Skip to main content

6 replies

C Difficile, Vancomycin, & Surgery

Lynne2Lynne2Member
I posted this last night under a thread already started in the Ostomy section about Barbie Butt, then realized I should put it in a more general category because it might be overlooked otherwise.

How's this for irony? My biggest fear about having perm ileo surgery has been the potential for picking up infection in the hospital. I finally have a date set to go in a few weeks and, guess what. . . I found out last nigth that I have C Dif! Never had it before and I'm glad we caught it before I went into the hospital, but I am also very disappointed. I started vancomycin 250 mg 4x/day for two weeks and then possibly continuing with a taper. My GI recommended a probtioic, which I already take, but I also plan to take saccharomyces boulardi while I'm on the antibiotic. Sounds like I might need to postpone surgery.

It's weird, though, because I feel really good and have gained weight and have been excited to move forward with the surgery. The only way the C Dif was discovered was when I had a scope and my GI saw some unfamiliar dots mixed in with the ulcerations in my pouch, so he had it checked.

My first response to my GI was asking to do fecal transplant. He adamantly refused and said that that was only for cases when nothing else worked. . .

Does anyone have experience with C Difficile and/or vancomycin, including how they both relate to surgery? Any suggestions?

Thank you!
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

TE MarieTE MarieMember
I had it with my colon and now with my j-pouch. I'm assuming you didn't notice anything different as you must be getting a permanent ostomy because of pouch failure of some kind. C-diff, cuffitis and pouchitis all have similar symptoms. You probably didn't know you had it because you were already having the same symptoms. I found out I had it when my GI tested for it during a scope where I had cuffitis.

I've treated it with Flagyl but have needed to go through a few rounds before getting it to go away before. I have not had c-diff since I started s. boulardii a few months ago and I have had a round of cuffitis.

It sounds like your doctor brought out the big guns to get rid of it. I'm sure you've read up on it but wash wash wash your hands and keep your dirty clothes etc. away from everyone else's in your house. It's a spore based nasty bug and can lay around and live on things a long time so you can reinfect yourself after you get over it. I've become a bit of a germaphobe about it and have a dedicated restroom for my use etc.

Good luck in getting over it and on your surgery. Please let us know how things are going.
vanessavyvanessavyMember
I almost removed my Barnett pouch due to c.diff! I swore I just had so many issues nobody could treat and diagnose. So glad Shen tested me for C.diff before I had that sucker ripped out and a bag put on.

I was on Vanco for 2 weeks, liquid compound. Cleared it up in that time and I tested negative after. The only probitoc you can take when treating C.diff on Vanco and the only one that prevents it from coming back is s. boulardii.

I never gave it to my husband even though it is very contagious like MRSA. I swore I would reinfect myself since I drain my pouch with catheters and have to reuse them when being treated! So far so good. To be on the safe side clean your toilet, seat handle, etc. with bleach, it is the only thing that kills it. Washing hands prevents spreading it.
Lynne2Lynne2Member
Thank you so much for the info, TE Marie and Vanessavy! That really helps give me perspective. The contagious factor is hugely important to me because I have a husband and kids, one of whom has CD. I'm also relieved to know that vanco can work.

I'm curious about what S. Boulardii you use. I used to use Florastor, then switched to a brand I found online for cheaper called NutriCology. Then I stopped altogether because I thought it was just a short-term thing to take after antibiotics and my docs didn't even recommend it in the first place. Big mistake! Anyway, NutriCology: 3 caps provides 9 billion/450 mg s. Boulardii. I read about Jarrow on this site, but couldn't find one that didn't have extra things added and I wanted to stay pure. I'm also not clear on dosage, whether I should take with/without food, and how long it's safe to stay on it.

Any advice?

Thank you!
Jan DollarJan DollarModerator, RN, retired
It is safe to stay on probiotics indefinitely, unless you develop side effects you don't like, such as excess gas.

The Jarrows S. Boulaardi has MOS, but that is not really an additive. It is just what they call a prebiotic, which is food for the probiotic. Sort of like how Culturelle has inulin added. One capsule has 5 billion yeast cells.
http://www.amazon.com/Jarrow-F...psules/dp/B0013OVW0E

Jan Smiler
TE MarieTE MarieMember
My doctors didn't tell me to use it. It was probably Vanessavy and others on here. I ordered it on-line and use it as directed on the bottle. I refrigerate even though it just says doing so just extends the shelf life.

I use Jarrow Formulas "Saccharromyces Boulardii+MOS", 5 billion per capsule and take 2 per day. It says 1 or 2 so I take 2.

P.S.
Exactly what Jan gave you the link for is what I use, maybe she gave me the link too. I'm having another brain fart Wink
vanessavyvanessavyMember
you are more open to getting C.diff if on Cipro, Suprax, Omniceff and a few other antitiocs. I most likely had C.diff since my surgery. I suffered a lot this past year. The thing that tipped Shen off is when I said it smelled like rotting fish was coming out of me.

I take Florastor. I read about it from the cdiff message board that is out there. Might be cdiff.org not sure, google would pull it up I am sure. there are a lot of success stories on there. People who get it with Chron's seem to get hit the worst.

My husband never got it from me. Once you have it you pretty much always have it, like being a carrier, you can get it again easily. I won't ever take antibiotics again for sinus infections, surgery , etc. Unless I am treated with Flagyl at the same time since that is the only way to try to prevent it from coming back if on Cipro or another one of those suckers.

Add Reply

Views: 372
Post
Copyright © 2019 The J-Pouch Group. All rights reserved.

Membership Required

We're sorry. You must be signed in to continue. Sign In or Register
×
Are you sure you want to remove from your Block List?
×
Loading...
×
When you block a person, they can no longer invite you to a private message or post to your profile wall. Replies and comments they make will be collapsed/hidden by default. Finally, you'll never receive email notifications about content they create or likes they designate for your content.
Note: if you proceed, you will no longer be following .
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×