Follow-up Post from Newbie

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Marsha
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2013 9:47 am
Location: Bradenton, Florida

Follow-up Post from Newbie

Post by Marsha »

After posting about my flare earlier this month, I was diagnosed with C diff. My GI prescribed Flagyl and had me decrease the Entocort to 3 mg per day until the antibiotic was finished. After two weeks of Flagyl, now I am back on 9 mg Entocort. I am also taking Cholestryamine packets twice daily. During the past few days the D has gotten markedly worse. I have returned on and off to my teaching job, and have resorted to immodium again daily. I will call the GI office today. Perhaps the C diff is not gone.
Any suggestions? I have been GF, DF, SF for nearly four weeks. My diet consists of turkey and chicken soup, baked fish, mushy zucchini and yellow squash, and a banana with almond butter. I am not eating big meals. I have lost 15 pounds this month. I was pretty much D-free for weeks 2 and 3. I am also struggling with exhaustion.
Thanks for your help.
Marsha
Marsha
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2013 9:47 am
Location: Bradenton, Florida

Forgot to mention

Post by Marsha »

I am also taking the probiotic Florastor, 4 pills daily.
Marsha
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tex
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Joined: Tue May 24, 2005 9:00 am
Location: Central Texas

Post by tex »

Hi Marsha,

I'm sorry to hear that your symptoms are becoming worse. I have a hunch that your suspicion that the C. diff has relapsed, is right on target. Many strains of C. diff are resistant to Flagyl, and enough of them survive the treatment to successfully launch a relapse. From what I read, most C. diff patients these days end up having to take a 2-week regimen of Vancomycin, because most C. diff strains are not yet resistant to it.

Vancomycin is a much more expensive antibiotic, so that's why many/most doctors prescribe Flagyl first, just in case it might work. Consequently, the patient has to go through the treatment twice (or more, in some cases, as the bacteria become more resistant).

Good luck with your treatment. C. diff can be very tough to get rid of permanently.

Tex
:cowboy:

It is suspected that some of the hardest material known to science can be found in the skulls of GI specialists who insist that diet has nothing to do with the treatment of microscopic colitis.
Marsha
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Jan 08, 2013 9:47 am
Location: Bradenton, Florida

Post by Marsha »

Maybe, just maybe, the D problem was the probiotic Florastor. My GI had recently instructed me to double up on it. Now I see that it has milk in it. Yesterday I did not take any Florastor at all, and this morning I was nearly Norman.
Marsha
jgivens
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Location: Kalamazoo, MI

Post by jgivens »

Oh wow! What great detective work. I hope that is the case for you. No one needs C. diff especially when they are already dealing with MC. Good luck and I will keep my fingers crossed that D. is not your companion any more.
Jane
Diagnosed with Lymphocytic Colitis 12/19/12
"When it gets dark enough,you can see the stars."
Charles A. Beard
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