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C-Diff and Steroids ??

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 10/9/2016 7:02 AM (GMT 0)
I'm battling my third consecutive round of severe c-diff which has made my UC and colon totally inflamed! (Pan-colitis).

In Ireland, they don't treat c-diff and UC at same time so the last two times, they took me off Pred and put me on vancomycin for two weeks - all the while the UC was left untreated and worsened. This time around, they did the same thing of taking me off steroids once the c-diff came back positive but a couple of days into the vanc treatment, my colon is so dilated and inflamed, they've decided to put me back on IV hydrocortisone thank goodness!!

From what I've read, being on steroids whilst treating c-diff seems fairly common in USA?? Does anyone have experience of this? Here, they think they steroids will give the c-diff opportunity to grow more. I'm also having a fecal transplant next week hopefully if my colon survives until then. It's not very common practice over here and they insert it through a tube in your nose rather than a colonoscopy.. Even tho injecting it during a colonoscopy makes more sense to me! Can't help but feel that the US are leaps ahead of us !

I've been hospitalised since August now and at the end of my tether!
Posted 10/9/2016 11:29 PM (GMT 0)
I can't believe they are treating you for the third time with Vancomycin. After TWO unsuccessful attempts of antibiotics (Vancomycin) FMT should have been the next logical move IMHO, still, at least you are now going to have the FMT treatment, albeit up your nose! which I agree does sound a bit odd, but if it is going to make you wel,l that's the main thing. Make sure that you are taking some good probiotics, as after all the antibiotics you will need that to replenish your gut flora, Milk Kefir or Water Kefir is something worth taking every day as it is a probiotic beverage which will help you enormously, I really do believe it helps to stop a recurrence of C Difficile.
Posted 10/10/2016 5:01 AM (GMT 0)
I know - it's really frustrating the way things are being done! They tried me on Fidaxomin after the Vanc and took me off it after 24 hours as I was spiking temperatures which is ridiculous as I am still now spiking temperatures as I do all the time with the c-diff! I'm allergic to Flagyl so they can't give me that! They actually upped the Vanc to 500mg x4 a day but I kept vomiting so I'm back down to 250mg X 4 a day. I really hope the FMT works! I wonder will it help the UC too! I have ordered VSL #3 to take as they seem to be stronger than my usual probiotics! What's worse is I have such bad hemmorhoids now they are huge and causing me endless pain, totally covering my anus :-(
Posted 10/11/2016 12:33 AM (GMT 0)
Steroids given during a c-diff infection can make the infection worse and/or harder to treat. Many docs give both in situations like yours, but I've heard experts say they are to be avoided, if possible, during a c-diff infection.

In your situation, with c-diff on top of active UC, biologics would be more appropriate than steroids. But I see from your signature that you've already been on Humira and Remicade. I assume you failed them or developed antibodies and stopped. If that's the case, your situation is tricky. Have you tried uceris (budesonide) instead of prednisone or IV steroids? FMT, as mentioned, is also a good suggestion if it's available to you.
Posted 10/11/2016 3:47 PM (GMT 0)
I am in the same boat right now!! i am taking antibiotics for c diff, and i can't get remicade until i'm off them! so my flare just goes untreated! they have the FMT as my next treatment, but I have to wait to get c diff again before I can get that! so frustrating. i've only been prescribed steroids for the UC. hope you get some relief soon.
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