how to get rid of C.Difficille for good

[mser]

Apr 29 I had elbow surgery and was given an IV dose & 2 doses of Clindimycin which I had a reaction to. I developed a rash and within 3 weeks had developed C.Diff. I was treated with metranidazole for 10 days with a relapse so I was put on Vancomycin for 2 weeks and it reoccurred again. I was then put back on Vancomycin plus hospitalized due to dehydration and severe diarrhea. At that time I had a negative test for C.Diff so Vanc was stopped but my symptoms continued and I returned to the hospital where I had 3 positive C.Diff tests. I was put back on liquid Vanc. 250mg for 6 weeks with tapering doses. I took it the last time from 7/24 to 9/10 and guess what my symptoms are coming back! I have been eating yogurt with Acidophylus plus taking oral Acidophylus for the past 6 weeks. I am on Copaxone for my MS but was told it didn't really depress one's immune system enough to keep me from getting rid of this. I am at my wits end as I know I can't be on Vanc. forever but what do I do? I am a VA pt and live >140miles from my hospital and doctor. I have called them to let them know but has anyone out there ever dealt with this for as long as I am? I have 2 trips planned (I know my health comes first, but one's to Kauai), and don't want to be loosing control of my bowels the whole time. I don't even know if its safe to take Immodium. any suggestions please...

[CHIN_C]

This is an old thread, but just wanted to update it with recent advances. Fecal microbiota transplant (FMT), also known as a stool transplant, is emerging as an alternative strategy for treating recurrent C. difficile infections. FMT restores healthy intestinal bacteria by placing another person's (donor's) stool in your colon through a colonoscope or nasogastric tube.

[susie326]

The docs tell me i can go back to my job in home health hospice...but they want me to limit contact with my infant grandson and my 86 year old mother due to a very severe cdiff infection.    I have had cdiff since april on all the usual meds and starting a new one tomorrow.
I'm unclear  if I need to limit contact with my infant grandson and my 86 year old mother but I can return to work in home health hospice....this is from my infectious disease doctor? Cdiff seems to be spreading but I can go back to work with very ill patients being cdiff positive with no diarrhea or outward symptoms ...It all just doesnt feel right....Any body have any ideas on this?  Thanks

[genagenaoxyeater]

basically only the very young or very old are more prone to it. People with immunity problems are at risk but if you use a mask and don't use patients bathroom you should be fine

[mser]

Hi Barb: I am the only one in our home that has ever been sick with this. My husband has never had it. The doctors tell me that is not unusual even tho it is contagious. Just be sure your family members don't handle any articles that have the stool on them. I am in the process of having my bathrooms disinfected today with bleach and alcohol to kill (hopefully) the spores. If you can have this done I would suggest it. My infectious disease doc suggested we have it done immediately. He said the walls and floors and toilets and rugs especially need it in every bathroom you have contaminated. You especially need to do it while you are sick and shedding the spores. They told me it is a normal bacteria that everyone has but when you get sick or immunosuppresed like I am it flares up and comes back with a vegence. Good luck and I am sure your family is safe but I sure would recommend super cleaning the bathrooms-that was the number one thing they told me this time in the hospital.

[Barb714]

I was diagnosed with a C-Diff infection too and am still having problems too.  Do you have others that live with you....and are they sick?  I'm the only one that's sick.  My husband and daughters seem ok.  I'm worried they are at risk for getting what I have.

[mser]

Thanks for your help. I will be getting the probiotics you recommended. I did end up in the hospital for the C.Diff tests again (and IV's) and one is neg so far but the Infectious Disease docs say they don't trust them since I have had pos & neg ones. Plus there is a classic odor and mucus and blood to the stool so he put me back on Vanco 250mg 4x/day for another month. I may also end up on Rifampin-we talked about that. Then we'll see how I am doing and I may have to be on it longer. He also recommended I have my bathrooms cleaned thouroughly with a 1:5%solution of sodium hypohydoroxite (real bleach) followed by alcohol. He says the walls, floors, toilets and everything that might come in contact with any spores. So we are having that done tomorrow. He says the spores can last a super long time and that will help get rid of it while I am on the meds. One of the scary things they said was that this bug is making an impact to the point that it is approaching MSRA stats for hospitalized pts. thanks again...steph

[michell221]

Did you take only 250 mg of vancocin a day?  If so you need a lot more than that.  They can combine the vancocin with a chaser of questran in between doses of vancocin  to bind the toxins in your stool.  They should do this with a long  tapering dose of vancocin.  Florastor which is available online is a probiotic that is also useful in helping c diff.  Culturelle is another good probiotic available at cvs rite aid or walgreens.  I would try both of these at the same time.  Space the culturelle  inbetween doses of the vancocin.  The florostor is a yeast so you do not need to space it.  Do not ever take immodium lomotil or any antidiarrhea drugs or narcotic pain medicine with cdiff.  This can cause deadly toxic megacolon.  If the vancocin questran combo does not work there has been some success with vancocin with rifampin along with the above probiotics or vancocin and other combos.   As a last resort there is stool transplant in duluth mn .  You may have ibs for a long while since c diff does a number on the insides.  I would get a toxin test immediately to see if you still have it and begin from there.