★★★★★
I was diagnosed with c.diff. in March after having taken antibiotics and had bloody diarreah for several days. The flagyl was working while I was taking it but a week after the 10 day therapy the symptoms were back. I went to the emergency room to avoid waiting for an appointment, but the doctors gave me levaquin, which is an antibiotic that makes the condition worse. Somehow it made it somewhat better, but when I went to see my primary doctor 5 days later he put me back on the flagyl, which didn't make much of a difference any more. I was then given vancocin, but decided to take 3 days off all medicines since I was going to see a specialist then. I had diarreah about 5 times a day. I started taking probiotics and 4 days later my symptoms were significantly reduced. I tried the vancocin once but was allergic to it -- it is a very strong antibiotic and actually its side effect -- just like the flagyl -- is mild diarreah, which is what I already had. I started taking cholestyramine, which binds the c.diff. toxin and causes constipation; also I started eating only white rice and white bread and some baked potatoes - very plain food, with aminoacid supplements (rice powder) and vitamins, esp. vitamin C. Also, I got about 5 different probiotic brands with several strains - you want those that give you billions of cultures - like 50 or 100 per serving. I have been free of symptoms for almost two weeks now and my last test was negative, although tests are not 100% reliable. You have to keep checking it every couple of weeks. All in all my advice is to stay off the antibiotics as much as possible and take lots of probiotics and keep a starchy simple diet. Certain herbal teas have also helped me -- calendula (or marigold) and plantago lanceolitis - 1 tablespoon per 400ml of boiling water is left for about 30 min. Strain and drink before eating 3 times a day.
