Fecal Transplant Scheduled

[Kindle 8,667]

Yes, you read it right! Here's a little background.... I was sleeved on 12/20 everything went great. Then I got a tooth root abscess one week postop and my dentist put me on 10 days of clindamycin. I normally would have passed on the antibiotics and taken a more cautious approach, but we both agreed the possibility of the bacteria from the tooth root traveling to my new stomach incision and setting up an abscess was just too much of a risk.

5 weeks post op I developed bad diarrhea. Based on the recent antibiotic regimen, My PCP immediately suspected Clostridial difficile infection, but the test was negative. Put me on a week of metronidazole until the diarrhea cleared. After another recurrence of diarrhea a week later, resulting in severe dehydrating requiring IV fluids, my doc ran a bunch of tests and this time the C. Diff came back positive. Two weeks on metronidazole (which, by the way made me very sick) cleared the diarrhea. But 8 days later, more diarrhea, more metronidazole, more IV fluids and a trip to a gastroenterologist and infectious disease specialist. The gastro switched me to vancomycin which fortunately, did not make me sick like the metronidazole. The infectious disease doc said they see 10 new cases of C. Diff every week and the are currently doing a study on a new treatment. I decided to give the vancomycin a try and declined the trial study, because what good would it do if I ended up in the control group and only got the placebo.

So 8 days after finishing the vanco, the diarrhea came back AGAIN. The gastro is now suggesting a fecal transplant. Even though it's considered "experimental" and insurance won't pay for it, He's seen a 90% cure rate with it. So I recruited a donor (my PCP actually volunteered his wife ) and she has to go through a huge stool and blood screening protocol to make sure she can't give me anything (HIV, syphilis, H. Pylori, giardia, etc.) and next Thursday her poo will become my poo! We will have our own special meaning of BFF (best fecal friends).

This isn't exactly a direct VSG complication, but having GI surgery, being on PPI's, and being on antibiotics are all risk factors that probably contributed. Not too mention having a teeny sleeve prevented me from being able to hydrate properly which resulted in having to get IV fluids 3 times. Anyways, I'll keep you posted on my ground-breaking procedure!

[Wags 549]

Whoa! Now THAT is the most interesting thing I have learned on VSG in a long time!! Kindle, you groundbreaker, you!! :-)

[ladyd728 106]

I can not wait to hear the outcome from next week. Hope you start feeling better real soon...I'm almost afraid of taking antibiotics now.

Edited April 4, 2014 by ladyd728

[Miss Mac 6,262]

It works kind of like this When you get a new aquarium - new glass tank, new gravel, new tank decorations, and new fish, you will have a very hard time getting a proper PH going for the fish to survive in new Water. UNLESS, you get a cup of gravel from the bottom of someone else's functioning aquarium. The bacterial cultures introduced into the new tank will multiply and bring up the bacterial balance needed for the fish to thrive.

I have heard of fecal transplant, but you are the first person I have heard of that is having the procedure. I wish you good luck and good health.

[Kindle 8,667]

Thanks and Great analogy, Miss Mac! (I've got a BS in Marine Biology, so it's very fitting).

My PCP is actually very excited about the whole thing. He thinks this is all very " ground breaking" and feels they will be doing a lot more fecal transplants in the future for Crohn's Disease, IBD, and even obesity (they know skinny people have different GI flora than obese people). The bonus there is my donor is super thin...maybe all I needed was her poo instead of VSG.

[NMJG 1,266]

Great thread. I have read about this procedure, so curious to hear how it turns out. Thanks for sharing with us and keep us informed on your oppootunity

Sorry, couldn't resist....

[LipstickLady 25,682]

So many poo jokes...

Can't wait to hear how it all comes out!

[Kindle 8,667]

Clear Liquids - the sequel. Started my colon prep today...clear liquids only today and tomorrow morning. 16oz "Colon prep" concoction tonight followed by another 32 oz Water within an hour. Really? Good luck with that! I will be sh***ing my guts out shortly after. Can't wait. And repeat tomorrow mid morning..... The fact I will be working right up until I have to go to the hospital ought to make tomorrow more fun than I can possibly imagine.

[Susysleever 265]

All from dental. People underestimate dental. No pseudomembranous colitis? How fo they get it in there? Or do i not want to know?

Edited April 9, 2014 by Susysleever

[Kindle 8,667]

All from dental. People underestimate dental. No pseudomembranous colitis? How fo they get it in there? Or do i not want to know?

Procedure is tomorrow...won't know about pseudo membranous colitis till then when the scope goes "up there". Not sure how exactly they get it in, but let's just say they are making me bring my own blender for the prep. They will use the scope to get it near the junction of the small and large intestine, so WAY up there .

[Susysleever 265]

Sounds like a crappy day (bada bing)

[sleevethefatbehind 95]

I hope your poocedure is safe and effective tomorrow.

[Kindle 8,667]

So it's done! The colon prep part sucked bad, but the procedure was incredibly easy. IV catheter, vitals monitored, roll over with your knees bent, say nighty night and wake up 20 minutes later with new poo! For those interested in the technical, they infused 540 ml of donor stool slurry into my terminal ileum and cecum. And despite the destructive capabilities of C. Diff, my entire colon was beautiful with no damaged mucosa.

I've been on Clear liquids and prepping my colon (aka pooping my guts out) for two days, so needless to say I was starving. Headed straight for Arby's and devoured the innards of a ham and cheese.

The nurse I talked to said it's pretty much a 100% cure rate. Too bad the insurance companies can't get their heads out of their butts and start paying for it....may they all get C. diff!!

Edited April 11, 2014 by Kindle

[Susysleever 265]

Glad you are better

[LIL RED 62]

I'm glad you are better also. Keep us informed.