Giant Swallowtail Photo by S. Watson Spring 2015
Probiotics means “for the body”,
antibiotics means “against the body.”
“Be proactive, for probiotics!” Susan Watson
antibiotics means “against the body.”
“Be proactive, for probiotics!” Susan Watson
It is time to quickly summarize the next three weeks (Dec. 2013) of Grandma’s stay in rehab. After the C-diff. diagnosis she was prescribed Flagel (metronidazole), the antibiotic that is commonly used for C. -diff. The doctor also prescribed the probiotic, Floristar, which contains the probiotic strain saccharomyces boulardii. Thank you so much to Grandma’s doctor! If doctors would prescribe a probiotic when prescribing an antibiotic, much suffering would be avoided.
It is my understanding that some people have C. -diff. in their colon but at a very low level. When certain antibiotics are given, the antibiotics kill off both the bad bacteria and the good bacteria leaving no protection when the person is exposed to C. -diff from the environment. C. -diff. can be transferred in the hospital from unclean hands. It can also live for many months on bed railings, eating tables, toilet seats, etc. The importance of giving a probiotic cannot be overstressed. Once a person is diagnosed with C. -diff., it is late but giving a probiotic is still your best option. Please check the websites links below for more information about using probiotics, especially containing saccharomyces boulardii when dealing with C. –diff. Finding a good probiotic, for a particular health issue and the best practices when using probiotics for a variety of health issues will also be the topic of a future blog.
Grandma continued to exhibit the other main symptoms of C. -diff including lethargy, lack of appetite, nausea, stomach pain, abdominal cramps, severe watery diarrhea, and dehydration. She was hospitalized for dehydration and received IV fluids as well as a blood transfusion during this time. The reason I hired a caregiver to be at the rehab center with Grandma was to make certain that Grandma ate appropriate food and kept hydrated.
Proper nutrition is an important factor in the recovery of a person with C. -diff. Grandma ate Activa Yogurt, Danactive, homemade chicken vegetable soup, electrolyte water, etc. The rehab center’s kitchen worked with us to provide Grandma’s meals and we supplemented with items we brought from home. Nutrition issues were important because Grandma was losing weight. One month from the original UTI diagnosis and a week after the C-diff diagnosis, Grandma had already lost over 20 pounds. Two hospitalizations later, after IV’s, a blood transfusion, an endoscopy, Grandma was down to 107 pounds, a 33 pound loss from her original weight of 140 pounds.
After the first hospital stay, we returned to the rehab center. It upsets me to say this but more cases of C. -diff. were showing up at the rehab center, several cases on the hall where Grandma was assigned and several cases down a different hall. On several occasions, the staff taking care of Grandma did not use proper precautions. One person told me that she had a strong immune system and didn’t need to wear gloves or other precautions. I asked her if she knew what my mother had, and she said not really. I explained that it was called clostridium difficile and it was highly contagious and even if she didn’t get it herself she could pass it on to other vulnerable people she cared for at the center. I told her that is why I was wearing full protective clothing, a mask and gloves, etc. I reported this incident to the LPN on duty. The staff member in question had been previously reported for a similar issue and her employment was eventually terminated. It is a major misconception that if you are healthy, you cannot pass C. -diff. on to others who are vulnerable. Again, this bacterium remains alive for months. It is found on doctors’ lab coats, visitor’s shoes, etc. Education of all staff and caregivers is imperative.
In Grandma’s case, the Flagel antibiotic was not working, another stronger and more expensive antibiotic, Vancomycin (Vancovin) was prescribed. Vancomycin appeared to be effective and with the addition of the changes in diet and the probiotics, we decided to bring Grandma home.
Our doctor prescribed assistance from a Home Health Agency and we met another wonderful Health caregiver- Nurse “J”. We had prepared Grandma’s cottage for her homecoming. We had newly painted her bedroom three weeks prior, got a prescription for a hospital bed and for a wheelchair through Medicare funds, hired a full time caregiver, and Grandma came home. It was Christmas Eve, 2013- six weeks since her first visit to the hospital for the UTI.
It is my understanding that some people have C. -diff. in their colon but at a very low level. When certain antibiotics are given, the antibiotics kill off both the bad bacteria and the good bacteria leaving no protection when the person is exposed to C. -diff from the environment. C. -diff. can be transferred in the hospital from unclean hands. It can also live for many months on bed railings, eating tables, toilet seats, etc. The importance of giving a probiotic cannot be overstressed. Once a person is diagnosed with C. -diff., it is late but giving a probiotic is still your best option. Please check the websites links below for more information about using probiotics, especially containing saccharomyces boulardii when dealing with C. –diff. Finding a good probiotic, for a particular health issue and the best practices when using probiotics for a variety of health issues will also be the topic of a future blog.
Grandma continued to exhibit the other main symptoms of C. -diff including lethargy, lack of appetite, nausea, stomach pain, abdominal cramps, severe watery diarrhea, and dehydration. She was hospitalized for dehydration and received IV fluids as well as a blood transfusion during this time. The reason I hired a caregiver to be at the rehab center with Grandma was to make certain that Grandma ate appropriate food and kept hydrated.
Proper nutrition is an important factor in the recovery of a person with C. -diff. Grandma ate Activa Yogurt, Danactive, homemade chicken vegetable soup, electrolyte water, etc. The rehab center’s kitchen worked with us to provide Grandma’s meals and we supplemented with items we brought from home. Nutrition issues were important because Grandma was losing weight. One month from the original UTI diagnosis and a week after the C-diff diagnosis, Grandma had already lost over 20 pounds. Two hospitalizations later, after IV’s, a blood transfusion, an endoscopy, Grandma was down to 107 pounds, a 33 pound loss from her original weight of 140 pounds.
After the first hospital stay, we returned to the rehab center. It upsets me to say this but more cases of C. -diff. were showing up at the rehab center, several cases on the hall where Grandma was assigned and several cases down a different hall. On several occasions, the staff taking care of Grandma did not use proper precautions. One person told me that she had a strong immune system and didn’t need to wear gloves or other precautions. I asked her if she knew what my mother had, and she said not really. I explained that it was called clostridium difficile and it was highly contagious and even if she didn’t get it herself she could pass it on to other vulnerable people she cared for at the center. I told her that is why I was wearing full protective clothing, a mask and gloves, etc. I reported this incident to the LPN on duty. The staff member in question had been previously reported for a similar issue and her employment was eventually terminated. It is a major misconception that if you are healthy, you cannot pass C. -diff. on to others who are vulnerable. Again, this bacterium remains alive for months. It is found on doctors’ lab coats, visitor’s shoes, etc. Education of all staff and caregivers is imperative.
In Grandma’s case, the Flagel antibiotic was not working, another stronger and more expensive antibiotic, Vancomycin (Vancovin) was prescribed. Vancomycin appeared to be effective and with the addition of the changes in diet and the probiotics, we decided to bring Grandma home.
Our doctor prescribed assistance from a Home Health Agency and we met another wonderful Health caregiver- Nurse “J”. We had prepared Grandma’s cottage for her homecoming. We had newly painted her bedroom three weeks prior, got a prescription for a hospital bed and for a wheelchair through Medicare funds, hired a full time caregiver, and Grandma came home. It was Christmas Eve, 2013- six weeks since her first visit to the hospital for the UTI.
For more information about probiotics put “Probiotics for c diff prevention” into your web browser search engine. Two of the websites you will find there are linked below
Probiotics in the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea and Clostridium difficile infection
Understanding Clostridium difficile Infection and Its Treatments
Probiotics in the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea and Clostridium difficile infection
Understanding Clostridium difficile Infection and Its Treatments
The two saccharomyces boulardii probiotics shown here are the probiotics that Grandma takes.