New to C. Diff

[PatHoover]

I first had C. Diff last year. I think I may of gotten it from antibitics when I had UTI. I now have it back. I have not had any antibiotics since last year so I don't know how I got it back. I am on Vancomyacin 125 mg 4x day. This med worked last year except it was in liquid form and stronger then. I was taking Welchol at night but my specalist said not to take it for now. I was wondering about how to disinfect my home. I heard that the only thing that will kill C. Diff is Bleach. How often do you use it? I hope when I get over this I can take the steps necessary to keep it away. My Dr. said to get a probotic called Floraster and take 1 tab. 2x day. Any other information you can give me will be appreciated...Thanks

Pat

[Bobbie]

Pat Hoover,
Standard Intro. to Newbies:

Welcome to the site. Read the first forum ALL USERS READ THIS FIRST & its subtopics – especially the announcements: PLEASE READ BEFORE YOU POST and GUIDELINES FOR POSTING TO OUR DISCUSSION BOARDS. They will guide you in using the site & answer some of the most frequent questions. Read Dr. Borody’s & Dr. McDonald’s articles and some of the topics in FAQ – especially Hygiene, Nutrition, & Testing.

Let's hope you are one of the lucky ones who recover with one to two rounds of Flagyl or Vanco. If antibiotics contributed to your C. diff., be careful about taking them again. (See FAQ-Antibiotics.) Some people can tolerate them without a problem; some develop C. diff. again. (See Dr. Borody’s article.)

Since you've not taken another antibiotic, I don't know how you developed C. diff. Have you visited any hospitals or nursing homes lately? (Prime places to "pick up" C. diff.) One of our posters had C. diff. but hadn't taken antibiotics in years. It reoccured about 2 yrs. later. It is one strange disease!

Hope you are seeing a GI or ID who is familar with C. diff.

The best prevention in thorough handwashing. Yes, bleach is the best cleaner. Mix it l part bleach to 9 parts water.

Good luck & let us know how you are doing.

[PatHoover]

Thank you for writing to me. I have another question. How many times a week should I use the bleach to disinfect and kill the c.diff spores in my bathroom/kitchen? Also have you tried Florastor? If so how is it working and most important for me right now since I am fighting this thing..can you take it along with the antibotic Vancomyacin?

I am still reading all the information on this site. I pray everyone who has been touched by this horrible disease will soon get well.

Thank you

PatHoover

[Nancy1]

Pat,
I bleached my bathroom every time I used the toilet while I had cdiff. That means I bleached all over the toilet, as well as the sink, including soap dispenser and glass. I used paper towels, but I washed all the other towels with bleach once a week. I bleached my kitchen cutting board, apron, wash cloth, scrubber, and towels once a week. I still wash all these things with bleach once a week, even though it's been almost 2 years since I had cdiff. Anything to keep from having cdiff again!

I used Florastor, which you can take with vanco, but I don't know if it made any difference or not. The only probiotic that I can say for sure helped me was Primadophilus reuteri, which gave me my appetite back. Good luck.

[PatHoover]

Hi there again thank you for your input. For the bleach did you use the liquid bleach and water or did you spray Clorox Clean-Up? I did bleach my toilet today but when I go 3x day that is hard to accomplish. I am on a very fixed income so I cannot go buy 3 brushes per day. My hands are so dry washing them so much...lol

I also have Thrush. My pcp has given me Diflucan 200 mg. Is this a good anti-fungus med? I just read it can make the c. diff worse. I could tell a difference today. I usually only go in the AM and I have gone other times.

Last time when I was so sick with this 'stuff' and was so nauseated I used Zofran. It really took care of my nausea. I don't think I could of made it without it as I don't tollerate nausea very well. Maybe it could help others. Just check with their doctors first.

Thank you

Pat

[nsewell]

I cleaned my bathroom just once a week maybe twice a week. I made the rest of the family use the other bathroom while I had active cdiff. Also my GI says its ok to use Diflucan. Good luck, I hope your battle is a short one. How long did you have it last time?

[PatHoover]

HI Roy and nsewell......a spray will work ok for me. Thanks for the addvice. I had C. Diff for 6 weeks last year. I was on Flagyl for 12 days but it was not effective so I was put on Vanco liquid 250 mg with cherry syrup 4x day. It was an experience!! I was on Vanco two times two weeks each time. I thought I was a gonner as I was sure they were not going to take care of it. I was under a lot of stress as my husband had just passed away in March. I tested negative in Sept. I have not had any antibiodics since then except when I had my surgery. My pcp said they would not of caused me any problems. So after 8 months I though I was home free. I was very upset when it came back. Now I am unsure about takeing a 10 day bus trip in Oct. I don't know what I would do if I got it while I am away. I hope I only have to go through this once this time. Then I want to do whatever it will take to keep it from coming back. I don't think I could handle it again.

I sure wish I would of had this site then. My neice who is a RN led me here.

Unknown to me I also had a bad gallbladder which was removed in Nov. My GI put me on Welchol for my IBS last Dec. It has helped so much with my diarrhea problems but now I wonder if I should go back on it after I get this beat. I thought it was due to my changing my vitamins/min supplement. I stopped it and went back to Centrum Silver. Needless to say my problems continued. Went to the clinic and sure enough...possitive.

This is getting long so will stop for now.....

[nsewell]

I think after you have cdiff no antibiotic is a safe one or least you have more of a chance getting cdiff than before you had it. If your still not doing good after being on cdiff you might need to be on the higher dose. The 125's didnt do anyting for me. Im glad you found this site it really helps alot.

[Bobbie]

PatHoover,
You've had more than your share of problems. Condolences on the death of your husband.

You said you hadn't had any antibiotics "except when you had your surgery." Were the antibiotics oral or IV's oral or IV? How soon after surgery did the C. diff. occur?

My ENT told me the IV antibiotic given during surgery usually doesn't accomplish anything but is given because it is "usual protocol." A woman I met in a doc.'s office told me her GI assured her that the IV antibiotic given during surgery wouldn't cause a return of her C. diff. It did. (IV antibiotics usually do have less chance than oral of causing C. diff.)

When I had sinus surgery, I wrote on my arms & legs with marker: "No antibiotics." I have had to take several, however, because since C. diff. I am prone to pneumonia. My last bout was a year ago last Nov. after we returned from England. ( My son & his family live there.) My pulmo. prescribed Avalox & I refused to take it because it is similar to Levaquin which contributed to my 2nd bout of C. diff. (Another pulmo. assured me it wouldn't.) This time, I asked for a Z-pak instead. Nothing like prescribing for yourself! He agreed reluctantly, & the Z-pak was effective. I didn't develop C. diff. No one was more surprised than I was. (Some have developed C. diff. from a Z-pak.)

How did your niece find out about this site? Glad she told you about it. We can't "cure" you or give you medical advice, but we can tell you what worked for us & provide support.

[PatHoover]

Support is tops on my list. Thanks Bobbie. When I had my surgery they gave me the antibiotic in my IV. I had c. diff in July of 07 and got over it the first part of Sept. I have not had problems until around 4 wks ago. I have been on Vanco for a week last Friday. I just remembered this morning that I did visit an aunt in a nursing home and I did use the homes bathroom. Maybe??? I don't know how long it is from the overgrowth to start and symptoms show up. I saw her the 5th of April.

What is z-pak? What probotics are you taking. I looked into the Florastor and I am pretty sure I will take it. Can we eat yogart with probotics along with the oral probotics? I don't know if you can get too much of them. I know I have to watch the calcium as you can get diarrhea from too much of that vit.

The Thrush is going away........one more pill tonight. I hope I don't have to take any more of them.