I just need to see if anyone has heard of Saccharomyces Boulardii causing PICC line infections in some people. I was told by my fist LLMD that I have to go off of it when I got my PICC line and so I did.
I am now with a new LLMD who says that it is absolutley necessary for me to be on this and that it won't cause a PICC line infection. Well I avoided it for a while then added it back on Nov. What do you know, within two days I got a PICC line infection and had to have the line pulled.
I now have a new line and my LLMD is insisting that this was just a coincidence and that I must be on Saccharomyces Boulardii again. I don't want to touch the stuff!!
Anybody ever heard of PICC line infections associated with Saccharomyces Boulardii?
Thanks so much!
Posted by Lonestartick (Member # 2151) on :
I'm sure that you and most Lymenet patients are aware that a PICC line is a peripherally inserted central line. If one searches for central line infections caused by Saccharomyces boulardii you'll find some interesting evidence that is supportive your first LLMD's stance cautioning you not to take it while you have a line in place.
You might collect info for your new LLMD, since this may be risk he has not considered yet.
Also, one of the support group leaders from back East cautioned patients to have their LLMDs monitor their white count closely in order to prevent it from dropping too low, as this support leader had collected evidence suggesting low white counts predisposed patients to opportunistic line infections. He advised patients to try to keep their white counts above 3 and never below 2 while on intravenous ABX because the data he collected indicated a correlation between low white counts and line infections in the Lyme patient group he tracked.
Posted by MariaA (Member # 9128) on :
Is that from a 'complete blood count' test or is there a more specialized test for white blood cells?
Posted by Haley (Member # 22008) on :
Hi Jenny,
Here is an interesting link. I had never heard anyone talk about getting an infection in their line from probiotics. After I read the following article I cut way back on my probiotics. I occasionally take Saccharomyces boulardii but not that often. I have a central line and I am doing everything I can to avoid an infection.
The presence of a central venous catheter is also a common finding in cases of probiotic sepsis and has been shown to be a possible source of sepsis
Posted by jenny76 (Member # 18205) on :
WOW thank you for the info! So too many probiotics are bad too? I was told to load up on as many as possible!
I am staying away from Saccharomyces Boulardii the remainder of the time I have my PICC. Not chancing this again. My sepsis infection was very frightening.
Posted by sammy (Member # 13952) on :
I did read an article about S.Boulardii causing infections in central lines but I cannot remember what source or journal that it was in.
What I do remember was that the study was done on ICU patients. Nurses were administering S.Boulardii in powder form, opening packets at the bedside before giving it to their patients.
The study concluded that the powder got into the air and colonized on the patient's central/ PICC lines causing infection.
The infections were avoided when nurses opened and prepared the powder packets of S.Boulardii in another room before giving to the patients.
Posted by gatorade girl (Member # 24896) on :
What other probiotics do you reccomend? I am on s.boulardii
Posted by sammy (Member # 13952) on :
gatorade girl, stick with the s.boulardii, it helps prevent c.diff.
You should also take a mixed probiotic with acidophilus like Theralac, VSL#3, Natren Healthy Trinity, and Jarrow brand. There are some other good brands that people have used but these are the ones that I'm familiar with and know are good.