develop, especially to
> raw vegetables, leafy greens, etc. A more bland and balanced diet would
> probably serve you well and help your gut to heal.

Invaluable advice! Thanks! My whole world is upside down. I am 73 and prior to C-diff, I was lifting two ten pound weights an hour per day, along with deep knee bends. Now, it's an effort to stand up!

> I am 4 1/2 years out and
> can still only tolerate limited amounts of salad. It is very harsh on a gut
> that has been attacked by a c diff infection and needs some TLC!
>

I am hoping that I can tolerate salads. I love my romaine, mushrooms, tomatoes, cucumber salads.

> Best of luck to you and please keep an eye on those swollen legs.

Prior to C-diff, my legs, ankles and feet were thin and bony. Never had any swelling, despite having heart failure. C-diff really robbed me of my quality of life. I am hoping that energy levels and strength improve as I take the Vancomycin.

Thanks for the information!

[Machaon]

Lisa33 wrote:

> I had relapsed two weeks after finishing flagyl, and was put back
> on flagyl. This second time, I could not physically tolerate the med at
> all. It was making me sicker than the c-diff. It was pure torture for 9
> days, until I was finally switched to vanco.

I either relapsed a week or two after flagyl, or the flagyl didn't really work.

I called the doc and requested vanco and they were nice enough to give it to me.

> I had zero side effects on
> vanco, and a 14 day course cured me. Hopefully, that will be the same for
> you.

Congratulations! That is wonderful that you have beat C-diff! I am hoping for the best but I fear that, with my age (73) and my other serious health problems, the odds are against me. I've got an very complexly messed up immune system.

> As Soimez said, if you can tolerate any probiotics, especially the
> sacchromyces boulardii, it may help to restore the good gut bacteria to
> ward off the c-diff.
>
> Lisa

Thanks for the advice, Lisa. I'll get some!

[Machaon]

This is now the 9th day on Vancomycin and feeling better each day. I am now able to enjoy a cup of coffee, whereas before the smell made me feel ill. Both my appetite and my energy just keep getting better, although I am still dealing with overall weakness, especially in my legs.

Today I had my very first "almost" firm movement! No diarrhea! I felt like calling Fox News with the "breaking news"!

The only negative is that the Vancomycin is probably the cause of my frequent, burning urination.

I am more hopeful than ever that I may recover from this dreadful infection!

[Healed]

Macon~
Good to hear that the treatment is working for you. I would suggest a small cup of cocktail cranberry juice for the burning urination you are experiencing. Just once a day until it resolves.

[NanciT]

Happy the Vanco is working!! Hopefully you will finish the round and be done with it! Check with your MD about D mannose. It's a supplement, I started using it while on Vanco which caused me bladder irritation. I would also get checked for a UTI if the burning continues. Be careful with any juices, they can be very irritating.

NanciT

[Machaon]

Thanks Healed and NanciT! I love the feedback on this board! It's lonely out here, especially at first when suffering and confused, but that is alleviated by the information, compassion and help available on this board.

The burning urination has mostly gone away.

I am insulin resistant and cannot drink fruit juices. In fact, I can't do fruit either. Nasty reaction to sugar.

My doctor is confident that the 14 days of Vancomycin will suffice. No tapering "this time". If C-diff reoccurs, then 14 days "with" tapering. If that doesn't do the job, then GI Specialist and a possible FMT, which he says that I really wouldn't like.

Vancomycin ends Tuesday, 3 more days. There's like a sword hanging over my head, waiting to drop when I stop the Vanco!

Thanks for your suggestions!

[NanciT]

The waiting after completing the Vanco is so very difficult, just know BM's can be all over the place so try not to panic...which is easy to do. There is much fear that goes along with this horrific illness. Glad to hear the burning has improved, consider taking D Mannose if it continues or returns. I now take it everyday since Vanco ( 2 yrs) to prevent UTI's and bladder irritation.

Wishing you the best

NanciT