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Joyce (Joelton, TN) on 04/02/2008
5 out of 5 stars

To Beth from Bristoll 4/01/08:

Hello Beth, Welcome to the world of unwanted side effects (c diff in your case) from antibiotics. In most cases this is from killing off the good bacteria along with the bad. If so, the best treatment is to replace the good bacteria by eating lots of live YOGURT. Ripe bananas (the peels get brown speckles on them) should also help.

I also remember reading where someone wrote in to Earth Clinic, that they solved the diarrhea problem with 5-6 drops of iodine in a glass of water. I would try one or both instead of taking another antibiotic. Looking at the humorous side of the sitation, you can now respond to Kyra Jones, from Los Angeles 4/2/08, question: "What on earth are they doing for their $150,000 education"?

Replied By Beth (Bristol, VA) on 04/01/2008

I was diagnosed with C-Diff on Feb.14,2008. I had initially gone to the Dr. with bad stomach pain & sore throat & was prescribed Omnicef. On day 10 I had bad diarrhea with blood. I went to the ER. A week later I got a call saying that I had C-Diff. I took 10 days of Flagyl which was one of the worst experiences ever. I still have upper abdominal pain from time to time. I want some relief.

Replied By Marsha (Lima, Oh) on 08/04/2010

I contacted c diff after being prescribed clindamycin for infection. I had 2 rounds of vancomycin, 2 rounds of flagil, took florastor, and culturett faithfully. I also started drinking Kefir. This started January 1, 2009 and I could not shake it. I wound up in the hospital in February. In April, my gastroendologist decided to do "bacterial" therapy. Another name is fecal transplant. My husband was the donor. Since I was 53, I needed a colonoscopy anyway, so my doctor did both at the same time. I have not had c diff since. Automatic cure after all these months. Now I am getting ready to face breast surgery and am loading up on florastor, kefir, and culturette. I hope it does not come back but if it does another bacteria therapy is in my future.

Replied By Diane (Rives, Tn) on 12/20/2010

I have had another recurrence of C Diff, but am unable to find a doctor willing to do a fecal transplant. Does anyone have the name of a physician that will perfom one?

Replied By Jujuinvegas (Las Vegas, Nv) on 03/09/2011

To Dianne in Rives: A fecal transplant is also called a fecal enema, and normally a family member is the donor. You instantly have the benefit of healthy bacteria, flora, without introducing cultures to your system orally. I think you could find out how to do this yourself online... Everything is online.. That's how I found this thread! Fighting C-dif in my 88 yr old Dad, second bout in three weeks of Flagyl... If this doesn't cease, 6 to 10 diapers a day.. We won't mention sheets)here comes the enema!!

Replied By Justpassingthrough (Cookeville, Tn, Usa) on 03/10/2011

Regarding fighting clostridium difficile in your 88 year-old father - My mother had c. Diff. At 88 also (caught it in the hospital). The doctors were at a loss. A child's dose of bovine colostrum had her bowel movements back to normal within 24 hours. In 2 weeks she was back at home, and lived another year. Get bovine colostrum capsules at your local health food store.

Replied By Chandkid (Chandler, Arizona) on 06/25/2011

My 84 year old mother has had diarrhea for 3 months now. First month her gastroenterologist refused to think it could be C Diff despite fact she had been on 2 yrs of antibiotics for recurrent UTI's and most recently CIPRO and Levaquin (which I have since learned are notorious for causing C Diff. ) Ended up in hospital dehydrated and had colonscopy and sent home. 2 nights later fell while cleaning diarrhea and fractured her spine w/bone fragment wedged against spinal column and couldn't walk. Back in hospital, colonoscopy results came back with collageanous colitis in meantime. Had 7 hr neurosurgery for spine, a few days later diarrhea even worse and diagnosed C Diff. I think she had it all along although they said it didn't show up in colonscopy (is this possible?) Started her on Flagyl 4 days, then switch to Vancomyacin. Then her heart rate became irregular, fluid built up etc. Sent her to rehab and 4 days later she was VERY ill and back to hospital with infection in blood stream (doc said from all the diarrhea), heart attack, congestive heart failure, atrial fib, SVT, pneumonia... We almost lost her. Infectious disease doc was great (wish he'd been called in earlier)and he chose an antibiotic for the blood stream that wouldn't aggravate C Diff and wouldn't let them put her on any other antibiotics. Started her on Floraster and lactobacillius in hospital (at least they do that now). She got better, blood stream infection and C Diff both got better. Her heart functioning was 25%, and only 2 2wks earlier it was strong and fine. They did angiogram and found 95% blockage in LED artery and put in 2 stents. Doc told me that stress of being so sick and diarrhea so long can cause veins to restrict and plaque to be knocked off, blocking the arteries.

She is now out of hospital back in SNF for rehab, and diarrhea started getting worse again pretty quickly even tho on Vanco for 4 wks. Doc extended it 10 days more. Meanwhile - I expressed concern that she may have a UTI (with diarrhea in diapers and CNAs not making effort to get her to bathroom no wonder! ), and put her on Macrobid without telling me. Now I know and am torn - the UTI could make her very sick again, but so can the C Diff. He says Macrobid isn't one that causes C Diff like Levaquin does. So I compramised and said ok to 5 days of it. Making myself sick too worrying about this, managing it, advocating and researching. Are there any good antibiotics she could be on that won't make C Diff worse?

Replied By Bev (Long Beach, Ca) on 06/27/2011

I agree with Joyce that yogurt is the best for curing C-diff. My mother has the same thing from antibiotics killing the good bacteria. I get her Kefer yogurt drink that she has every morning. Suppose to be the best probiotic.

Replied By Oldladyj (Mansfield, Oh, Usa) on 07/31/2011

I had C-Diff early this year (January, 2011), after taking the antibiotic, Clyndamycin, for some supposed necessary dental surgery I was to have at Aspen Dental (which turned out to be totally unnecessary, per a true dental surgeon). Horrid, nasty disease, it was! I got so badly dehydrated that I had to have the emergency squad come get me. That's how I discovered that I had C-Diff. I was given Flagyl, which had no effect on it.

I have found several medical research team articles that document the use of what is called kefir for C-Diff (and other bugs like this). It works very well for getting rid of this superbug. The treatment they used is a type of yogurt, but the yogurt is not made with pasteurized milk. Kefir has been around for centuries. It originated in the Caucasean Mountains (research kefir for full history).

What I've read is that all of the test individuals recovered from C-Diff with no recurrence, using the kefir treatment. They stated that antibiotic treatments had little to no affect on the disease. Kefir is staggered througout the day with the antibiotic, as they gradually decrease the dosages of the antibiotic, finally replacing it totally with the kefir, which is taken every day for awhile.

Any good store that carries a wide variety of yogurts carries this probiotic liquid (I get mine at Kroger and Meijer). In Kroger, go to either the yogurt or the healthfood sections. Meijer - yogurt section. Look for a container shaped like a small milk bottle. It comes flavored or plain. I use a brand, raspberry flavor, which both stores carry where I live. (Google online for coupons, and for what this container looks like.)

I personally stopped the antibiotic (Flagyl) right away. Instead, I drank a 1/2 cup of kefir four times the first day, then went down to 1/4 cup four times a day for about a week. I mixed it with a little bit of filtered cold water from the fridge, which watered it down a bit and made it a little easier for me to drink (I'm a woos, even though the stuff tastes good right out of the bottle. ). I have since replaced the water with about six ounces of Meijer brand, "not from concentrate" orange juice. The drink tastes like an orange cream popsicle. Quite good, actually.

Within 24 hours, after taking 1/2 cup two times the first day, the severe diarrhea began to decrease. Within two days, it was gone. It's been seven months, and I have not had even a hint of a recurrence.

I still drink one or two servings of the 1/4 kefir to 3/4 orange juice or water, once or twice a month, just in case, because I have a history of intestinal problems since childhood. I have also started adding a 1/2 cup of cold water with 1/2 cup of aloe vera juice (buy at healthfood store), to keep my stomach and intestinal lining healthy (I extensively researched this). It knocks out any trace of heartburn, for some reason. I only use the aloe once in awhile when the heartburn rears its ugly head (after I slip and eat something with sugar in it).

Replied By Dolores (Lancaster, Pa) on 03/02/2012

Dear Readers, to all those who lives and bodies are upset and down from C-diff, this horrible destroying bacteria and to those who lost loved ones from it, I hope to let people know, please be your own advocate and question your doctors, they don't have the answers for severe cases . I read many stories to find comfort, DKH from High Point NC we needed to understand all this information about the way C-diff is handled and how deadly in some cases it could be. I didn't come across it till now. Your story really touched my heart, as it still aches over losing my brother. At 42 on February 20, 2010 Bob JR died from COMPLICATIONS of C-diff and the long lasting effects of the colon being destroyed. It is a long story of a single guy with a heart of gold, an ambulance driver and volunteer fireman to boot, there were missed signals and many hospital stays with diverticulitis issues and lots of antibiotics over the course of probably 3 to 4 years.

I live in PA the rest of my family in NY and the FEBRUARY 14, 2010 wedding of our nephew was a blessing to whole our family as my brother was dancing and smiling (we have lots of pictures) through his pain as he could not eat and had lost over 40pounds in the year. He was released from the hospital Jan 11, 2010 on antibiotics again only to return as we rushed him there Feb 17 where he died. This C-diff is a killer still. The doctor in the hospital said we have 5 cases and Bob's is the worst, besides doing emergency illiectomy surgery, as he was Sepsis and in shock when we brought him there. His ambulance friends went to a sister hospital in New york City to get an experimential medicine, it was given who knew if it would have work it was just to late. Why was he sent home in Jan. with a port of antibiotics, nursing care that didn't really know about how dangerous C-diff was, as we didn't either and given a letter that he could return to work just 10days before he died, yet the discharge doctors didn't even have the blood tests back yet. We have all the hospital records but according to New York State Law they, the doctors and the hospital were in their Jurisdiction of care and laws of care as three experts told our lawyer.... So to all..... OUR heallth care system is crumbling and we need to be proactive for ourselves, our children, grandchildren and loved ones that need a voice, be viligant.

I have friends and family in the medical field who are so fustrated by the politics and profits of "People Care" consumers not patients to some any more with human life on the line.. Doctors Nurses, Caretakers you went into this field because you care for others.. Please speak up. Knowledge is Power and the public needs to know what can we do to help ourselves against these killers.... Start a group...... Life is precious. Sepsis, C-diff and MRSAs- all of them killers and on my dad's Death certificate 1/09/2009 and my brothers 2/20/2010 as cause of death. In our hearts forever..... Thank you for listening and the good info. on what to do if someone else in our family gets C-diff.... I pray not.

Replied By Bess (Calgary, Alberta, Canada) on 03/02/2012

Thank you Dolores from Lancaster for sharing your story about your brother and C-diff. I am so sorry for your loss.

You are right about needing to be proactive in our health by empowering ourselves and our families. As a former C-diff sufferer (1995 when I was given Biaxin and Cipro for walking pneumonia), one thing I strongly recommend for getting and staying healthy is taking a very high-quality probiotic daily - eating fermented food helps too.

Take care, Bess

Replied By Alberto (Miami, Fl) on 08/31/2012

I had cdiff last year after the first round of flagyl for 14 days it came back after 3 or 4 days, then I went on metrodinasol (vancocymin) for 14 days. Again I thought I was finally rid of this horrible thing, but it came back after 3 days again. My doctor, and I also did some research, put me on 21 days of flagyl and that is what finally did it. I also take an Activia yogurt everyday and 1 pill of saccaramyses Boulardi MOS and I have been free for the last 9 months. As a matter of fact my stomach has never been this good even before CDiff it must be the probiotics. I hope this helps.

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