Not really a Newbie....

[Sunny/often]

I joined this forum on Jan 17, 2008 when I learned I had L.C. I signed in as sunny; now have a new email addy & sunny was in use ( by me) so added the Sunny/often. Maybe Tex or someone can re-instate me?
I stuck around for a short while; symptoms left ( the ones I could see, that is)...so I did too! I stayed gluten free for the next 5 years.
The following year, MDH had a massive stroke in 3 areas of the brain, I sold our house & purchased a modular home that we could put on our daughter's property so that they could help me care for my hubbie. For some reason our son decided this was a good time to divorce us ... all this to let you know the level of stress I was under.
I have had heart failure since 2002 and it worsened due to leaky Mitral Valve that the docs all said was "not bad enuff to fix yet."
I developed A-fib ... no one connected that to the leaky valve.... and soon could not walk thru the house without chairs strategically placed so I could rest.
Heart surgery on such a high risk patient was tricky but my EP found a surgeon in Portland who fixed valves on folks like me routinely. I also had a maze procedure to stop the A-fib. Afterwards my Ejection Fraction was only 10% & it was touch & go for 4 or 5 days if my heart could remember to beat on it's own. One month later I was in kidney failure and back in the hospital with minimum heart function. ( If heart not working well, kidneys impacted & vice-versa)

It's taken me 2 & 1/2 years to feel almost normal.
June of this year, I had a routine pacemaker replacement; I did not know they gave me IV antibiotics... Anceff ... not recommended for kidney patients with heart failure I understand. My doc did not inform me that any antibiotic was used . @ days later, I had a horrible case of C.diff ( which I had in 08 after my colonoscopy... come to find out, that is very common to get Cdiff after a colonoscopy.)
I have been on antibiotics for the past 4 months trying to get rid of this pathogen. The Cdiff pathogen releases toxins that circulate through out the body. It reproduces by spores which are not killed by antibiotics and they hatch at intervals. This is an intelligent pathogen as it adapts & learns about antibiotics & thus becomes resistant to them.
So here we have this nice granny who has heart failure, kidney insufficiency, and generally run down. I have taken VSL#3 routinely for the past 5 years but I was no match for a particularly tough strain of Cdiff.
I finally found a Naturopath who does Fecal Transplants... (FMT, had 3 transplants over 3 days and now am testing negative for Cdiff.
I now know what i did not know.... Microscopic Colitis doesn't go away...( hey! stop laughing! ) I was so naive... no symptoms... no MC!!! no problem! LOL! So now I am dealing with a terribly damaged gut ... the Naturopath said that problems now are probably due to MC... it doesn't go away, he said. Duh!! So older, wiser, and still sick.
So of course I came back to the best support group I ever did find... so here I am... feeling so foolish , but also realize you don't know what you don't know!!
Sorry this is so long... but I wanted to share with folks who would "get it!"

[tex]

Hi Sunny,

It's nice to see a post from you again, but I'm very sorry to hear that you've been having to deal with so many tough issues. You've had some mighty tough ordeals. It sounds as though you're finally getting your health back on track, though, so that's good.

Did you know that "Poop Pills" have been developed, so that it's no longer necessary to go through the formal transfer process. These days, one can just swallow a few pills, to do the job (at least that's what's claimed by those promoting the pills).

http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/ ... -the-void/

Regarding your old account, I can simply assign you a new password on that account, and after you log in, you can change it to whatever you want. That way, all of your old posts will be available with your account. I can even add this thread to your old account, so that nothing will be lost.

Let me know if you want me to assign a new password to your old account. You will have to email me your new email address so that I can send you the new password, though, or else wait until you have written a few more posts, because PMs don't work for newbies until after they have submitted several more posts.

Welcome back!

Tex

[Sunny/often]

tex


Thanx for this... trying to senddprivate message...

Can you give me the old sign in name also? ... Sunny

[tex]

Sunny,

The system won't let you send a private message, because you haven't posted enough messages yet. I just sent you an email (to your new email address), and it contains the information you need to log in on your old account. After you log in, you can change your password to whatever you want, and you can change any other information that might need to be updated.

If you don't receive the email, or if you have a problem logging in, please let me know, and I'll try to track down the problem.

Tex

[sunny]

Well, as the logo states, "You can get your life back." and so I did with your help, Tex. Trying to get the avatar where she belongs now. I was able to change password and take off where I left off 5 years ago! Technology is amazing!
I appreciate your help, Tex... as always!

[sunny]

Lol! Yes I have heard of this pill... it will probably revolutionize treatment of Cdiff as soon as the insurance companies get on board & realize how much $$ they will save using this protocol instead of pills...expensive pills....
I also get this blog from the Healthy Home Economist...

[tex]

Sunny,

The avatar seemed to be a little reluctant to go to work again, so I gave it a little nudge.

You should be all set up now, and I hope that you will soon be healed, as well.

Tex

[sunny]

Feisty granny is back...thanx to you.Tex. appreciate your help in getting up to speed.

[tex]

Sunny,

You're more than welcome.

Do you mind if I delete your new account. That way, I can add this thread to your old account. If you would rather keep both accounts active though, I don't have a problem with that, either. Whatever you want to do is fine with me.

Tex

[Gloria]

Welcome back, Sunny! I'm sorry to read about your very difficult issues. I hope you can get rid of the C-diff for good. I remember how discouraged you were when you had it earlier. It's scary that a colonoscopy can bring it on. One more reason to decline one unless it's necessary.

I'm also sorry to read about your DH. I hope you can manage - being near your should help some.

Gloria

[DebE13]

How does one get c-diff from a colonoscopy? I'm not familiar with it all (thank goodness) but I'm on the every three year track for them due to recurrent pre cancerous polyps so it gets my attention.

[sunny]

Tex, that would be fine with me... clear up the account as you see fit...

[sunny]

Thanx for the kind words, Gloria. I was so discouraged the first time and now I know so much more about it but i am still discouraged. I have lost my summer... but I am learning to accept that it is what it is ...
My hubbie has actually gone from a state of paralysis on the right side to now he is walking, can carry on a conversation and is helping me around the house... changing the sheets ,doing laundry, loading the DW, & helping outside. It is truly amazing!! We both have been through a tough time and were simply greatful to celebrate our 50th anniversary 2 years ago with some of our kids and grandkids.

[sunny]

Hi Deb... I read some of your posts and understood some of your frustrations getting your levels corrected.
I have Hashimotos and thyroid is never "normal" for m... it is for them.... and no hope of getting armour...
I am not sure how people can get Cdiff form colonoscopies... the usual place we get it is in a hospital setting... Cdiff is now #1 on the CDC list of infectious diseases.... some suggest it is from poorly sterilized equipment. I read about it on the Cdiff support group site.... www.cdiffdiscuss.org

You can also google or Bing it... the pathogen can live on surfaces for a vey long time and some hospitals have a hard time getting rid of it. Some hospitals rely on those alcohol foam dispensers but alcohol is ineffective against Cdiff! Clorox and/or peroxide is what kills the bug...

[DebE13]

Thanks, I wasn't sure if it was something we had any control over or not. Sound like not.

You sure do have your hands full, my heart goes out to you. Glad to meet you!