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

[Ril]

Good news so far.
Read some old posts about recovery so you won't get overly concerned if you get some early symptoms and mistake them for a relapse. Recovery can be tough and you can easily "jump the gun" and think the worst. Of course, you can always touch base here and we will continue to share with you what our recovery experiences have been.

Fingers crossed,
Rita

[Machaon]

NanciT wrote:
> The waiting after completing the Vanco is so very difficult,

It's a shame that we can't better forecast re-occurrence factors. I'm taking probiotics, exercising, eating healthy, Yogurt. Hoping...

> just know BM's can be all over the place so try not to panic...which is easy to do.

BMs are getting more regular, which is not only a positive sign of recovery, but a "rare" pleasure! :) I couldn't imagine in days past sharing this type of info with a stranger!

Tomorrow at 11pm is the end of my 14 days of Vancomycin.

Thanks for your feedback!

[georgina]

Let's hope that this course of vanco has done the trick and you will experience a smooth and quick recovery. Remember that recovery can come with good and bad days , try not to panic and remember our three day rule. (CDI-IBS three day rule).

[Machaon]

Ril wrote:
> Good news so far.
> Read some old posts about recovery so you won't get overly concerned if you
> get some early symptoms and mistake them for a relapse.

I am getting more regular and more energy and just feeling better and better. If I worsen in any way, I will be disappointed, apprehensive but still hopeful, based on your input! Thanks.

> Recovery can be tough and you can easily "jump the gun" and think the worst. Of
> course, you can always touch base here and we will continue to share with
> you what our recovery experiences have been.
>
> Fingers crossed,
> Rita

Thanks very much! This is just such a sapping, debilitating, embarrassing disease! At least there is a plan of another 10-14 days of Vancomycin + tapering, if there is a re-occurrence. Fortunately, Vancomycin has little side effects compared to that nasty Flagyl!

Thanks, Rita!

[Machaon]

georgina wrote:
> Let's hope that this course of vanco has done the trick
> and you will experience a smooth and quick recovery.

Thanks! Last vanco at 5pm. Feeling very well, more energy today, legs moving better.

Very nervous and apprehensive. :(

> Remember that recovery can come with good and bad days ,
> try not to panic and remember our three day rule.
> (CDI-IBS three day rule).

In my mind, if I experience any kind of degradation of my condition, I will be on the phone with my doctor. I am aware of the three day, three occurrences rule, but with me feeling this well, I would consider any failing to be a serious sign.

In other words... the heck with reason and experience, I would PANIC anyway!

Thanks!

[Machaon]

It's now one week after 14 days of Vancomycin. Had watery all day long. Called doctor for another 14 days of Vancomycin followed by tapering, if appropriate. I am also going to do an at-home FMT, which I am really looking forward to. FMT has been shown to be very effective against C-diff.

[ResearchGrandma]

Please do not do FMT unless the donor has been properly tested first.

[Machaon]

My wife is the donor. She is very healthy! Coincidentally, she had cbc and metabolic blood tests today.

I'll start The Vancomycin Wednesday afternoon.

The equipment I need for the fmt will be delivered Thursday.

Thanks for your caution!

[NanciT]

I will second the caution about Home FMT without testing and the guidance of a GI or ID. The CBC and metabolic panel are just a few of the tests which are done on donors, there are several others.
I would be very careful

NanciT

[beth22]

Actually CBC and metabolic panels are NOT done on donors. Your donor is usually tested for HIV, Hepatitis A, B, C, and VD. Then there are stool tests for c difficile, ova and parasites and a culture for any other pathogens. I have had two donors in my lifetime - my husband and my daughter. I had both of them test. All you need is another pathogen that you have to deal with. At least get her stool tested.

[georgina]

Home FMT should only be done with a tested donor , they can successful for some people but it can also fail because the slurry cannot reach high enough into the colon . I had 20 home enemas with my husband as donor with no success , he was tested for everything : hepatitis , stools tests etc.
There was a poster who is no longer active on this site that used his untested brother as a donor (FMT for IBS-d) because he was apparently the healthiest person he knew , it turned out he was carrying CDiff.

[Machaon]

NanciT wrote:
> I will second the caution about Home FMT without testing and the guidance
> of a GI or ID.

beth22 wrote:
> Your donor is
> usually tested for HIV, Hepatitis A, B, C, and VD. Then there are stool
> tests for c difficile, ova and parasites and a culture for any other
> pathogens.

georgina wrote:
> but it can also fail because the slurry cannot reach high
> enough into the colon . I had 20 home enemas with my husband as donor with
> no success , he was tested for everything : hepatitis , stools tests etc.

We've been married for 52 years. I just feel that, if she had any health issues that we would know about it. I feel that it is worth the risk. I don't want to wait. Just tired of suffering this nasty affliction! I'm holding off taking my second round of Vancomycin until after the fmt.

Georgina: Your comment about the slurry not going high enough into the colon. I was thinking of having my body facing down, in order to facilitate entry and using multiple slurries; and even changing position from right to left to back.

It saddens me to hear about your lack of success. What techniques did you use, if you don't mind?

Thanks all for your concern and advice.

[Machaon]

georgina wrote:
> I had 20 home enemas with my husband as donor with
> no success

So sorry that you and your family went through that, and wound up without success. That's awful! Did you experience any benefits, at all, from the enemas?

Could I ask you: How many ounces of fecal did you use to how many ml of saline?

I am still going ahead with my own fmt, but your feedback shakes my confidence!

Thanks.

[Ril]

I know you don't want to hear any more cautions, but you have to know that seemingly healthy people can carry "germs" and not be ill a day in their lives....yet if that is introduced into your system you may become quite ill. As desperate as you feel now think about how much worse you could potentially make yourself by skipping a few relatively easy steps.

Rita

[roy]

Meds are never take AFTER the FMT doing so would undo any benefit of the FMT.

Your wife would not be considered a good doner, if you were to ask a Dr unfortunatly age of the doner is taken into consideration and she would definatly be unsuitable.
If you do go ahead against advice you MUST have her tested first, theres a strong chance she might also be harbouring c.diff (from you) but being healthy it's not making her sick.
You dont want to risk infusing yourself with a fresh source if c.diff!
Theres also plenty of other potentially pathogenic bugs that are not affecting her but might make you very sick.

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