After being bombarded with antibiotics..

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bob54
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Joined: Tue Apr 03, 2018 6:36 pm

After being bombarded with antibiotics..

Postby bob54 » Fri Feb 10, 2023 3:03 pm

Hi there, my name is bob, I haven't been on the forum for a long long time because I have tried to stay away from antibiotics in all forms, but back in the early 2000s I developed C diff and battled with it for well over a year and finally conquered it with generic Flagyl and probiotics like saccharomyces. And I just wondered in anyone else's experience, because I have been fairly good all these years as far as not having C diff type diarrhea, but recently in November, I was hospitalized for sepsis, and they loaded me up with Iv bags and bags of multiple different types of antibiotics including Vancomycin to wipe out the bacteria that was in my blood, which they were successful at doing. And I told them that I was a little bit afraid because I had a history of c-diff, and, so, they gave me some probiotics once a day, and once they had me in there for 3 days, they made a determination of the exact bacteria that they were dealing with, and then they put me on multiple IVs of cefuroxime, Then they got good blood work culture result showing that the bacteria was gone, and they put a midline in my arm, and then they released me to go home, but I had to return every day for two weeks to have a bag of the same antibiotic of 1000 mg put into my arm to make sure that everything was completely clear.
Now, my question is, from what I have researched, i was wondering if other folks have went through what i did, and now it has been a little over 2 months since I finished being bombarded with all the different antibiotics, but in the last week and a half, I have noticed that C diff type diarrhea coming back. From what I researched, that's not on usual for it to take that long, sometimes up to maybe 10 weeks after IV's before you might have C diff developing.
My first question is: is that possible? I just don't want the diarrhea to get out of hand, and luckily my doctor said that they would call me in a month supply of generic flagyl. Any thoughts, or has anyone else who went through bombardments of IV antibiotics and then months later started with symptoms of c-diff.
Thank you very much folks.

NanciT
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Joined: Thu Sep 18, 2014 12:01 pm

Re: After being bombarded with antibiotics..

Postby NanciT » Fri Feb 10, 2023 3:42 pm

Hi Bob and Welcome to the site

It seems two months is a long time but if you are having symptoms it's easy to get tested, that is what I would do. No harm in getting tested.

I did have an experience after my initial 2014-2015 year with CDIFF and a very long recovery. Dificid finally cured me at that time.

In 2020 I also became ill with Sepsis, very similar situation with IV antibiotics, Vancomycin and my insistence on probiotic.

Within a week of getting out of the hospital I was VERY sick with CDIFF despite all precautions taken.

It was so bad I slept in the bathroom for 3 days until the Dificid started working. I have an Infectious disease specialist now who put me on a Dificid taper which worked.

Everyone is different, I will always test after antibiotics if I develop Diarrhea.

NanciT

beth22
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Re: After being bombarded with antibiotics..

Postby beth22 » Sun Feb 12, 2023 2:04 am

It is possible to get a recurrence that far out. It happened to me, so I would get tested to see. I was in the hospital a few years ago and was also bombarded with IV antibiotics and tested positive a few months later after having diarrhea, but it subsided on it's own with the help of some Pepto bismol and my doctor told me not to treat and I didn't. You may not have c diff at all, just other Gi upset from having had all those meds.

roy
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Re: After being bombarded with antibiotics..

Postby roy » Sun Feb 12, 2023 5:21 am

I want to add that flagyl is no longer prescribed for C.Diff unless no other treatment is available.
Theres too many relapses if they treat with flagyl so guidelines say Vanco or Dificid.

GtrGrl
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Re: After being bombarded with antibiotics..

Postby GtrGrl » Sat Feb 18, 2023 5:44 pm

roy wrote:
> I want to add that flagyl is no longer prescribed for C.Diff unless no
> other treatment is available.
> Theres too many relapses if they treat with flagyl so guidelines say Vanco
> or Dificid.

I wish more UK doctors knew this, Roy, but they don't keep up to date (as I'm sure you know). I have had to correct two consultants in the past year who said, 'if you get C Diff again we'll just put you on Metronidazole'. No no no! Mind you, seems to have worked for you, Bob.

Agree with what others have said: I had my first relapse two months after finishing antibiotics. I was suspicious and got tested. Hopefully it won't be and you can just keep hitting the S Boulardii for good measure.
Contracted C Diff from a round of Flucloxacillin, November 2020.

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


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