One of our moderators, Fire - Pat - posted this in 2011 and it is still applicable.
As usual Roy is dead on right....The hardest part of dealing with C-Diff is allowing yourself to finally accept the fact that you've beaten it. Accept it and run full tilt into enjoying life !!!
Fire
Re: Should you test to see if your cured?
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Re: Should you test to see if your cured?
I am on my first relapse of C diff and I wondered the same thing, when I am done with this dose of Vanco (another 14 days) do I get tested again? The last dose ended and I did not feel 100 percent and then it hit me again out of no where....
Im I correct in saying that you will know if you are cured based on how you feel? Does it take time to feel 100 percent again, Am I correct to say if you dont have the pain and the D then you are safe to say you on your way to recovery .
How many days after the Vanco should it be to feel relief?
Thanks to anyone who may be able to help me with these questions...
I enjoy being able to communicate with others that have experienced this in place of just medical advice, although good at times !
Thank you !
Im I correct in saying that you will know if you are cured based on how you feel? Does it take time to feel 100 percent again, Am I correct to say if you dont have the pain and the D then you are safe to say you on your way to recovery .
How many days after the Vanco should it be to feel relief?
Thanks to anyone who may be able to help me with these questions...
I enjoy being able to communicate with others that have experienced this in place of just medical advice, although good at times !
Thank you !
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Re: Should you test to see if your cured?
You don't need to do a repeat test after treatment if you feel good. I've had several negative tests post treatment because I had days when I felt like I was having a relapse. If you feel sick after you finish treatment, it's fine to request a test, and don't feel bad about wanting one.
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Re: Should you test to see if your cured?
To Test or Not To Test……That is a good question, however, it’s an individual choice. If it were me, I would retest if severe symptoms persist. However, if I felt at least 90% better, probably not. Most well-versed ID/GI’s won’t retest unless symptoms have not improve during antibiotic therapy. You need to trust your inner gut!!!! Once you are finished with the Vanco Therapy Treatment, the actual healing process truly begins. The gut flora should continue to repopulate and it can take months to re-establish. Recognition of a full recovery can be made during that particular time-frame. Good luck!!! I am not a doctor and the above comment is strictly my opinion!!!!
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Re: Should you test to see if your cured?
I hate to tell you this but there is no sure fire test to tell you that it is totally gone and you will never get it back. That is, you can feel fine, diarea free after the venco treatment and still have c diff. You need to educate yourself as to what cdiff is, as especially in this case knowledge is power. You are fighting a spore within your colon that can kill you. It wants to dominate your existing Flora in your colon starve them out, so they can survive. Venco is a very strong anti biotic once again that targets the colon and will kill the C diff spores. Unfortunately, while killing C diff it also kills the good bacteria that you need. After an entire course of Venco you hope that the C diff spores are all dead, but eggs later hatch that you hope will be killed by the later Venco doses as you taper off. Just a few C diff spores could hatch from eggs not killed by the venco and you can have a full blown relapse.
To get to your original question: Testing when your stool looks good, well formed etc, will test negative for C diff. Most Doctors will not test if the stool is properly formed and you are feeling better. He knows the test will come back negative. However come in with D, and we will test, and then with D it can come back negative as well and you do have C diff. Follow up the following day, same test same lab, etc and the c diff may show up and you are positive. Tricky right.
This is part of my plan in dealing with this thing. Remember Your gut kneeds Flora. The more Flora, good bacteria, you can stuff into your gut the greater the chance more C Diff Spores will starve. I take a probiotic along with the Venco. There are excellent studies showing that Saccharomyces Boulardii, a yeast based probiotic, will help kill C DIFF when used in conjunction with Vencomycin. As a mater of fact during a second bout of CDIFF the incidence of reoccurrance of Cdiff was lessoned by 50% in the experimental group as compared to the control group taking Venco only without S boulardii.
Well knowing that why not take it. http://www.benebiotics.com 18 strains of probiotic 1.32 Billion Cfu's of
S boulardii. Remember, a healthy gut has trillions of bacteria not millions. I am taking three pills a day and feeling great. I feel I have it beat. How long will I take it for, I pill a day for the rest of life. This is not voodoo medicine, Probiotics are a natural supplement, and will not harm you.
Sorry if this is more information then you needed. I do tend to get proffessorial. So much for the science head. Best of luck.
Rick100
To get to your original question: Testing when your stool looks good, well formed etc, will test negative for C diff. Most Doctors will not test if the stool is properly formed and you are feeling better. He knows the test will come back negative. However come in with D, and we will test, and then with D it can come back negative as well and you do have C diff. Follow up the following day, same test same lab, etc and the c diff may show up and you are positive. Tricky right.
This is part of my plan in dealing with this thing. Remember Your gut kneeds Flora. The more Flora, good bacteria, you can stuff into your gut the greater the chance more C Diff Spores will starve. I take a probiotic along with the Venco. There are excellent studies showing that Saccharomyces Boulardii, a yeast based probiotic, will help kill C DIFF when used in conjunction with Vencomycin. As a mater of fact during a second bout of CDIFF the incidence of reoccurrance of Cdiff was lessoned by 50% in the experimental group as compared to the control group taking Venco only without S boulardii.
Well knowing that why not take it. http://www.benebiotics.com 18 strains of probiotic 1.32 Billion Cfu's of
S boulardii. Remember, a healthy gut has trillions of bacteria not millions. I am taking three pills a day and feeling great. I feel I have it beat. How long will I take it for, I pill a day for the rest of life. This is not voodoo medicine, Probiotics are a natural supplement, and will not harm you.
Sorry if this is more information then you needed. I do tend to get proffessorial. So much for the science head. Best of luck.
Rick100
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Re: Should you test to see if your cured?
It is my understanding that the Vancomycin does NOT kill the c-diff spores. Vanco kills the bacteria released from the spores. That is why some doctors use the pulsing dose. Any comments?
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Re: Should you test to see if your cured?
Hi all,
I must revise my last post I mispoke. Venco does not kill C diff spores. It will kill hopefully the c dif Bacteria. C DIFF spores are killed only with a dilute solution of Bleach, such as Clorox, or an antisporicide used in hospitals. Alcohol wips do nothing for cd spores.
In hospital and nursing homes C DIFF Spores are transfered from room to room patient to patient. A bleach or bleaching agent, or a sporicidal disinfectant is used to Kill these spores. At home washing surfaces with clordox bleach solutions shoud be used to stop the spread of these spores. Alcohol hand wipes do nothing to kill C diff spores.
Sorry
Rick
I must revise my last post I mispoke. Venco does not kill C diff spores. It will kill hopefully the c dif Bacteria. C DIFF spores are killed only with a dilute solution of Bleach, such as Clorox, or an antisporicide used in hospitals. Alcohol wips do nothing for cd spores.
In hospital and nursing homes C DIFF Spores are transfered from room to room patient to patient. A bleach or bleaching agent, or a sporicidal disinfectant is used to Kill these spores. At home washing surfaces with clordox bleach solutions shoud be used to stop the spread of these spores. Alcohol hand wipes do nothing to kill C diff spores.
Sorry
Rick
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Re: Should you test to see if your cured?
I believe that I am well on the road to recovery. My PCP mentioned retesting me sometime in the future, but I'm not sure I want to. That said, I am scheduled for a routine colonoscopy on October 29. Couldn't I just ask the GI doc to check for it during the procedure so I don't have to go through the other retest process again?
See any issues with that approach?
Thanks,
Laurie
See any issues with that approach?
Thanks,
Laurie
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Re: Should you test to see if your cured?
Hey Laurie. Can you postpone the scope? Doing the prep disrupts your flora, and getting that resettled post C diff is really important.
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Re: Should you test to see if your cured?
Yes, I can postpone it. I kind of wondered if it was a bad idea to do one so soon.
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Re: Should you test to see if your cured?
re: Testing when your stool looks good, well formed etc, will test negative for C diff.
Both times I tested positive were from normal looking stools. I was having one solid in the morning, then the rest of the day D.
Both times I tested positive were from normal looking stools. I was having one solid in the morning, then the rest of the day D.
Look for one joyful thing in each day. It might be a spiderweb, a bird or a child's laugh. Look for it, it's there.
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Re: Should you test to see if your cured?
Well, I am now 15 days post completion of Dificid and have had some symptoms recently that could lead me to believe it could be back. A small amount of mucous and almost a motility to my soft stools. Frequency is not there however. I only going 1-2 a day. I am having the same fatigue, bloating, and occassional nausea, but the biggest symptom now seems to be the lower left sided pain that got me trouble to begin with. That is what has me concerned the most. Is my colon being attacked again, or am I just sensitive to certain foods?
I have the test kit in my possession. I don't know whether to be tested or not. My fear is that I test positive and they recommend a Vanco taper which would almost certainly happen.
So here's my question: is there a such thing as a false positive????
I have the test kit in my possession. I don't know whether to be tested or not. My fear is that I test positive and they recommend a Vanco taper which would almost certainly happen.
So here's my question: is there a such thing as a false positive????
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Re: Should you test to see if your cured?
Absolutely there are false positives!!!!! I wouldn't test unless frequency intensifies and true 'd' takes place. What you are describing is most likely nuisance symptoms; a normal part of the recovery process!!
Kathy
Kathy
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Re: Should you test to see if your cured?
Roy, thanks so much for posting this link. It is the most comprehensive info I have read. I wonder how you can get a copy of this. I know some g.i.'s and id's who should read it!
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Re: Should you test to see if your cured?
I am 3 wks off Flagyl and I started feeling sick again day before yesterday with nausea, gas and the mucous diarrhea started so I called my family Dr and asked for Vanco in case I tested positive so I went to urgent care. They tested my stool and called me today and I'm positive again. My stools are formed today but have mucous...yesterday my stools were nothing but clear mucous and I have the pain and uncomfortable feeling n my left side below my ribs. I finally got lucky and got into a good GI n Tulsa on a cancellation tomorrow.
So am I understanding that u guys are suggesting I don't start the Vanco ? That with the symptoms I've stated I may not be doing the right thing? I'm dizzy with all the scary info and I've heard nothing good about Drs and I'm just scared I'm never gonna b better. I have family that Im around everyday...we have a family business...I have 3 kids and a 3 yr old nephew I'm scared death ill pass this along.
Also, I'm taking Culturelle 1x day, Florastor 2x day...also drinking Kefir. Could anyone recommend if I should be taking more probiotics? And do they work while on Vanco ?
Thanks guy,
Becky
So am I understanding that u guys are suggesting I don't start the Vanco ? That with the symptoms I've stated I may not be doing the right thing? I'm dizzy with all the scary info and I've heard nothing good about Drs and I'm just scared I'm never gonna b better. I have family that Im around everyday...we have a family business...I have 3 kids and a 3 yr old nephew I'm scared death ill pass this along.
Also, I'm taking Culturelle 1x day, Florastor 2x day...also drinking Kefir. Could anyone recommend if I should be taking more probiotics? And do they work while on Vanco ?
Thanks guy,
Becky
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