Best probiotic to prevent cdiff?

Crispix

Regular Member

Joined : Apr 2016

Posts : 57

Posted 2/26/2019 10:20 PM (GMT -7)

I’m currently 32 weeks pregnant and will be having a scheduled c-section on 4/19. I had c.diff in September 2017, and have avoided antibiotics since then. I am getting very anxious about the dose of antibiotics that I will be given during surgery. My OB said that he can give a prophylactic dose of vancomycin during the procedure in addition to the other antibiotic to hopefully prevent cdiff from recurring.

I spoke to my GI and she said to make sure I was taking a lot of probiotics leading up to the surgery and afterwards. She had suggested VSL, but I tried to take it a few years ago and it gave me diarrhea. I was in a flare when I tried it, but I don’t want to risk taking it again right now.

Does anyone have a suggestion for a good probiotic to use to prevent cdiff while taking antibiotics? I researched and found that there are a few different strains that are supposed to be good to take during antibiotic treatment, but I wanted to see if anyone had a specific brand that has been effective for them.

The last time I had cdiff I was in the hospital for 9 days and the thought of having that happen again with a toddler and a newborn at home is absolutely terrifying. Any suggestions are very much appreciated!

poopydoop

Veteran Member

Joined : Dec 2018

Posts : 520

Posted 2/27/2019 1:33 AM (GMT -7)

Depending on where you're based there is mutaflor (it's available in Canada and germany). This is a benign form of e-coli extracted from a soldier in world war 1 while all his comrades were dropping with dysentry but he remained healthy because supposedly his strain of e coli inhibited the pathogenic strains. I have been taking it for a few months with no side effects. I also take vsl#3 which gave me laxative-style diarrhoea for the first 2 days but then i felt better afterwards...

F36, DX pancolitis 2015
Last remission 2016
(Moderately severe) left-sided colitis since 2018
Have tried nearly all drugs and quack options available; considering surgery
Currently meds: xeljanz + mesalazine +/- entyvio
Probiotics: vsl#3 and mutaflor

Uniform Charlie

Veteran Member

Joined : Jul 2015

Posts : 993

Posted 2/27/2019 7:13 AM (GMT -7)

VSL 3 is no longer the"real" VSL 3. It is a non-effective knockoff of the original

Diagnosed Proctosigmoiditis (UC) 2015
Hiatial Hernia w/ GERD
Current Meds: Lialda 1.2gm 2x daily, duloxetine, rowasa as needed, VSL3 occasionally, One a Day Multi-Vitamin, Curcumin occasionally
Did SCD for about 2 years but lost willpower

IamCurious

Veteran Member

Joined : Jan 2010

Posts : 3393

Posted 2/27/2019 8:56 AM (GMT -7)

The one probiotic that specifically targets C Diff is Saccharomyces boulardii. An added bonus is that S Boulardii is not actually a bacteria but a benign yeast, therefore it is immune from being destroyed while you are taking antibiotics.

I take probiotics but some are incompatible for me. VSL#3 and Culturelle at one time worked wonders but now are ineffective or worse. I think it's because they have since changed the formula and added some extra ingredients and other junk into the formula.

Male, born 1951, DX IBD Feb08. No meds, allergic to Mesalamine.
Food diary instead of SCD or Paleo.
When needed probiotics taken with powdered psyllium seed is very helpful.

Probiotics, Lactobacillus Reuteri (NCIMB 30242), Fish oil, curcumin, black cumin, lobelia, extra D3, magnesium, multivitamin, glutamine when gut repair needed.

Resistant Starch and lots of fruit & vegetables (but no cruciferous), No Gluten, no soda, no HFCS, no shellfish. No processed foods with carrageenan, maltodextrin, sorbitol, carboxymethylcellulose, or polysorbate80. No GMO foods saturated with Roundup.
Nature created all of the locks, therefore Nature has all of the keys

poopydoop

Veteran Member

Joined : Dec 2018

Posts : 520

Posted 2/27/2019 10:54 AM (GMT -7)

I recently switched to the "original formula" of vsl#3 (called vivvomixx in europe) and couldn't tell the difference between that and the brand vsl#3 except that it has a slightly different texture. Bowel symptoms did not change.

C_G_K

Veteran Member

Joined : Dec 2006

Posts : 1187

Posted 2/27/2019 4:45 PM (GMT -7)

If they are giving you intravenous Vanco, from what I understand, it will not get into your digestive system and kill flora. If it's oral, then yes, it will do just that.

Florastor is what I used when I was trying to get over a c-diff infection. From my research at the time, I was pretty convinced that it competes with and even can kill c-diff.

iPoop

Forum Moderator

Joined : Aug 2012

Posts : 15543

Posted 2/28/2019 6:37 AM (GMT -7)

There's no single best probiotic to prevent c diff. Try a potent probiotic and see if it helps, multiple to try.

C diff is a rapidly reproducing, opportunistic invader. C diff often hits during times of mass-killings like when we take antibiotics. Having a diverse gut bacteria helps that is eating a diverse variety of healthy foods, consider prebiotics and fermented foods (like kefir, sauerkraut, etc).

Moderator Ulcerative Colitis
John, 40, UC Proctosigmoiditis
Rx: Remicade @5mgs/kg/6wks; daily 75mgs 6MP, 4.8g generic-Lialda, and rowasa
Shower-thought: Most people are surprised when they see blood on their toilet paper. UC patients are surprised when there isn’t any.

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