Hi, just jumping on here to introduce myself and see if I’m taking the right steps to avoid a recurrence of the infection. I’ve read some great advice on here, but want to share my own piece and see if there’s anything I could be doing better.
I’ve had c.diff before, when I was in my mid-20s. I was on Flagyl 10 days, relapsed after a week, and took Flagyl for 14 days. Not problems after, though for about a year my stomach was very sensitive to alcohol.
Fast forward 8-ish years (in my early 30s), and I have it again (antibiotics from the dentist). I think I caught it pretty quickly. On the third day of D, there was blood/mucous and I just knew what it was. Went immediately to ER and was put on 14 days of Flagyl. The symptoms cleared up quickly. I’m 7 days post-Flagyl and have no D, just mild constipation. Stools are fine (though floating a lot?).
Since the start of Flagyl, I’ve been taking probiotics twice a day (2 blue biotics-61 billion- in the evening, renew life-50 billion- in the mornings). I’m also eating Wildbrine sauerkraut each day; taking a prebiotic at night; taking a shot of Wildbrine fermented beet/kraut juice daily; drinking a shot of Good Belly kefir once a day; no sugar beyond what’s in the good belly (3g) - that I know of- some things like my salad dressing have 1g a serving; no caffeine (beyond a cup of green tea); and no greasy/fried/etc. foods. I’ve increased my veggie consumption dramatically. I’m also sprinkling ground flax and chia seeds on most of what I eat.
I’m so afraid I’m going to have another bout of the infection, since it happened the last time I had this. But last time I wasn’t careful about sugar and I didn’t take such strong probiotics. I certainly didn’t hop on the prebiotic, fermented food train either. I’m a little hopeful this time simply because I caught it so fast and I’m taking all these precautions. But I have travel for work coming up the week after next, and I’m just afraid something bad is going to happen. The first time I had c.diff left me so scarred. I have terrible anxiety from it all.
I have an appointment with my gastroenterologist Thursday (I saw him 3 days after the ER and have done a stool test), and I plan on telling him my concerns about travel – what if it hits me while I’m out of state? I’m wondering if he’ll prescribe me some back up flagyl in case. While I know vanco would be better for second round, there’s no way I can afford a non-insured RX of it just for “in case”. Hopefully if it actually did come back, he could then prescribe the vanco. But at least if I had Flagyl, the symptoms would be curbed quickly.
What are your thoughts on aloe vera gel/juice? Would that help as well?
Just hoping for any feedback on what else I could be doing (or shouldn’t be doing) to help my body keep the infection from coming back.
Thank you!
Introduction and Checking In On My Post Antibiotic Plan
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Re: Introduction and Checking In On My Post Antibiotic Plan
Hopefully its dealt with.
If not you should (and for the future) be aware that flagyl is no longer the med of choice for c.diff, theres too many relapses when flagyl is used and flagyl can even cause c.diff!
Vanco can be obtained a lot cheaper if you need it.
Ask for liquid vanco that's made from the powder in the IV vials.
It's the same med and about $100 a course without insurance.
A compounding pharmacy will make it up.
I dont think I would add anything new like aloe, you seem to be doing ok.
If not you should (and for the future) be aware that flagyl is no longer the med of choice for c.diff, theres too many relapses when flagyl is used and flagyl can even cause c.diff!
Vanco can be obtained a lot cheaper if you need it.
Ask for liquid vanco that's made from the powder in the IV vials.
It's the same med and about $100 a course without insurance.
A compounding pharmacy will make it up.
I dont think I would add anything new like aloe, you seem to be doing ok.
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Re: Introduction and Checking In On My Post Antibiotic Plan
roy wrote:
> Hopefully its dealt with.
> If not you should (and for the future) be aware that flagyl is no longer
> the med of choice for c.diff, theres too many relapses when flagyl is used
> and flagyl can even cause c.diff!
> Vanco can be obtained a lot cheaper if you need it.
> Ask for liquid vanco that's made from the powder in the IV vials.
> It's the same med and about $100 a course without insurance.
> A compounding pharmacy will make it up.
> I dont think I would add anything new like aloe, you seem to be doing ok.
Thanks, Roy. After I was on the flagyl I looked into c.diff (I hadn't checked in on any new information or advances since I had the first bout years ago) and saw that vanco is now preferred. I think that's also fed into my worry about it coming back. I wish I had been able to start off with vanco immediately, I'd probably sleep better at night. Thanks for the info on liquid vanco, I will definitely keep that in mind when I visit the gastroenterologist this week. I could do around $100 without a problem if need be.
> Hopefully its dealt with.
> If not you should (and for the future) be aware that flagyl is no longer
> the med of choice for c.diff, theres too many relapses when flagyl is used
> and flagyl can even cause c.diff!
> Vanco can be obtained a lot cheaper if you need it.
> Ask for liquid vanco that's made from the powder in the IV vials.
> It's the same med and about $100 a course without insurance.
> A compounding pharmacy will make it up.
> I dont think I would add anything new like aloe, you seem to be doing ok.
Thanks, Roy. After I was on the flagyl I looked into c.diff (I hadn't checked in on any new information or advances since I had the first bout years ago) and saw that vanco is now preferred. I think that's also fed into my worry about it coming back. I wish I had been able to start off with vanco immediately, I'd probably sleep better at night. Thanks for the info on liquid vanco, I will definitely keep that in mind when I visit the gastroenterologist this week. I could do around $100 without a problem if need be.
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Re: Introduction and Checking In On My Post Antibiotic Plan
Aloe vera juice can give D. It is generally used for a laxative effect.
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Re: Introduction and Checking In On My Post Antibiotic Plan
It sounds as if you have beaten Cdiff and you didn't develop any IBS since you can stomach all of those fermented food and flax seeds. However if you preparing to travel it is wise to fill in a script for Vanco just in case something bad happens , hopefully it won't be needed.Aloe vera juice is a natural laxative , unless you are constipated is no need for it . as i said , you already take too much fermented foods and things that will send most of us here to the toilet in minutes.
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Re: Introduction and Checking In On My Post Antibiotic Plan
georgina wrote:
> It sounds as if you have beaten Cdiff and you didn't develop any IBS since
> you can stomach all of those fermented food and flax seeds. However if you
> preparing to travel it is wise to fill in a script for Vanco just in case
> something bad happens , hopefully it won't be needed.Aloe vera juice is a
> natural laxative , unless you are constipated is no need for it . as i said
> , you already take too much fermented foods and things that will send most
> of us here to the toilet in minutes.
Thanks Georgina. No issues so far with the fermented foods or flax, so I guess that is a good sign. Thanks for the info and I'll def bring up backup meds with my doctor tomorrow.
> It sounds as if you have beaten Cdiff and you didn't develop any IBS since
> you can stomach all of those fermented food and flax seeds. However if you
> preparing to travel it is wise to fill in a script for Vanco just in case
> something bad happens , hopefully it won't be needed.Aloe vera juice is a
> natural laxative , unless you are constipated is no need for it . as i said
> , you already take too much fermented foods and things that will send most
> of us here to the toilet in minutes.
Thanks Georgina. No issues so far with the fermented foods or flax, so I guess that is a good sign. Thanks for the info and I'll def bring up backup meds with my doctor tomorrow.
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Re: Introduction and Checking In On My Post Antibiotic Plan
Glad you've been doing basically well. IMO, however, you're taking too many probiotics, prebiotics, and fermented foods, any or all of which can cause GI symptoms, themselves. There is very little data backing up the actual efficacy of any of these supplements, with possible exception of Florastor, which at least one study showed to have a preventive effect on relapse in hospitalized patients. In the absence of data-driven, evidence-based studies, there's really no way to know what types of probiotics may (or may not) be helpful, or in what amounts. People often think that if anecdotally a lot of people say probiotics are "working" that means they are effective -- but it may very well be sheer coincidence that someone has remained well/felt better while taking the probiotic(s).
That said, I take one VSL3 capsule per day, myself, and on advice of a doctor took two Florastor per day in the weeks leading up to a hip-replacement surgery a year and a half ago.
As for dentists and their prescribing habits: try to avoid any recommendation for "preventative" antibiotics before dental procedures; they are generally unnecessary and often lead to C. diff, as happened with you. Hope you'll report your experience with whichever antibiotic caused your illness on the Adverse Event form of FDA, available online (see link at bottom of my post).
Allison
That said, I take one VSL3 capsule per day, myself, and on advice of a doctor took two Florastor per day in the weeks leading up to a hip-replacement surgery a year and a half ago.
As for dentists and their prescribing habits: try to avoid any recommendation for "preventative" antibiotics before dental procedures; they are generally unnecessary and often lead to C. diff, as happened with you. Hope you'll report your experience with whichever antibiotic caused your illness on the Adverse Event form of FDA, available online (see link at bottom of my post).
Allison
If your illness was preceded by use of a medication, e.g., an antibiotic, please fill out an FDA Adverse Event Report at http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/default.htm
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