Asymptomatic c diff carrier

Hi, @mpeters - I would feel unsettled, too, I think, if I learned I were a carrier of a disease, but no treatment was currently indicated. I know that for me, I like to act on things.

I thought it might be helpful to bring into the conversation other members who are familiar with C.Diff. to see if they have any input on your new learning that you are an asymptomatic C.Diff. carrier, such as @sandyabbey @guthealth @danab @pines @plm2019. @nettecook also may have some insights.

Did you have the opportunity to visit with a physician in genetics or a genetics counselor in this process? If so, what were their thoughts for you about any effects on your health going forward?

I’m interested in your question about seeing a geneticist. I did see one at Mayo in the past regarding numerous polyps found during colonoscopy. Can you please tell me why you think a geneticist would be helpful? Also, thanks for bringing some people into this thread.

When mentioning to a pharmacist recently about having had C-diff and I have to watch carefully which antibiotics that I can take, he said that we all have the C-diff germ in our system, and that only some of us have it show up after taking certain meds?? Don't know??

Well for me i had it in June and now im much more cautious using public restrooms. I carry a small bag of Clorox wipes and if i need to sit down on a toilet i wipe the seat first. Plus just being more cautious at restaurants like not letting my silverware sit on tables, i always wear a mask when out in public especially this time of the year with the flu bugs. Im not completely sure how i got the cdiff but im doing what i can to keep myself safe. Hope that helps.

Thank you for the good ideas.

Thank you.

Hopefully, this info will be helpful for everyone:)
C Diff isn't necessarily a toxin when it's not taking over in our guts.... it's just one more variation of our gut bacteria that we're born with. The problem begins when antibiotics kill off too much of the good bacteria and the bad, like C Diff, take over. That's when the symptoms start and the problems begin.
I am speaking from years of personal experience with this nightmare. For me, it started by taking an antibiotic for an abscessed tooth. The tooth infection went away and things were fine until about 4-5 wks later. It started with horrible stomach cramps for days. I went to the dr and it was blown off as menstrual cramps. I found this very annoying because that wasn't smthg that I had ever had a problem with and it didn't feel related to anything like that. A few days later the stomach cramps were followed by diarrhea that became smthg I can't begin to describe! I started drinking Pepto and taking Immodium.....
VERY BAD IDEA!!!! One of the worst things you can do with C Diff is to try to keep it in your body! Although, at the time I didn't know I had it. Off to another dr, I went...... This time it was diagnosed! She asked if I had been on any antibiotics in the past 6 wks... That was the culprit! Too much good gut bacteria were killed off and the C Diff took over.
Oddly enough, another type of antibiotic is prescribed to get rid of it. I started off on Flagyl, an antibiotic. I became an emotional disaster and felt just miserable. Well, it was a side effect of the Flagyl. Patients don't seem to be warned about what that drug can do to you so be aware if you end up taking it.
Also, it wasn't working to kill the C Diff so I then went on Vancomycin, another antibiotic. I had zero side effects from this and it relieved my symptoms much faster.
Unfortunately, the C Diff came back every time I was ever on antibiotics for about 3-4 yrs. I think I was spending too much time helping in my children's school classrooms as I was always getting strep throat and on penicillin. I learned to know when the C Diff was becoming overactive and wld immediately go to the dr.
This got really old and it was so miserable to deal with. I started researching ways to take care of it naturally. I discovered KOMBUCHA! A live probiotic drink that you can buy at the grocery store in several varieties and brands or brew your own if you've got the skills and time:) My personal favorite is the brand
"GT Dave Synergy". I like the variety of flavors it has but if you want smthg a little less tart-tasting then the brand "SUJA" is a good one to try.
Finding this was literally a lifesaver for me!!! The C Diff had really taken a toll on me and my body and it was becoming resistant to the Vancomycin which is a strong antibiotic so it was imperative that I find an alternative and get it under control. I literally never took another course of Vancomycin or anything for C Diff again after I started drinking the Kombucha. Initially, I drank a bottle every day for about a month, then a few per wk but if I had to go on antibiotics I immediately went back to drinking at least one bottle per day!
I have stood by this and been C Diff free for over 6 yrs!!!
And a side note........ Other than getting this from taking antibiotics or having poor gut health in general, the usual places to contract this are nursing homes and hospitals. C Diff isn't generally a bug that's just anywhere like perhaps the flu or cold viruses.

Best wishes for good health!

Thank you for sharing your experiences. I can see why you describe them as nightmares. And thanks for the information about Kumbucha, something I have been wanting to try.