C. difficile – Are your guts ever normal again?

Yeah the dentists do prescribe Clindamycin a lot. I have refused that antibiotic because I know about C-Diff. I do not understand why they keep prescribing it when they know what it can cause. It is something people need to pay attention to because C-Diff is serious.

Gosh. I feel exactly like you. On the same medication too. Spend most of my life in bed. I HATE THAT

My husband, Bill (89), was hospitalized for C.Diff last Friday. Got released on Sunday still with uncontrol able diarrhea. At least no longer bloody. This morning said he was doing better.
Understand it is highly contagious. Daughter and I are using Clorox, etc., like crazy people - hand washing every time we turn around and lots of hot showers.
Is there any other preventative things we should be doing?
Bill doesn't want to eat - has lost 20 pounds in past month (also has dementia). I keep putting things in front of him and he'll take a few bites. Doctor has him on Vancomycin. At first they wanted a different pill but we don't have Part D and it was going to cost over $4200! Costco had the Vancomycin for $73 - some places listed it at over $1000!
Understand eggs, cheese, chicken good for diarrhea?
He had been in the hospital and NH a month ago and on antibiotics for UTI at that time. I understand all of those events can trigger C.Diff.
Thank you for suggestions.
He is not a happy camper.

My husband had a similar experience with c diff after taking clindamycin for a dental procedure. Even after the c diff was gone, he needed to be near a bathroom at all times which was very frustrating. He took multiple medications that didn’t help.
After months of no improvement, his gastroenterologist ordered Questran (colestyramine) powder which is actually a medication to lower cholesterol but also works to stop diarrhea. He started on a full dose of four teaspoons a day, then three and so on until the end of the fourth week. Finally, the diarrhea stopped.
He still keeps Questran on hand in case his bowels flare up. He refuses to take any broad based antibiotics and is still careful about his diet, but he can live an active life.

Hi. I did recover from CDiff. It morphed into IBS, and that was rough for a couple of years, but after that I've been pretty much "normal."

Have you tried probiotics? The two most tested strains are Saccharomyces boulardii and Lactobacillis GG (LGG). They are available under brand names Florastor and Culturelle. (The former is also available at Swanson Vitamins under the scientific name—Sach etc.) I’ve had success using Bacterium longum BB536 (Life Extension Bifido GI Balance) for IBS. I researched these strains by reading medical journal articles on PubMed.

Where’d u find BB536? I need some stronger than my Nature’s Earth Probs for immune health. I have GERD and IBS. My upper and lower scopes r next week to stretch esoph LES sphincter., celiac tests
and investigate my redundant and tortuous colon of 20 yrs . Doing the Low FODMAP diet again, but bloating is OUT OF CONTROL!

I had a total knee replacement in august 2021 and surgeon recommended clindamycin before dental visits as the prosthesis in my knee is a magnet for infection should there be any opening in my gum during cleaning. So far so good. I had c diff over 10 years ago and there are certain high fiber foods I still avoid. Plus have had a few flare ups of diverticulitis which takes weeks to get over. Just progress slowly and try to keep track of what foods are irritants.

I don’t know if I had CDiff, but my system has not been the same , and I have occasional IBS attacks since I took clindamycin for two weeks having a peritonsillar abscess, that was six years ago

Hi. I hear you that you're suffering. but - You would know if you had CDiff. CDiff means you never have a day without diarrhea. It can only be cured by antibiotics. And IBS is not occasional ... it's a constant condition that is often treatable by eating Low FODMAP.