My Top 6 Recovery Symptom Mitigation Techniques

This forum is for discussions related to C. diff. including symptoms, doctors, medical advances, medications, If you are a new poster (joined within the last month), you can post more often for two months from your date of joining. After that time, one post per day only about "you." You can post more often to support others. Post other topics in Free Form Discussion and Chat Forum.
NanciT
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 3035
Joined: Thu Sep 18, 2014 12:01 pm

Re: My Top 6 Recovery Symptom Mitigation Techniques

Postby NanciT » Thu Mar 21, 2019 8:50 pm

I am sure if you work in a hospital or nursing home you are in healthcare. We are at risk, that is a fact those of us in Healthcare live with. I believe in my case that is why I had so many relapses. My recovery has taken a long time.

Some take one round and do just fine and move on which is great!! If you are one of the lucky ones, that is wonderful. Keep in mind any future antibiotic use. That is the one thing we all share once diagnosed with CDIFF.

We all push forward with this illness in recovery

Rusty S
Regular User
Posts: 36
Joined: Thu Mar 08, 2018 3:23 pm

Re: My Top 6 Recovery Symptom Mitigation Techniques

Postby Rusty S » Fri Mar 22, 2019 11:53 am

@D1dad: I totally get it. It was invasive upon normal day-to-day activities and you were otherwise healthy, so it was weird. That was my situation, too, so I thought "I feel fine on antibiotics, and I know how prescriptions work; I'll take it, feel better, and be done with it"... but this is the *only* illness in my entire life where that was not the case, though. It wasn't until a week after I finished the Flagyl that I started having the waves of "recovery symptoms". Man, I sincerely *do* hope you don't have to deal with that and we "never have to cross paths again" but we're just giving a heads up to not be surprised if you have ups/downs for a while after treatment is over. It caught me off guard too because I've never dealt with anything that had residual effects like this. Wasn't trying to pee the cereal at all. :)

D1dad
Regular Contributor
Posts: 319
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2019 8:34 pm

Re: My Top 6 Recovery Symptom Mitigation Techniques

Postby D1dad » Sun Mar 31, 2019 11:18 am

One round didn’t do it and the symptoms were back in less than 72 hours. My GP was out of the office and I couldn’t get into an ID or GI right away so had no choice but to go to urgent care. Awful diahrrea, pounding heart and fever. The urgent care doc, even though I begged not to, put me on another 7 days of Flagyl. Almost a huge b*t$h about it. I did get into see one of the top ID doctors in the country and also met with the GI doc first. By this time I was 5 days into metro and of course feeling pretty well. Even though they don’t prescribe metro they said to finish and let’s see but weren’t happy with the first, and definetely NOT the second prescription. I fly out a week from today for work for 2 weeks and am scared what’s gonna happen between now and then or even during. I have the assistance printed out for dificid (because my insurance sucks) but the ID doc mentioned calling in Vanco if needed and they are an open biome provider so I believe I’m in the right hands. I’ve been dealing with this for going on a month and see no pot of gold at the end of this poop colored rainbow, but who knows. Maybe the extra 7 days of Flagyl will work. At least I don’t have any awful side effects of it knock on wood.

roy
Administrator
Posts: 4193
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2014 1:05 am

Re: My Top 6 Recovery Symptom Mitigation Techniques

Postby roy » Sun Mar 31, 2019 5:34 pm

Dificid is superior to vanco if it's used as the first treatment.
The reason for that is because it kills much less of the good flora and leaves your gut in a much better condition so that your own immune system can mop up all the remaining c.diff spores and complete the "cure"
But being on flagyl first negates that advantage because flagyl is broad spectrum and has already done a number on your remaining flora.
IF you do need another round of meds vanco might be the correct choice and your Dr might be persuaded to let you remain on it for the duration of your work journey, preferably ending the course with a taper dosage.
Vanco is expensive but if you ask your Dr to prescribe the liquid version that's made up by using the powder in the IV vials its MUCH cheaper at around $100 total cost. (Not the branded firvanc version).
It's exactly the same med.
Your a long way from FMT, hopefully you wont need it.
Flagyl does work half the time but never has been FDA approved as a treatment for c.diff.
You might need to point out that fact to your GP.

Ril
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 1837
Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2012 2:45 pm

Re: My Top 6 Recovery Symptom Mitigation Techniques

Postby Ril » Sun Mar 31, 2019 11:35 pm

Check and see if your insurance covers vanco. It might. A lot of insurance does these days.

D1dad
Regular Contributor
Posts: 319
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2019 8:34 pm

Re: My Top 6 Recovery Symptom Mitigation Techniques

Postby D1dad » Mon Apr 01, 2019 7:23 am

I have a high deductible health plan which is very common for just about everyone now days, I work for an insurance brokerage agency but am self employed. Unfortunately till I hit 7k out of pocket, nothing is covered outside of an annual wellness exam. With an Er visit and some follow ups I’m half way to the out of pocket and then everything’s covered at 100%. With the Merck coupon and my deductible I qualified to get the drug at the minimum of $50. Vanco is around $200 with the good rx coupon. Are there any reasons I would wanna choose Vanco over dificid? I’m done with Flagyl as of yesterday and feel good but I was fooled before.

roy
Administrator
Posts: 4193
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2014 1:05 am

Re: My Top 6 Recovery Symptom Mitigation Techniques

Postby roy » Mon Apr 01, 2019 8:18 am

The reason I would say vanco is because a Dr might be more flexible as to the length of the course.
If I was travelling I would want vanco in my bag!
Dificid is prescribed as a 10 day course (a few Drs might give a longer course but it's not in the guidlines so most will not).
Hopefully you wont need it.

D1dad
Regular Contributor
Posts: 319
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2019 8:34 pm

Re: My Top 6 Recovery Symptom Mitigation Techniques

Postby D1dad » Tue Apr 02, 2019 5:45 pm

The doc will call it in wherever I am if it is needed. He’s going with liquid Vanco whatever that means strength wise. I’m a couple days removed from metro, no D but bubbly stomach and exhausted with an elevated pulse. I sure hope this chit doesn’t come back.

roy
Administrator
Posts: 4193
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2014 1:05 am

Re: My Top 6 Recovery Symptom Mitigation Techniques

Postby roy » Wed Apr 03, 2019 2:46 am

Its mixed to a standard strength solution and the strength is governed by the amount you take at each dose.

D1dad
Regular Contributor
Posts: 319
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2019 8:34 pm

Re: My Top 6 Recovery Symptom Mitigation Techniques

Postby D1dad » Wed Apr 03, 2019 8:25 am

roy wrote:
> Its mixed to a standard strength solution and the strength is governed by
> the amount you take at each dose.
I’d like to get this before my flight (just in case) because there’s no commercial pharmacies available where I’m going. Is this even possible to do if it needs refrigerated?

roy
Administrator
Posts: 4193
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2014 1:05 am

Re: My Top 6 Recovery Symptom Mitigation Techniques

Postby roy » Wed Apr 03, 2019 9:10 am

Pack it in your hold baggage (100ml limit for cabin bag but you can use multiple 100ml bottles) with an ice pack.
Check in advance that your room has a fridge.
It has a 14 day use by life so how long are you away for?
You might have to pay the extra $$ for pills.


Return to “General C. diff. Discussion”



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 20 guests