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This edumacatin' is necessary - when sick with it, I had a hospital employee come in and see me, ungloved and ungowned. I made him leave but who knows, maybe a spore got on him and he spread it to the next patient. So if you work in a hospital, use soap and water and don't forget to glove and gown up when around a c-diff patient!
If you have a lowered immune system and must take an antibiotic, for reals, then also consider taking Florastor
along with it. While studies are not conclusive that it will prevent c-diff, there is some evidence that it might help. Yo, if you have a port, take the capsules and not the powder. As always, ask your doctor before you take anything. Word.Thanks to c-diff, I am a cancer patient who can never take antibiotics again. Scary.
Enjoy.
Hi Ann, Enjoyed this post, as always! 2 questions--I had c-diff while going through rads for colon cancer 3 years ago. I can still take antibiotics, if needed, for a sinus infection, or whatever. I was wondering why you were told you couldn't take antibiotics anymore? Maybe because your immune system is still weak?
ReplyDeleteSecond--You made the comment about not taking the Florastor powder if you have a port (which I still have because of frequent labs and scans), can you explain that?
Oh--one more thing! I recently read about a different drug for c-diff that might work better than Vancomycin. I was wondering if you were able to get the new drug (don't remember the name). I was happy to hear there was something else that might work better! What an awful illness that was!!
I don't comment often, but I am still a faithful follower. :) I'd love to hear more about how you are doing with your treatments. Hope you are feeling well!
Yes, I'm still on chemo and my immune system is low. I've been told I won't be able to take antibiotics again, at least a broad spectrum. If I do, they may have to give me vancomycin along with it. But it can become a relapsing disease in anybody so I think you need to be careful if you ever had it.
ReplyDeleteRead Florastor's product labeling - it says not to use if you have a port. The reason is that it was given to a woman in the hospital in powder form and she got a life-threatening yeast infection. It was thought that the florastor (which is a yeast) caused that reaction by getting into her port, and now it's on the product warnings. However, my infectious disease specialist told me that in capsule form it should be fine.
And yes, the drug you are referring to is dificil. very expensive but the infectious disease guy said if I kept relapsing they would try to get approval for that drug.
Also, I'm sure you know about the poop transplant. My friend Jeanne "The Assertive Cancer Patient" went that route when she got it and last I heard, she thought it had cured her. Gross thought but once you've had c-diff anything sounds reasonable!
Sorry you had c-diff. I don't know if you had it to the level I did, but it was THE worst thing I have had and I never, ever want it again. It would be an awful way to go.
Thanks for your quick response. :) I hope I never get c-diff again, but good things to know if I do. Mine was very painful, especially because my lower bowel was already inflamed from rads. I spent several days in the hospital on strong pain meds. After that, it cleared up fairly quickly, so overall, not nearly as bad as you had it!
ReplyDeleteI hope to never get C-Diff but would like not to get any bacteria. Here is what I have done recently just to stay safe as I can. 1) I went to a deli counter to get some ham, phone rang, employee picked up phone, and after hanging up asked me what I wanted in the same gloves he picked the phone up with! I made him change gloves. 2) When I order deli meats I always ask for a range in weight so they won't go back and hand touch the last piece of deli meat they put on the scale.I'll take whatever it is knowing that the only thing that touched the meat was the clean paper put on the slicer to catch the meat.
ReplyDeleteI thought of you the second I saw this video! I don't know that that's necessarily a good thing though.
ReplyDeleteI realized the importance of preventive actions thru your post and this video. It seriously meant alot to me as I am a hospital grandparent in the children's hemoc unit in Long Beach. Thank you!
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