The relapse

[DrMike]

Cdiff454, it is *INCREDIBLY* rare for PO Vanco to cause Red Man. And that's why I'm ROTFLing. I'm already driving Dr. S nuts with my recalcitrance to treatment and now I just went from already being a thoroughbred unicorn to...I don't even know what! I've proposed a write-up *AND* a New Yorker article when we get me out of this.

1) http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10. ... lCode=aopd
2) https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2527496/
3) http://casereports.bmj.com/content/2009 ... 5.abstract

And yet, I have pictures of my face and arm. Mine is super mild and it just vanished instantly with a single dose of cetirizine (ZYRTEC).

[OCmama]

Well... I have literally been where you are.

I agree completely with AMG don't try and go nuclear just try the Dificid taper, with a high quality probiotic, florastor, and I would even think of trying entergram.

[Mindy]

Dr. Mike, I also felt flushy in the face for a long long time. I think we are talking about the same Dr. S? Not sure, but I had lost 35 pounds on 10 weeks, and it was very terrifying to say the least. I was given an fmt by Dr. S, followed by 30 pills the next morning. I wanted to hit it from both directions. It's been two years, and I've never been the same, but pretty good. I hope you get well soon. I appreciate your knowledge.

[MKW]

Hi, I think amg hit on an important general point. For everyone that doesn't get easily cured with the first or second round of meds - we unfortunates - treatment and recovery turns into an effort that requires time and patience. Whether achieved by meds or FMT. Time to kill off as much c Diff as possible and time to rebuild enough good gut flora to keep the remaining spores in check. It's like it's a critical balance that has to be achieved over months and maintained for a time window of months befor you are likely ok. And we are never truly cured. It is a never ending anxiety hell for me personally. Although, I found out yesterday the FMT clinic at uva I went to has applied to be a test site for Openbiome's oral FMT product. The idea I could have access to take pills instead of having to do a colonoscopy if this ever happens to me again sounds great (if safe of course).

[beth22]

Check with your GI about doing pills. I got SIBO from doing a "top down" procedure.

[DrMike]

Bristol 3. Second day.

IT STOPPED. It *does* respond to the drugs. It *isn't* supernatural. I thought I was going to die and I welcomed death but perhaps I am going to live.

I learned something about myself. I knew I was strong. I knew I possessed enormous powers of mental discipline. But I learned that deep down inside of me, there is a truly vast reserve of power and strength that I never knew was there. I flailed and reached and scrabbled and then I found it and tapped and let it flow. I am powerful and strong and beautiful and...

...I am going to live. I am going to conquer this monster and I am going to live.

Keep going. Keep moving. Keep fighting. Not out of the woods yet.

Not out of hell...yet.

Keep going.

[NanciT]

YES Keep going I recall not even recognizing myself or thoughts during this very dark time. As I recovered, I not only learned so much about myself but also others .

You WILL get through and be well and feel strong. It does take time. Give yourself that time.

Happy to hear of the improvement

NanciT

[OCmama]

Keep going!! So glad you are feeling better!

C. diff is now my bench mark by which I judge all trials in my life. When we received a diagnosis of Cerebral Palsy for my youngest I barely flinched. I feel like compared to C. diff everything else is surmountable.

Hang in there!! So happy the Dificid is knocking it out.

[DrMike]

OCmama wrote:

> C. diff is now my bench mark by which I judge all trials in my life.

Girl. Tell me about it. =)

[OCmama]

Maybe we will be better prepared for the impending apocalypse with our new-found C. diff warrior, battle-tested toughness? J/k, kind of ;-)

[Bobbie]

Again,Dr, Mike.

Read the rules of posting. Do nor repeat what another poster wrote when you answer. His/her name are sufficient.

Please do not post "from the toilet." TMI.

Do not post in more than one forum.

You are not our only poster. Limit your posts according to the rules.

[roy]

C.diff is an inteligent bug, as soon as it's attacked it builds itself a coat of armour.
When it's in that state your clinical symptoms say "cured".
It might only take a few doses of antibiotics for it to reach that stage.
Problem is your gut is still in a c.diff receptive condition, the aim then is to continue treatment and keep it in the spore state while your flora recovers (slightly) so that it can overcome the germinating spores.
Also while its under attack the spores will be leaving your gut hopeing to find a receptive new host and the c.diff load reduces.
Taking only 5 days of meds before the fmt might have left a lot of spores insitu!