now I have c.difficile

Hi there,
I'm still in the hospital. My CT scan showed the Crohn's inflammation is getting better, but my stool cultures showed c.difficile. I was surprised because I haven't been on any antibiotics and take probiotics daily. My liver enzymes looked a little better but still elevated. My doc is also ordering a stomach emptying test to rule out gastroparesis because I feel nauseated so much lately. The doc also hasn't decided whether I will stay on 6MP and keep watching the liver enzymes or he might have me stop. Hopefully, I'll be going home tomorrow. I guess at least we are figuring out what's going on. I'm so sick of being sick!

My husband has had several bouts with c-diff, one that occurred with a flare and put him in the hospital for 6 weeks. And he contracted c-diff without antibiotic or hospital exposure! I think folks with IBD are just more susceptible to stomach bugs That's when he started on Remicade.

I hope you have an easier go of it. Because my hubby was on 80mgs of pred and on Remicade, every time he stooped the antibiotics, the darn c-diff would re-spawn and come back. He could only stop the antibiotics when he completely stopped the pred.

I highly recommend adding florastor and bee propolis to your regimen. It is a yeast that is known to combat c-diff. I believe bee propolis acts like a natural antibiotic. My husband who has had repeated bouts with c-diff has now been c-diff free since Sep 2009 (knock on wood), since adding these to his daily regimen.

I hope you have a very mild case and you'll get to feeling good soon.

PV

I've heard that using yeast as a probiotic doesn't work for everyone. I'd go for bacterial probiotics, just to be on the safe side.

I don't think there's a problem with the probiotic you are taking. I think what happens is that you start to flare, and that throws off your gut flora enough that it sometimes allows c-diff to grow unchecked. Also, Florastor is not a bacteria, it is a yeast. I really do think it has helped my husband prevent another relapse of c-diff.

My husband was treated with vancomycin, since the flagyl did a number on his gut, and he was already having a lot of problems. He was on vancomycin for almost 7 months straight. They tried stopping the vancomycin when he was down to 20 mgs of pred, and he had a relapse. They tried again at 10 mgs, and he had a relapse. He had to completely stop the prednisone before he could stop taking the vancomycin.

He got c-diff again a year after being completely healthy without a crohn's flare up, again with no antibiotic exposure. That time, he was on vancomycin for 2 weeks. They normally only test if you are having symptoms. However when crohn's is also flaring, it can be hard to say if it is c-diff or crohn's causing the problems. If you are not having a crohn's flare up, you can use the 3 day rule - if you have a bad tummy and it stays bad for 3 days, the c-diff is probably back, and you need testing.

Since c-diff is very hard on your gut, it can sometimes cause post infectious IBS. So, after you finish your course of antibiotics, you're probably going to still have a few bad days, and hence the 3 day rule. Also, it normally takes about a month for your gut to stabilize after a c-diff infection, so that's probably why your doc recommended testing after a month.

I hope you have a speedy recovery.

((hugs))
PV

Gumby I think you can start the florastor anytime - I started my husband on it when he was still battling c-diff. Tsitodawg, I am so sorry yo have had c-diff so often - it is truly awful.

When my husband got c-diff I pretty much scrubbed every hard surface with bleach, and washed with bleach and hot water absolutely everything I could. I also periodically run the washing machine empty with bleach as well.

Because my husband was haing so many problems with c-diff he was also being followed by an infectious disease doc. In the hospital, my husband's immune system was so compromised by Remicade and 120mgs of solumedrol, that he tested positive for c-diff when he was already on vancomycin! C-diff is definitely a bug that is very hard to fight off and keep off with a suppressed immune system.

They now have a new antibiotic to fight c-diff as well. It is called dificid (fidaxomycin) and studies indicate that it is slightly better than vancomycin at preventing relapses of c-diff. Also, it is a more narrow spectrum antibiotic, so it probably has a lesser risk of enterococcus than vancomycin.

Gummy c-diff will make you sick, but the antibiotics really do help and I believe florastor can help lower the risk of a relapse. Tsitodawg, have you considered adding florastor to your daily regimen to see if it will you be c-diff free? My husband takes 4 florastor capsules (250mgs each) daily.

I hope both of you get to feeling better soon.

((hugs))
PV

Thanks Dawg,
I am so sorry you have been so sick too. I was very disappointed that I have gastroparesis on top of Crohn's and the c.diff. I was in complete remission until this last September, when everything seemed to fall apart at once. My doc is hoping that the gastroparesis is temporary and caused by the c.diff. Have you been able to get on the Domperidone meds yet? I'm finding it helpful. I'm in the US too, but my doc has a local pharmacy stock it, because he likes it better than the Reglan. I'm doing better, but I'm still struggling with some nausea, and I get weak and tired quite easily. I feel like I'm 80 years old!! I hope you start to feel better soon.

Can you tell me what pharmacy in canada you order from? If I still need it, maybe I can get it from there. Thanks for the encouraging words. I'm usually a positive, optimistic person. I'm just feeling weak and sick right now. I wake up each morning thinking "maybe today will be the day I feel better," and then I get disappointed. I am self employed....I was planning on trying to work for a couple of hours this afternoon for the first time since coming out of the hospital on Thursday night.....but I really don't feel well....we'll see how it goes. Thanks. You are definitely helping me feel less helpless and alone with a of this!!!!

Tsitodawg, I hope you get rid of the MRSA and C-diff, and get back on the road to recovery and normalcy. Gumby, I wouldn't worry about being under treated. They start you off on 10 days of flagyl, and it maybe that you don't need anymore. They really only go to vancomycin if flagyl didn't do the trick.

As for the florastor, I order it online. I get a 6 pack to last me a while, since my husband takes 4 capsules daily, and 1 container contains 50 capsules, so 1 only lasts him 12 days. I get it from amazon (through a re-seller):
http://www.amazon.com/Florastor-Maximum-Strength-Caps-50-6Pack/dp/B000RMMLFI/ref=sr_1_1?s=hpc&ie=UTF8&qid=1327361400&sr=1-1

You maybe able to find it slightly cheaper elsewhere, but I just like the ease of buying through amazon.

tsitodawg, have you considered Bee Propolis? I've read that it is a natural antibiotic, and it also works against MRSA, and is really pretty safe. See the articles below:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/06/100628111840.htm

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/health-news/2010/06/16/honey-bees-may-help-in-fight-against-hospital-superbug-mrsa-86908-22337663/


http://www.hopkinsguides.com/hopkins/ub/citation/9651052/Review_of_the_biological_properties_and_toxicity_of_bee_propolis__propolis__

It has been good for my husband to add florastor and bee propolis to his daily regimen - mainly because he has been c-diff free now since 2009 (knock on wood). Last year he had a flare up of Crohn's, and the c-diff did not recur.

I hope you two get to feeling better. I'll be praying for you.

((Hugs))
PV

Hello, Gumby!

Just wanted to wish you best of luck and to say hello to you. Stay positive as much as you can, that is on my mind.

I wish and hope that you will soon be at home and be better.

Best!

YP9

Fecal transplants are really not that bad. I'm sure you have researched this treatment for c diff and the 90% success rate. We are doing FTs for my 8 yo son at home on a long term basis to try to help his UC. Been doing it for 2 months now.