Vancocin & C Difficile

by admin on April 25, 2011

Vancocin is the trade name for vancomycin, the drug of last resort for many conditions including MRSA. It works by interfering with the bacteria cell wall mechanism and thereby halting it’s reproduction. In C difficile cases it is usually given after Flagyl has failed and is given via mouth rather than the normal intravenous method used for other conditions. Side effects are rare except in prolonged courses of treatment – you can find out more about these at the vancomycin page at Wikipedia and this page at Drugs.com



C Diff Basics
What is C Diff?
What are the symptoms of C Diff?
How do I know I have C Diff?
How is C Difficile treated?

Understanding Your C Difficile Infection
How does C Diff actually make you ill
Why do some people have recurring C Diff infection
How can C diff infection be prevented
What is the C Diff ‘fecal transplant’ therapy
Is C Difficile contagious?
What is C Difficile colitis
What are C Difficile toxins

C Difficile Drugs
A guide to Flagyl (Metronidazole)
New drug – Fidaxomicin
When Flagyl fails – Vancocin

  • Terry Shaffer

    My wife took 250 mg of vancomycin twice a day for twenty days after taking Flagyl twice a day for 10 days. She still has a difficile. Would a higher dosage of vancomycin be in order? What is the suggested dosage ? Perhaps she has a vancomycin resistant strain. If so what else can be tried?

  • Dave Roberts

    You will need to take professional advice re the persistence of the infection. We can provide clear general advice but specific cases like yours need the insight of specialist doctors

    Dave Roberts

  • barb sarich

    hopefully by now your wife is over c.diff the best advice we got was to do the tapering method it was 4 a day for 1 week then 3 a day for 1 week then 2 a day for 1 week then 1 a day for 1 week then 1 a day every other day for 2 weeks this did the trick. the spores are the hardest thing to kill off so by tapering you get them as they open you can run this by your doctor if your wife is still having problems all cases are different

  • Carol

    Hi I am on my second round of antibiotics for c-diff. So vancocin this time and flagyl the first. At five days into the vancocin I have developed excruciating pain in my joints in my hands, wrists and knees. The doctor has run a series of lab tests and I am currently waiting for the results. I am only 42 have been in fairly good health until this past year with a couple bouts of pneumonia. I am very active and between the c diff and now this joint pain I am in pretty rough shape. Any info or suggestions would be most appreciated.

    • admin

      http://www.drugs.com/pro/vancocin.html

      This gives a helpful overview with respect to adverse reactions and might be worth reading to throw light on any insights the doctor gives you in due course. Hope that helps

      Dave Roberts
      cdifficile.org

  • stephanie

    What about the new drug Dificid?

  • Jacqueline

    I am on my 3rd time with cdif 1st time my primary care physician cave me flagyl 3pills 3x a day 14 days. 2nd time my gastrologist gave me 3 a day 10 days 2 a day 3 days 1 a day 3 days then 1 every other day 3 days now what should i take this time

  • Sandra Franklin

    I too have been suffering with c-diff. I have been treated with the meds flagyl and cipro. 3 days off the meds I had a reacurrence of c-diff. I am now taking vancocin. My question to you is will this medicine kill this c-diff. and will I keep having reacurrences? I appreciate any info you can give me!!

    • admin

      The new drug dificid is thought to be more effective in preventing future infections.

      Dave
      cdifficile.org

  • Pattie W

    Hi, I just found out after 5 moths of suffering that I have c-diff. I had band to gastric sleeve revision in Dec. of 2011. I had antibiotics in January of 2012 now they finally did a sample and found I have c-diff. I have been taking flagyl for about 2 weeks and cholestryamine Oral suspension…Ugh I drink it. What is the “drink” doing? They also took out my gall bladder in May 2012. Will I get better? I’m scared to have this forever?

    • admin

      Flagyl may do it but there are 2 other drugs if it doesn’t. You have several other treatment options if the flagyl fails

      dave
      cdifficile.org

  • Maggie

    I had an abcess tooth and took cynclimycin 9SP0 and amoxicillin. I have taken flagly 250 mg for 10 days.It came back I took 500mg of flagyl for 10 more days ..it came back. I then had to pay $400.00 for the vancomycin for yet another 10 days and it’s back. I am in dispair..what next?

    • admin

      Dificid is widely touted as being better at halting c diff. You might like to enquire about that.

      Dave
      cdifficile.org

  • Jan Murray

    I have had C. Diff since July and have been treated with Flagyl for 14 days, got what I believe was a false negative, was then on Xifaxan 550 mg for 10 days, and now Vancomycin 250 mg for 10 days. I got the severe form of this infection from taking Clindamycin prescribed by my dentist. Xifaxan made me feel better than the other two meds, but I tested positive for C. Diff at the end of that course of treatment and believe I still have it as I still have diarrhea near the end of the Vancomycin course, which — not incidentally — cost just pennies under $1,600 because I’m in the Medicare gap. I know of Dificid. I have an appt. with an Infectious Disease Specialist next week and expect she will prescribe Dificid. Do you know of any way to get samples or reduction of the cost which is more than $3,300 according to online information!
    Thank you for your help!

    • Pattie W

      I worked in biotech for the last 6 years. I suggest you get on the website of the manufacturer of that drug and see if they will give a discount or clinical trial you can enroll in or if the distributer can discount the price.

      • Jan Murray

        Thank you! Through an Infectious Disease Specialist, Shelley Gordon, PhD, MD, in SF, I found out the oral liquid is $75 for 10 days vs. $1600 for the pills, and she was also able to get a Medicare pre-authorization for a year. Yay!
        Jan

  • Marjorie Okie I can’t believe I can ever be well again.

    I took 2 14 day 4 pills daily Flagyl and now 2 14 day Vancomycin and continued always with the c difficile since July. Now I am told I will need a fecal transplant probably. And will it come back?

    • Jan Murray

      I also went through 14 days on Flagyl, then 10 days on Rifaxamin, then 10 days on 250 mg. Vancomycin 4x daily (around the clock). I still had C. Diff. I went to see an Infectious Disease Specialist (see my earlier comment above) and am now on Vancomycin 3x daily (none at night) until all SYMPTOMS are gone and stools look normal for me; then I’m to be on Vanco 3 days a week, stop for four days a week, and repeat that pattern for 6-8 weeks. Only then, if C. Diff is not gone, will I need fecal transplant. See an Infectious Disease Specialist for recurring C. Diff!!!
      Jan

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