Tapering 125mg Vancomycin for six weeks: q72hrs. (ref:Dr. Johan S. Bakken)

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Machaon
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Tapering 125mg Vancomycin for six weeks: q72hrs. (ref:Dr. Johan S. Bakken)

Postby Machaon » Tue Jul 18, 2017 2:11 pm

I am now in the process of the following tapering schedule:

Week 1-2 (July 13-28): 125mg vancomycin, three times for one day; followed by two days without vancomycin.

Week 3-4 (July 29-Aug 12): 125mg vancomycin, two times for one day; followed by two days without vancomycin.

Week 5-6 (Aug 13-Aug 27): 125mg vancomycin, one time for one day; followed by two days without vancomycin.

So, basically, there is an interval with no vancomycin for two days, followed by a day of vancomycin, followed by another interval of two days without vancomycin, and so on. During the tapering I am also taking probiotics, including Saccharomyces Boulardii.

I learned about this tapering schedule from an article about Johan S. Bakken, MD, FACP, an infectious disease specialist and clinical associate professor at the University of Minnesota. For years Bakken provided FMT for his "recurrent" C-diff patients. However, Dr. Bakken decided to use "tapering" and kefir for a method of attacking C-diff spores. He tried his tapering protocol on 25 patients (mean age of 68) who had a mean number of 4 CDI relapses. The median days of diarrhea prior to the tapering was 135 (ugh!).

I just finished my first three day interval of no vancomycin, followed by three vancomycins yesterday (at 5am, 2pm and 10pm). Yesterday and today my stools were softer and less well formed. Also sluggish and feeling off today. Could it be the result of c-diff spores coming to life, causing some mayhem, and then getting into battle with Vancomycin, or just old age setting in?

Needless to say, it worries me. I had never experienced an illness as debilitating and nasty as during my first two months of C-diff. It was so bad that I didn't want to wake up in the morning! Hoping that this tapering works!
Last edited by Machaon on Wed Jul 19, 2017 2:27 pm, edited 3 times in total.
Male 77 S.Florida

900 weight lifts 750 knee bends day

Since 1987 had CHF afib asthma

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Ex C-diff (4/19/17- 9/12/17) after 10 days dificid

Diet:6 meals ~1500 cals 2 eggs 2 steamed broccoli, apple, bagels

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