Yeah I can manage a diet and I'd gladly give up some thing in order to get back to a regular digestive routine. I enjoyed my two days of eating whatever I wanted and a couple 6 packs of beer, but I'm definitely paying for it today. The lab has my good "stuff" and some blood this morning, so hopefully I'll get some results by the middle of the week.

Can't wait to feel normal again.

Jury is in, looks like I've tested positive and C.Diff is the culprit. I read the likely causes and oddly I've not been on any long term or even short term antibiotics. Not happy to hear my GI say it can be a bitch to treat and sometimes it can take a long time to get rid of it. The flagyl my primary put me on is usually what the insurance people want you to start on but I had a "Sh*t" reaction to that after three days, so he is pushing for the more expensive stuff. Then hearing what another alternate treatment was (stool transplant) made me think, who do I know that is so full of Sh*t; they can spare some for a transplant. I'm just happy to have a diagnosis and starting point so I can get on something that might work.

There are now some great new treatments for UC and Crohns now.The dinosaur days of just doping up with opiates is over.

or eat some garlic
since you like italian

Wow Bob, C Diff is a very serious infection and I am pretty sure contagious, be very careful. I hope all goes well with the treatment. I am surprised it took so long to diagnose this, were they looking for it from the beginning?

cannabis is now the preferable drug as opiates are synonymous
with constipation

Yeah I'm pretty sure I'm looking for a new primary care physician, anyone have any recommendations in the Plymouth MA. area. My GI specialist had it diagnosed the day after I gave him a deposit, my primary had samples tested twice and never asked for the right testing.

It is, in the hospital if someone has cdiff anyone entering the room usually has to have gown and gloves...

What I don't get is where the hell I picked it up, as I've not been near a hospital, haven't been sick in a long time, no antibiotics until just recently in an attempt to put a stop to this. Sh*t happens and I guess I will never know.

you never know Bob, possibly someone not knowing they had it themselves shook your hand after not washing their hands after using the restroom like I see so many people do these days, it is repulsive

garlic is also considered to be an antibiotic
but the difference is
it doesn't kill off the beneficial bacteria
only the bad bacteria....
yogurt only re-supplies lactobacillus bulgaricus
and Streptococcus thermophilus
which are quite different than Saccharomyces BOULARDII
hopefully your package from puritan will arrive today

Been on it since yesterday, I'm hoping it will help, but now I get to have the insurance company battle. My GI specialists wants me on the higher priced antibiotics not the generic flagyl and lucky me CVS called last week (ahead of a weekend of course), they won't fill it due to the insurance company. So now I have to see if the GI office can make a case for putting me on it, although at this point if someone told me that would end it; I'd pay the $1,000 bucks for the f'g pills.

The weather outside matches my mood perfectly.

Insurance companies s*ck, they had my prescription since last Thursday and I still can't get it approved to get started. My GI specialist said Fallon Health Care is terrible and I'd have to agree based on this delay.

The major hospitals aren't much better, my girlfriends 89 year old mother sat in BWH for 4 hours without a nurse responding to multiple buzzes to help her to the toilet (she just had neck surgery) and finally peed on the floor. Due to that we expedited the release to Braintree Rehab yesterday and today don't they yell at her and treat her like crap all day today, to the point the girlfriend is pulling her out and bringing her home to stay with us instead. She was with us for a few weeks prior to surgery and with a finished basement it will work out, but that is where we spend most of our time and I'm not looking forward to the 80 degrees she likes the heat on.

Like my dear old departed Dad always said; getting old isn't for sissies.

I'm normally a reasonable person but these situations are when it pays to be an #^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&#^&. If your doctors prescribe a treatment that the insurance pushes back on your dealing with a cost calculation set by some consultant bean counter.

Ask/Tell your doctor to demand the better drugs. They likely know the right key words to make it go through. Doctors don't usually prescribe medication stronger than necessary.

Finally happened so I hope the wait was worth it and I get this kicked soon. The only silver lining is I've dropped 15 lbs and am down to fighting weight.
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Good call on that stuff, it really helped in the 2-3 days I was on it prior to getting my drugs approved through the fing insurance company.

just sharing what i've learned bud
glad your starting to feel better :btu: