Thoughts about relapse concerns/ Preparation

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CSHF
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Joined: Wed Oct 26, 2016 2:40 pm

Thoughts about relapse concerns/ Preparation

Postby CSHF » Mon Aug 27, 2018 8:31 am

Hi everyone.

I'm a 48 yr old female who was diagnosed w/ cdiff w/positive toxins test in Nov 2015; was cured with flagyl until relapse in Jan 2016 after antibiotic use; required vanco treatment throughout all of 2016 (plus tried difficid for one round) without cure; then underwent a successful FMT in Dec 2016. I have not needed additional treatment since that time. I have taken antibiotics this summer for cellulitis and was treated prophylactically with vanco. I'm down to e/o day vanco and I now think I might be relapsing, but I'm not yet sure. I want to write ab what has made this a little easier for me.

Over my year of Vanco treatment, I eventually became better at being prepared for a relapse. I now keep an active order for a stool test at the local lab and have the testing equipment home with me, in case. I have an active, open Rx at the pharmacy for Vanco; in other words, a Rx with refills avail if needed. I also keep clorox bleach wipes and Pedialyte in the house. And I have kept in touch with the doctor who did my FMT, even though he is not my primary GI doc. All of this has made it much easier for me to live with the possibility of relapse. Many of you may already do these things. I didn't know enough in the beginning, though, and so my inital relapses were always terrible because I had to wait extra days to get the whole process of treatment in motion.

I feel fortunate that I responded to Vanco positively in the sense that it addressed my symptoms while I was on it (though it does cause non-cdiff diarrhea for me). If I were to relapse, I can't be sure this would be the case again, but I choose to believe it will be. I should also add that at this time, my doctor prefers to treat me according to symptoms rather than a positive test, but I prefer to be tested in case I need it for insurance reasons, specifically for a future FMT. I'm not sure that I would, but in case. Still, I have not tested yet and I'm trying not to jump the gun. Hope this info helps someone :)

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