C. difficile – Are your guts ever normal again?

Posted by sue6408 @sue6408, Jan 27, 2019

Does anyone know any body that has recovered from c.diff (guts back to pre-c.diff status ) . I have been negative for a year and still have bloating every time I eat anything and sporadic diarrhea. I need maternity clothing to eat and be comfortable. I have 0 appetite since I was initially infected.I am on creon 36,000 . this helps some what with bloating,I take papya&pineapple enzymes not helping, and floraster 2xday not sure about that.I have tried the FODMAP diet, I avoid many foods on that diet. I am seeing an RD, just finished an elimination diet with her. If I eat I bloat there for I am. Bottom line...are my guts ruined forever ?

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@ngorman25 I'm still taking the probiotic but I must admit there are days that I forget and I'm not near as faithful as I was during the winter months. My GI had me on Floratsor because it was the one with S. Boulardii. I probably take it 3 or 4 times a week now. My chiropractor also believes that probiotics are good for the entire body and even helps with UTI's. I was concerned all winter that I might get another sinus infection or UTI. The clindamycin I took for the sinus infection is what started my Cdiff. But I stayed healthy all winter.... praise the Lord. I've gained back all the weight I lost with Cdiff. I wish I hadn't. I lost 10 pounds in two weeks with the last (4th) and final bout last October. My heart goes out to all the people fighting Cdiff. I'm happy to hear that you are doing well since your FMT.

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Thank you all for the input. I can definitely do bananas! I think I will take your advice, nurseheadakes, and visit a health food store! You all rock! Stay well!

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@ngorman25

So, I have a question for everyone. My gastro doctor had told me on more than one occasion that it wasn't necessary to continue taking probiotics. I'm on the fence about this. I am doing ok (so far) since my fmt on March 22. Are any of you still taking probiotics?

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My son suffers from ulcerative colitis and we have found that as long as he takes the probiotics, his flare ups have gone away. It’s been 10 years now. They are the refrigerated ones - VSL#3

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@claytamos

I was told by my GI Dr not to take probiotics while on the antibiotics. The antibiotics kill the good with the bad bacteria and you're trying to replenish something that the antibiotic is killing. If you take the probiotics while taking the antibiotic you're stopping the antibiotic from doing it's job. He always told me to take the probiotics after i'm done with the antibiotic to build good bacteria.

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i was told the same by my doctor.

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@annapocono

i was told the same by my doctor.

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I was told to take Florastor or Culturelle but then I’ve heard the refrigerated ones are better. I have Crohns and all this has got my intestines all freaked out. I can’t eat fiber, yet I need it. I’ve been drinking a mix that has 4 servings of fruits and veggies and then drinking a tea called Smooth Move and so far that combo has helped (this week) anyway. 🤷🏼‍♀️

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@nurseheadakes

I have had a 'C-diff' gut since my first encounter years ago. Once you have had the encounter, your gut has a slow recovery. The antibiotics wipe our your natural flora and now you have to put back what you had to gain what you had beforehand. I have learned over the years what I can and can not eat to keep it at bay. You life changes because of what this nasty bug (mine you - it lives in our bowels but is suppressed by our good biotics) can always get you if you don't know or take care of your gut. There are ways you can live a better life and not resort to drugs, procedures and those type of things. Turn to eating well and using fresh and clean foods to turning your gut around. This may be drastic but it's done on a step by step manner. I read and follow a diet that is close to the Mediterranean diet - fish, vegetables, and fruit. Celery juice is the first thing you drink in the morning before anything else. This works on your gut almost from the get-go. You can find all of this information in the books by ANTHONY WILLIAM - First book is called Medical Medium, Secrets Behind Chronic and Mystery Illness and How to Finally Heal. I drink lemon water all day long and this helps me digest my food without having to resort to using my GERD medications on a regular basis. I have them prescribed for me and use them since my entire GI system was wiped out after the CDiff nearly killed me after my hysterectomy in 1988. This will be life-long but I have nothing to lose but everything to gain. I have followed many of his suggestions and have fewer migraines, stabilized my diabetes, decreased the nodes my thyroid, and my liver panel is normal which hasn't ever been normal according to my Primary Doctor. She was blown away when I told her what I was doing. Mr. Williams can be googled to find his books - they are in books stores and he is well known world wide for what he describes for us to do. Take it for what its worth. The celery juice is a sure thing... Anyone with GI problems should definitely drink 1/2 to one cup a day. And lemon water - no soda ever....(do you know what they put in that stuff? - it will take off rust and other corrosives - so what do you think it does inside you?) Use clean filtered water and real lemons in your water. Get the real deal.
One last thing...everything today has pesticides and stuff sprayed on it...so the best way to 'clean' off your produce is to soak them in soda bicarbonate.
Place everything in a bowl of warm water and couple of tablespoons of the baking soda. Let soak for 10 minutes, rinse and dry. Then bag them, place in bowls or dispense the produce as you like for eating. The baking soda takes off the crummy stuff and leaves your fruits/veggies clean - so you aren't eating all of those poisonous chemicals. Your gut will thank you.

That's it for now... any questions...let me know Eloise

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Thank you for sharing! Had my first (and I pray the LAST) round of C-diff last week. I was prescribed Augmentin for a bad sinus infection and deep cough. Day five on the meds - thought I would die and thought it might be preferable. Had no idea what was wrong with me. After two days, I was able to get myself back to my primary. He prescribed Vancomycin and I provided a sample which came back negative. At first, he told me to discontinue the Vancomycin then changed his mind and said continue. No other instructions. I started eating Activia yogurt because I wanted to avoid a yeast infection.
I live in a small town - no specialists here - but am wondering if I need to quickly locate a gastroenterologist. I’m trying to research what to eat, what to avoid, whether to take a probiotic, for how long, the difference between a probiotic and prebiotic, etc. I am overwhelmed!

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@annapocono

Three of the doctors I have seen recommended from the start eating probiotic foods (kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, pickles, tempeh, pickled fish etc) rather than taking the pills which are very strong the infectious disease specialist told me. So Have not taken the pills but I plan to continue eating probiotic foods forever. They are supposed to be very good for the gut and help to keep C Diff at bay. I recovered from my first but very intense episode of C. Diff in early January. I have had no relapse.

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I just had my first bout with this last week as a result of Augmentin - and I pray it’s my last. My test came back negative but everything I’ve read says otherwise. Dr has had me on Vancomycin for about a week.
Did you take Vancomycin? Probiotic along with meds or just probiotic foods? Other dietary regime?
I’ve been so depressed these two weeks and, living in a small town, there are no specialists or even a health food store to seek information. Your post is encouraging and makes me hopeful that this might be a single incident.

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@pat70

I just had my first bout with this last week as a result of Augmentin - and I pray it’s my last. My test came back negative but everything I’ve read says otherwise. Dr has had me on Vancomycin for about a week.
Did you take Vancomycin? Probiotic along with meds or just probiotic foods? Other dietary regime?
I’ve been so depressed these two weeks and, living in a small town, there are no specialists or even a health food store to seek information. Your post is encouraging and makes me hopeful that this might be a single incident.

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@pat70 My gastroenterologist had me take Florastor. You need to be taking a probiotic with S. Boulardii in it. I too got Cdiff last year after taking Clindamycin for a sinus infection. I had such a hard time getting rid of it. The Vancomycin did not work for me. My insurance approved me taking Dificid (fidaxamycin)) after I had taken two rounds of Vanco. I even did the pulse and taper for 6 weeks. My heart goes out to you. I was encouraged by others on this site and their sharing. I had not even heard of Cdiff before getting it.

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@pat70

I just had my first bout with this last week as a result of Augmentin - and I pray it’s my last. My test came back negative but everything I’ve read says otherwise. Dr has had me on Vancomycin for about a week.
Did you take Vancomycin? Probiotic along with meds or just probiotic foods? Other dietary regime?
I’ve been so depressed these two weeks and, living in a small town, there are no specialists or even a health food store to seek information. Your post is encouraging and makes me hopeful that this might be a single incident.

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@pat70 I, also, was diagnosed with cdiff last September. After 8 days in the hospital and a loss of 14 lbs, I relapsed several times within 3 weeks after stopping vancomycin. In March of this year, I received an fmt and so far I am doing ok. Can't gain back any weight however. I had taken clindamycin for a tooth abscess and that is what caused the cdiff. I had never heard of it before either. It is a very serious colon infection. My advice is if you get any symptoms, get yourself to a gastro doctor pronto! Hopefully, you are one of the lucky ones who only gets sick once.

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@pines

@pat70 My gastroenterologist had me take Florastor. You need to be taking a probiotic with S. Boulardii in it. I too got Cdiff last year after taking Clindamycin for a sinus infection. I had such a hard time getting rid of it. The Vancomycin did not work for me. My insurance approved me taking Dificid (fidaxamycin)) after I had taken two rounds of Vanco. I even did the pulse and taper for 6 weeks. My heart goes out to you. I was encouraged by others on this site and their sharing. I had not even heard of Cdiff before getting it.

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@pines I finally found Florastor but it has milk products in it like Align does. I’ve been on Culturelle. Perhaps a refrigerated one is best? I’m blessed in that I haven’t had the dramatic weight loss that you all have but this all aggravated my Crohns Disease and IBS! Has anyone heard of Triaminocine IM shots causing a recurrence or Prednisone? I may need to use one for another condition but I’m scared.

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