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I am almost 4 months post take down and have struggled every day, with the exception of a few good days. I recently tested positive for C-Diff and wondered if there is anyone out there that has been through this? I am happy they found something but upset because I haven't been in the hospital since mid August and a few weeks back was treated for what my Dr thought was pouchitis. No way to prove I have had this since august, but it am upset that a test wasn't done before they thought it was pouchitis. I have been taking Vancomycin for 4 days now and was wondering when things should start to improve. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
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I had C. diff about five months after my takedown. Luckily I had been doing very well until then so it was obvious immediately that something was wrong that wasn't just the adjustment period, and it was diagnosed relatively quickly. I can't imagine suffering with those symptoms for as long as you have, you my sympathies!

When I started vancomycin for C. diff the first time, I noticed an improvement within the first three days. I had a recurrence of C. diff about two months after that, and that time vancomycin didn't help, so my GI switched me to Dificid, which kicked in within a couple of days. I've had no recurrences since then, about seven months.

I hope you start to feel better soon! If you don't see an improvement with vancomycin, maybe you can talk to your GI about trying Dificid.
yes you should see improvement within 3 days i would think..perhaps because it has been going on so long its a little more stubborn but other drug recommended good idea..

once you get c-diff under control i recommend you get some ss boulardii.this can help prevent reoccurrence

however,once you have had it you are susceptible to it in future..and anytime i go bad without explanation i know i need to get tested for it..and have been advised to do it various times a year..

i have been lucky in that vnco has worked for me each time i had it..then dr.shen recommends after it gets negative to have test again in a month..

i have refractory pouchitis so i rotate antibiotics but if i see they are not working or something seems different i get my c-diff test done just to be sure..

i cannot believe they did not test you for c-diff but to be fair when i first had pouch surgeon also just thought it was pouchitis and i wash`t tested for it..i got lucky i guess because he guessed right..but i now know i need to test for it..
I don't know how long I had c-diff before it was diagnosed. My GI took a stool sample during a pouchoscopy so it was treated before pouchitis. I was treated with flagyl and had to take it around 4 times before I was sure it was gone. I didn't retest each time as I hadn't been off of antibiotics for 2 weeks.

I believe most doctors would treat j-pouchers for pouchitis before testing for c-diff. C-diff isn't very common. I had c-diff several times when I had my colon and once it was caused by cipro. Cipro is prescribed for pouchitis and I won't take it as I don't want to bring on another case of c-diff.

I feel bad for you as it's nasty. I doubt you've had it all the time since August. I honestly don't know how I could have known to even complain to my surgeon about it as getting use to a j-pouch involves so many trips to the restroom and pain. I couldn't tell I had c-diff when I had my colon as it resembled flaring with UC. They all involve diarrhea.

I think it's a good thing you are on vanco. I never was and it took me a lot longer than 3 days to feel better. I hope you are feeling better ASAP. I'd never want to go through the first 4 months after my take down again - and compounding it with c-diff is just awful.

I still take s.boulardii probiotics as it specifically fights c-diff. You might want to look into this after you get off of the antibiotics.

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