Anyone with recurrent Uti's and C diff have advice

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.
Lizzo
New User
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri May 14, 2021 2:59 pm

Anyone with recurrent Uti's and C diff have advice

Postby Lizzo » Fri May 14, 2021 3:45 pm

Hi there. I am a 60 yr. old woman from Toronto, Canada who developed c diff after being prescribed Clindamycin for a dental infection. I developed diarrhea about 3 weeks after taking the Clindamycin. I had just come off Macrobid for uti when I took the Clindamycin and I had just switched from Saxenda to Rybelsus so when the diarrhea started I thought it was just a GI side effect from the Rybelsus. My dr tested me for worms parasites and c diff. I was treated promptly after the diagnosis with Vancomycin and was on day 7 of a 10 day course and feeling pretty good with the c diff when I developed a Uti. I called a virtual emergency room (Friday night, no family dr, COVID protocols). I am able to self-medicate at the first sign of a uti so wanted to make sure it was OK to take something. They said yes, Macrobid shouldn't exacerbate the c diff. I also went and had my urine cultured. I usually take Macrobid for 3-5 days. I wasn't feeling better after 3 days and ended up taking it for 7. There was a problem at the lab and I didn't get the culture results for 6 days. It showed that I had two bacterium and Macrobid was inconclusive as a treatment. Three days later I developed diarrhea again. I was put on Vanco again. I tried to "flush" out the uti by drinking lots of water but ended up in Emerg this past Monday after I couldn't take the burning of my bladder anymore. They put me on Keflex. I was on day 4 of the second course of Vanco. Yesterday I got diarrhea. I called my family dr. She said diarrhea was always a probability but the thought was to try and get enough Keflex into me before the diarrhea returned. She extended the Vanco to cover me for a few more days. I have an appointment (virtual) with an infectious disease specialist on May 25th.

I guess my question is has anyone out there had any success trying to deal with recurrent uti's and having to take antibiotics frequently with c diff.? I feel like if I hadn't had the uti during the first treatment with Vanco that I might have been ok but now I'm on my second go round in a little over a month and I'm scared about a future where I know I'll get more uti's and yet any antibiotics will likely cause a recurrence of c diff. It feels a little hopeless.

NanciT
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 3035
Joined: Thu Sep 18, 2014 12:01 pm

Re: Anyone with recurrent Uti's and C diff have advice

Postby NanciT » Sat May 15, 2021 10:32 pm

Hello and Welcome to the site Please read the first thread for all new posters


I had no issues with UTI's but after having CDIFF in 2014/2015 and being on Vanco for an extended period of time I sadly started having them. It became a real issue for me and I saw a urologist.

I started taking the supplement D Mannose which really did help. I know others on the site have taken Macrobid with no CDIFF issues but I am allergic to it.

Fast forward to 2020 and I did get a UTI, took Keflex and did get CDIFF. I now see a ID who is very specific in what she wants me to try if I were to get it again. I always have a culture done to make sure it is sensitive.

Talk with your ID and see a urologist if UTI's become a problem. Any antibiotic can cause D and it may not be CDIFF, depending on your symptoms.

It can be very difficult, I wish you the best with this and hope you feel better soon

NanciT

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

Re: Anyone with recurrent Uti's and C diff have advice

Postby roy » Sun May 16, 2021 4:04 am

UTI type symptoms can be a side effect of taking vanco.
Even with a positive UTI culture its difficult to judge if treatment is needed.
One thing that's almost certain is that treating c.diff while your taking keflex is unlikely to work.

Lizzo
New User
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri May 14, 2021 2:59 pm

Re: Anyone with recurrent Uti's and C diff have advice

Postby Lizzo » Sun May 16, 2021 7:40 am

Thank you for your responses. I have been under the care of a urologist since 2013 when I had bladder sling surgery. I’ve also tried sacral neurostimulator, cranberry, intermittent self-catheterization. I just started d-mannose. I am looking forward to speaking with the ID and really hope she will have some answers.

NanciT
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 3035
Joined: Thu Sep 18, 2014 12:01 pm

Re: Anyone with recurrent Uti's and C diff have advice

Postby NanciT » Sun May 16, 2021 9:14 am

Good to hear you are seeing a urologist. I actually brought in 2 articles found on Web MD about Vanco causing Bladder irritation, he was unaware of this as many physicians are. We made sure to do a culture each time I had symptoms. It took me a long time to recover from the irritation( I was on Vanco 3 months back then).

Please check with your urologist on D Mannose and dose. It sounds like you have a history of bladder issues, try and have the urologist speak with the ID and come up with the right treatment plan for you

Take Care

NanciT

Lizzo
New User
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri May 14, 2021 2:59 pm

Re: Anyone with recurrent Uti's and C diff have advice

Postby Lizzo » Mon May 17, 2021 12:03 pm

Thank you, Nanci T. I will research the Vanco, uti connection. That’s really helpful.

GtrGrl
Regular Contributor
Posts: 204
Joined: Tue May 04, 2021 4:43 am

Re: Anyone with recurrent Uti's and C diff have advice

Postby GtrGrl » Tue May 18, 2021 5:44 am

I hope you have some relief with the D Mannose. I believe some urologists may also offer antibiotic instillations, i.e. targeted in the bladder, not taken orally.
Contracted C Diff from a round of Flucloxacillin, November 2020.

Metronidazole - Metronidazole - Dificid - Dificid - Vancomycin - Upper GI FMT - Vancomycin - Vancomycin - Lower GI FMT

Lizzo
New User
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri May 14, 2021 2:59 pm

Re: Anyone with recurrent Uti's and C diff have advice

Postby Lizzo » Thu May 20, 2021 2:16 pm

Thanks GtrGrl. I will ask about antibiotic distillations when I speak to the ID specialist next week. You’d think direct treatment of the bladder would be the most practical way to treat infection and spare us all this horrible condition.

Lizzo
New User
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri May 14, 2021 2:59 pm

Re: Anyone with recurrent Uti's and C diff have advice

Postby Lizzo » Mon May 31, 2021 12:10 pm

So I had my ID specialist appointment. She was utterly useless. She just told me to avoid antibiotics which I already knew but she could offer me no help with how to handle a chronic infection with c diff. My family dr. is going to refer me to someone else. I got another uri a day after finishing my second course of vanco. I followed advice on this site and an embedded uti site and took Florastor and another antibiotic aftercare probiotic. They allowed me to stay on the full course of Keflex but I ended up back in Emerg yesterday with a suspected recurrence of both the c.diff and the uti. I feel utterly defeated. The Dr in Emerg mentioned FMT but if I have to continue taking antibiotics won't that eventually lead the FMT to fail?

GtrGrl
Regular Contributor
Posts: 204
Joined: Tue May 04, 2021 4:43 am

Re: Anyone with recurrent Uti's and C diff have advice

Postby GtrGrl » Tue Jun 01, 2021 6:16 am

I’m sorry they were so unhelpful, Lizzo. Yes continued antibiotics would likely cause an FMT to fail. Maybe you need to get rid of the UTI before considering that path. Or deal with the C Diff then, like I mentioned before, ask about an antibiotic instillation for the UTI. See what your new doc says; they may be really good and knowledgeable!

Lizzo
New User
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri May 14, 2021 2:59 pm

Re: Anyone with recurrent Uti's and C diff have advice

Postby Lizzo » Tue Jun 01, 2021 10:09 pm

Thanks for the support. My family dr called tonight to confirm the c diff test was positive. She is sending an urgent request to the other ID clinic to see if someone can call me tomorrow to come up with some sort of plan. I will ask about the installations if they contact me. The useless one had never heard of them so I won't get anywhere with her.

Bobbie
Administrator
Posts: 12688
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2005 8:00 pm

Re: Anyone with recurrent Uti's and C diff have advice

Postby Bobbie » Wed Jun 02, 2021 2:17 pm

Hi, Lizzo.

Understand your catch 22 situation and the frustration. I am an administrator on this site and a long term c. diff and UTI sufferer. Many of my UTIs were E. coli related, and Macrobid worked.

Another product to try, with your doc’s OK, is uro vaxom, a urinary probiotic. It is expensive and does not help everyone but is “worth a shot.” Do your own research on it, and please let us know what you find out about it.

We do not recommend any particular treatment or product on this site, but this has often worked for me, personally. Believe u need a doc script for if. It is a preventative. I also have IC - interstitial cystitis.

Give this a whirl if you can. Best of luck, and keep us posted,

nouchi
Brand New Poster
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Jul 09, 2021 1:48 pm

Re: Anyone with recurrent Uti's and C diff have advice

Postby nouchi » Tue Jul 20, 2021 5:37 pm

Hey Lizzo!

I am reaching out to you because I am also in Toronto Canada. I don't have a family doctor and can't find one during covid times.
I have been dealing with virtual doctors and was given flagyl (metronidazole) for ten days, which didn't work, and I am now looking to get vanco.
However the doctors are telling me vanco is very hard to find and must be given from a hospital. I am wondering where you were able to find it?
Or if you could lead me in the right direction for a doctor who can help me.

Thank you so much.

Cdiff > 10 days Metronidazole > Relapse > Looking for Vanco in Toronto Canada

Lizzo
New User
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri May 14, 2021 2:59 pm

Re: Anyone with recurrent Uti's and C diff have advice

Postby Lizzo » Tue Jul 20, 2021 8:55 pm

Thank you Bobbie, I will speak to my doctors about uro vaxom if it’s available here. I ordered Hiprex from a company in Australia as I saw it mentioned on a chronic uti group. It’s used by people who can’t take long term antibiotics so I thought it might be worth a try if my gut can handle it. I am on antibiotics non-stop for these UTI’s and still on vancomycin which so far is working to keep the c diff at bay. I am supposed to try a taper over the next 9 weeks to see if I can wean myself off of it.

Lizzo
New User
Posts: 8
Joined: Fri May 14, 2021 2:59 pm

Re: Anyone with recurrent Uti's and C diff have advice

Postby Lizzo » Tue Jul 20, 2021 8:58 pm

Hi Nouchi. I haven’t had any issues getting vancomycin by prescription through Shoppers Drug Mart and my regular independent pharmacist. I’m sorry to hear you’ve been having difficulty.


Return to “General C. diff. Discussion”



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot] and 27 guests