Melinda Z., Sacramento:

I was diagnosed with inflammation of the intestine in July. I was hospitalized and spent about three weeks there. The doctors said everything was ok and I got back home. However my condition worsened dramatically and in a week I was taken by emergency back to the hospital. Actually I thought that was the end, in such a pain I was. Those were some complications after the infection, or better to say after incomplete infection treatment. I was put on Vancomycin and I strongly believe that this medication saved my life. I can't even say for sure what emotions were stronger when I finally started feeling myself better day after day - joy or surprise. I have been on Vancomycin for about 6 days, three times a day and during this time I just had an indigestion that went away on third day. No other significant side effects, or probably my condition was that bad that I couldn?t pay attention to side effects. Anyway, it is due to Vancomycin that I'm alive now and my intestine works normally without any drugs now. What I was afraid most were irreversible complications that could make me take pills all my life or could lead to surgical intervention. I am so absolutely afraid of surgeons! Luckily meds like Vancomycin exist and help us!

Patrick, Toronto:

I am a 29 year old male. All my life I have been trying hard to lead a healthy way of life and keep active. But some ten months ago I was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis and since that time I have been on many different medications. It all started without obvious reason, at least for me, with bouts of diarrhea. First I didn?t pay attention - wrong food or wrong cooking. I was sure it will be ok the next day. After 4 days of diarrhea I got really worried, I thought it was never going to end. I had to go on a sick leave 'cause that was quite impossible to work for me or I had to move my desk to the bathroom. So I went to the hospital and they left me there for some tests and screenings. The doctors thought first it was an infectious diarrhea. I had undergone so many examinations, blood tests, colonoscopy and so on. At the end they put me on some antibiotics and in several days my condition improved, though I still had acute pain in my stomach and could eat almost nothing but mineral water. Since that time I have changed many antibiotics as I can't stand side effects of some meds. For example, hearing loss or nausea, but Vancomycin is ideal for me. It keeps my bowel movements under control and causes no additional problems for me. Excellent medication for its purpose.

Grace Warwick, NH:

I have been through a lot over the last time after I developed some horrible colitis. That was the result of our holidays spent in Africa. Some strange unusual food, or water that was not clean enough and there we go - intestinal infection with diarrhea, stomach ache and all the due pleasures. I suffered there for three or four days before we went back home, but I wasn't really worried as I was sure, hone food and usual meds will bring me to order pretty soon. However I was mistaken. 5 more days of living in the bathroom, acute stomach pain, dehydration, loss of energy and precollaptoid state- these were my achievements before I was taken to hospital. The doctors said I should have started serious antibiotic treatment long time ago and they were worried about my stomach, it was exhausted and could require surgery. But luckily a week on Vancomycin turned out to be enough. The symptoms disappeared, the digestion came back to normal and there were no complications. I took the medication for three more days and then started eating normal food without any meds and I am absolutely ok now. I would say this antibiotic is one of the best colitis medications on the market - time-tested, safe and effective. Besides it is easy to get. The doctors said I can even give it to my child if he developed intestine infection, but of course after a consultation with a pediatrician. So, if you need a good quality oral antibiotic to treat colitis or other intestine infection, try out Vancomycin.

Jeremy Fox, Thousand Oaks:

About several months ago I had an infection (something like a common cold with all the usual symptoms) that I mistakenly treated with antibiotics. I just decided that if it is a cold or flu I should take antibiotics for several days and everything will be fine afterwards. But in reality the antibiotics I used to take didn't help me at all. On the contrary after a week on the antibiotics I developed an intestine infection what made my condition absolutely unbearable. I was taken to the hospital where doctors treated both my viral infection with flu symptoms and the intestine infection. Actually the sensations were extremely unpleasant. I had sharp pain in my stomach, used to visit the toilet every 15 minutes and everything I ate used to leave my body in no time in different ways. After two days in the hospital when the doctors treated my agony and fever they sent me back home to continue colitis treatment there with the help of Vancomycin. The medication is absolutely amazing in treatment of intestine infections. In three days my digestion got back to normal, I experienced no more sharp pain in my stomach and my general condition was so much better. I really appreciate the job Vancomycin did for me and I will never again treat serious disorders without consulting my doctors.

Gregory Einstein, Milwaukee:

Last summer I was diagnosed with Clostridium difficile. That was the worst time in my life from the point of view of physical condition. I don't believe I will ever forget the tortures I came through at that time. During the infection I had most horrible symptoms, namely insomnia or nightmares when I fell asleep, dizziness, irritability, numbness in my feet when sitting or standing without movement for a long time. Nut walking or lying still also caused severe pain and unpleasant conditions. Having visited me and examined all the symptoms and my condition my doctor prescribed me with vancomycin and promised that this medication will easily help me forget about the horrible infection. After four days of suffering before I finally made up my mind to ask for doctor's help, the changes after taking vancomycin were marvelous. The medication really helped me with the infection, in spite of the fact that I was already a walking dead without hope for getting better. It took away the problems with sleeping and digestion in less than three days, of course it took some time for me to completely restore my energy and strength, but if it weren't for vancomycin I don't know for sure if I could get back to my normal condition and way of life. Sometimes after similar infections without proper treatment people develop severe complications like chronic conditions or ulcers. So in order to avoid such troubles ask your doctor about vancomycin if you have the same symptoms as I had.

Samantha Watkins, Edmonton:

I am a 48 year-old female and about 2 months ago I developed a horrible C diff infection. It all started with diarrhea and at first I paid little attention to it, but in a couple of days the symptoms worsened, I developed sharp pain in my stomach, vomiting, dizziness and fever. I couldn't eat at all and I was getting weaker and weaker hour after hour. Then finally I decided to call my doctor, he made me undergo several tests and after that diagnosed a C diff infection and prescribed me with a medication I wouldn't name, 'cause may be for someone it is a good solution but my organism was strictly against it and after two days on the drug, when my condition got absolutely unbearable I asked the doc to put me on something else. Then he prescribed me with Vancomycin and that was a blessing. In less than two days I started noticing the first effect - the pain was gone and diarrhea was fading away as well. In four days all the symptoms were eliminated, I got back my appetite and started getting better.