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I've had some trouble signing in as my name and password weren't being recognized, so i thought i'd wait 30 minutes and try again and this time made it and here I am!! Well I am in shock. I finally took in the stool speciman this morning that the doc requested last week and then at 5 the doc called and told me i tested positive for c-diff. I had put off getting it done because I was sure the few times of big D that I had were food related... guess i was just a tad bit arrogant!! Since i didn't have non-stop D I didn't think i could have c-diff. Wrong....so she wants me to gradually decrease the entocort by one pill every 3 days and to start flagyll tomorrow and take it 4 times day for 14 days. She says the entocort decreased the inflammation but since it impacts the immune system that allowed the c-diff to proliferate. I had 5 tests for c-diff thru Dec, and Jan. when I was so sick and they all came in negative. I have read how hard this bug is to extinguish so I am apprehensive to say the least. I thank God I found this group and can pour out my heart like this. I really am so grateful for you all who write and comfort and teach and encourage each other. I know some one out there has been down this road and knows the pot holes and dangers to avoid.
Sunny
Sorry to see that bad news. For some reason or other, C diff. can be difficult to diagnose. Maybe the labs need better testing methods. We have other members who have had negative test results, prior to finally getting a positive result, in fact, one practically had to twist her doctor's arm, to convince him to re-test.
Hopefully, one round of flagyll will do the trick.
Tex
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.
A definite bummer, but good that you now know about this. Don't beat yourself up - it is very possible that your episodes WERE food-related. (They sure sounded like it). I think CA Mary had C. diff., so hopefully she will be along soon. She has done very well now for many years on just the GF diet. Hang in there and think positively - there is no reason that you shouldn't wipe out that bug on the first try! I'll keep my fingers crossed.
Love and a
Polly
Blessed are they who can laugh at themselves, for they shall never cease to be amused.
Oh Sunny, sorry to hear this news guess you must be feeling a little low right now I just hope this problem clears up for you soon. A reduced immune system for me is one of the big concerns about taking the steriods, I find I am so careful what I eat, where I go and get concerned if someone around me has a cold.
Hope you get better soon and sending you big hugs in the meantime, take good care of yourself x
I'm sorry to hear you are dealing with this! My bout w/c-diff is the sickest I have *ever* been in my life, and the event which *I* believe triggered my MC. I had to go 2 rounds with Flagyl to beat it. Flagyl is a pretty nasty drug with intense side-effects for some people. I had horrific stomach pain from it - but toughed it out...with hindsight, I would have *insisted* on Vancomycin for the second round. A friend of mine has been battling it since October and she *finally* seems to have kicked it to the curb!
If you can eat yogurt/tolerate probiotics, I'd highly recommend it. I still live in fear of abx, but I've worked myself into a routine of taking *each* dose w/a probiotic, and guzzling a yogurt-based smoothie...with the billions and billions of "good guys" I'm ingesting, it's got to help the cause! I take a daily probiotic most regular days, as well...
I'm not sure how accurate the test is? They say you can test positive for some time afterwards, as you continue to shed bacteria(?) I don't know - I had 2 + tests followed by a -. The most humiliating was trying to get a stool sample in that rinky-dink specimen jar At least Dr. Fine has come up w/a better solution for that!
Hope the meds work quickly, Sunny, and you're soon feeling much better!
hi mary....what is abx? and why do you live in fear of it? i love yogurt and keifer so that will not be a problem, i have a probiotic....what brand do you use?
thanx fo your encouragement!
Sunny
It stands for antibiotics - most broad-spectrum antibiotics have c-diff as a possible side effect. Once you've had c-diff, you'll have to be vigilant about preventing recurrence. It sounds like your case is not antibiotic-associated, but came about from suppressed immunity (per your GI doc)? I'm not totally up-to-date on your circumstances, so I apologize. If that is the case, that is pretty unusual, as it is usually an antibiotic-associated condition. Anyways, probiotics are supposed to boost the immune system as well, so they're good no matter what! As long as you can tolerate them - many here have issues with dairy, which can be problematic when searching for a probiotic.
I try and mix it up - so as to expose my body to a variety of strains. I like Culturelle, also health-food store acidophilus as well as kefir and yogurt - sounds like you are on the right track! I was also recommended a brand called Florastor - apparently a pharmacy can order it for you - so I might give that a shot, as well. (I am 7 days into a 10-day course of antibiotics for a medical procedure and so far, so good )
Florastor is the one Mayo Clinic recommends - it is Saccharomyces Boulardii. They say that combined with Vancomycin is the best treatment for c.diff. See the above article from Mayo Clinic I posted above.
Since i didn't have non-stop D I didn't think i could have c-diff. Wrong....so she wants me to gradually decrease the entocort by one pill every 3 days and to start flagyll tomorrow and take it 4 times day for 14 days. She says the entocort decreased the inflammation but since it impacts the immune system that allowed the c-diff to proliferate. I had 5 tests for c-diff thru Dec, and Jan. when I was so sick and they all came in negative. I have read how hard this bug is to extinguish so I am apprehensive to say the least. I thank God I found this group and can pour out my heart like this. I really am so grateful for you all who write and comfort and teach and encourage each other. I know some one out there has been down this road and knows the pot holes and dangers to avoid.
At least Dr. Fine has come up w/a better solution for that!
Mary