antibiotics treatment questions

Metronidazole (aka Flagyl) is the first line antibiotic treatment against C. diff. In some people it causes a very strong reaction when taken with alcohol, so yeah, probably hold off on that for now.

Dairy blocks the absorption of Cipro when eaten at the same time. You're in the clear if you space it out by an hour or two.

Personally, Cipro and Flagyl were the only drugs besides prednisone that ever gave me any symptomatic relief. But they absolutely did not put me into remission (obviously).

Even though Flagyl has "anti C. diff properties", it can still increase your susceptibility to C. diff by disrupting your gut flora.

Both Cipro and Flagyl carry a risk of peripheral and optic nerve neuropathy. If you start to feel numbness or tingling in your eyes, hands, or feet you have to stop the antibiotics immediately. If you stop immediately it is usually reversible (it was for me).

Man, I had a rough time on cipro/flagyl combo. The first few days I thought I was seeing an improvement, then WAMO! It hit me. I felt like death. Couldn't eat, couldn't stop shaking, felt nausea, super bad yellow lava poops, the works! I didn't have any improvements even after my ten day course was over either. Sorry, don't want to scare you. My dr. Told me they're supposed to have gut calming properties, so I might just be the unlucky one who has a reaction or something. As for the no alcohol, they really mean it! It's not like when they say don't take alcohol with other sedatives, there's something in these meds that reacts very strongly to alcohol, as in, severe vomiting! I didn't try it, just read horror stories about it online!

Mackster said...
Thanks Pluot. Did you have to stop solely because you had eye and tingling problems, and when did you first get the symptoms?

Well, I stopped when I had surgery, but yes, I had to stop taking the antibiotics because of the eye problems (and stopping antibiotics, which were the only meds that worked for me, meant I had to have surgery). Just to clarify, tingling/numbness is a sign of neuropathy but it isn't the only problem associated with it. Optic nerve neuropathy over time leads to a loss of color vision and eventually loss of vision entirely.

toomuch: You are either very brave or mad to do the full 10 days. Considering you were at deaths door after day 3! Did you benefit from it?

InSoFla: I've been on HMF Forte (mainly lactobaccilus) but on your advice I will be adding Culturelle to it. When is the best time to take probiotics? I hear a lot of contradictions on this but a lot of people seem to take them at bedtime. What about since I'll be taking 2, one at lunch and one at bedtime?

dybeye: Did it help your situation?