C. difficile – Are your guts ever normal again?

ngorman25 Thank you for the Reply and well wishes! No, it will be my 3rd Colonoscopy, so I know whereof you speak in regards to the dreaded Prep. It's been a while, but as I recall it was the worst part of the whole thing.

QUESTION: ANYONE DEVELOPED C-DIFF FROM ANTIBIOTIC BACTRIM???
I had C-diff some 12 years ago from Amoxicillin given to my by my dentist. On the tenth day of antibiotics, I got a terrible diarrhea - like a colonoscopy prep. I was so weak I could ot drive. I ended up in the hospital for a week because I was so dehydrated. When discharged my GI prescribed Vancomycin in compound form (which is cheaper) for ten days. I never had another reoccurrence. I went back to a normal life!
However, I have stayed away from antibiotics and prominently put in my clinical information to not give them to me because I had C-diff.
Now I just had lung surgery and have developed a seromo from surgery (a collection of clear fluid or serum that builds up in a cavity under the skin). The surgeon said take an antibiotic in case there is an infectious component. I reminded them that I had had C-diff- so they prescribed Bactrim which has a low risk for causing C-diff. I have five more days and am really nervous!
I have searched but have never found the answer. Once one is over C-diff and tests negative, and years go by, what is the risk to take another antibiotic?

I'm sorry to hear about your surgery and subsequent problem. I had Bronchitis recently and my Family Dr gave me a couple of Rocephin Injections. I was hospitalized in late 2020 for 16 days with Cdiff, which I contracted from Clindamycin a Dentist gave me about a month before. So I too have avoided Abx like the plague until the Bronchitis episode recently. I called my Infectious Disease Dr who treated me in Hospital in 2020 about taking these 2 injections. He immediately put me on Vancomycin-125mg-2 Daily- for the course of the Abx, plus 7 more days. You may wish to mention this to your Surgeon. As I understood it the Vancomycin stays in your gut as a Prophylaxis to lessen the possibility of getting Cdiff again. I am about 2 weeks through the Vanco course and so far so good.
I know Bactrim is one of the lower risk Abx for Cdiff. But i dont think it would hurt to mention this to your Surgeon. I wish you all the best!

Thanks, that is very good information.
Because I had my C-diff in Florida, and I now live in Minnesota, I no longer have a Gastroenterologist specialist here. But I had surgery at Mayo so I will ask the surgeon's follow-up staff to get some input from Mayo infectious disease experts. I am having a difficult recovery and can't imagine adding a C-diff infection.
Your infection was more recent than mine (Oct 2011). You don't mention a reoccurrence. I am wondering if the gut goes back to normal after a certain time, and one's chance of getting C-diff is like everyone else when taking antibiotics. Or if one remains a high-risk individual.
Anyone know a good Gastroenterologist/Infectious disease doctor in Minneapolis area?

I'm very sorry to hear your are having a difficult recovery. I pray for your speedy healing.
I don't believe your Gut ever goes back to normal sfter Cdiff. As my Family Dr put it-I think you have a different/new normal now.
Yes. I have had several reoccurrences since I was released from the hospital. I took 3 Rounds of FMT Pills by mouth which were supposed to Re-Colonize my Colon. They failed. My Infectious Disease Dr finally , on 1-30-2023, sent me to the Hospital where a Gastroenterologist performed a FMT (Fecal Matter Transplant) via the Colonoscopy type route. So far so good. So this is why I am so cautious about Antibiotics.
Since you haven't had a reoccurence in several years, you could possibly be out of the woods in regards to taking Antibiotics . But if I were you I would still run it by your surgeon's follow-up staff to get some input from Mayo infectious disease experts, as you said.
I am in Alabama so I'm sorry I wouldn't be able to recommend a Gastro Dr.
Take good care.

Thank you again for your replies.
I sympathize with your situation. That is most difficult. I have read about such cases and have been terrorized.
I only had a HUGE DIARRHEA, went to the hospital 3 days later and spent a week in a private room overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. I thought "And Medicare pays for this? They did and I have very good Medigap insurance also.

I know about fecal transplant. One needs a close relative???
I am wondering if I had a different strain of C-diff.-perhaps weaker than today - so the ten days of Vancomycin did the trick, and I had no reoccurrences.
They now talk about how certain infections are more resistant to antibiotics because Doctors prescribed them unnecessarily. (How many people got it from Dentist prescription of antibiotics!!!!- My dentist sent me flowers after).
But I have googled and googled and not found any reporting on probability of having a C-diff outbreak when taking an antibiotic many years after the last outbreak. One would think someone is collecting such data. A life without antibiotics could be a problem. Of course, I am now almost 12 years older and have lung cancer which means my immune system is also weaker. So now my risk is greater.

Well I found some info to my own question.
..."Once you have a C. diff infection, you may continue to have some detectable level of C. diff bacteria that live within the gut, which may never completely go away"
Here is link to article.
https://www.verywellhealth.com/how-to-prevent-c-diff-from-recurring-5219499.

Yea that must have been a pretty sweet gig in a private room overlooking the Gulf of Mexico! lol!

My transplant wasn't from a Relative but was (hopefully) screened carefully by the Hospital.
That's what they told me anyway! Its great you have had no reoccurrences in 12 years! you may well be in the clear to take Antibiotics. I'm very sorry to hear about your lung cancer. I wish you all the best!

I had a LOT of Upper Respiratory Infections growing up and all the Doctors around here anyway would give a Shot of Abx and writr a RX for you to take at home. I wish now I had toughed it out on a lot of sore throats, etc, knowing what I know now!! But, as you said, a life without any antibiotics at all would be a tough road to travel.

I'm sorry, I was evidently writing message when you sent your last one. Very interesting article in the Link! I guess im in the 60-65% Reccurrence Range! Hopefully you're in the 10-20% Range, but it does mention Cancer or other illnesses that lower your immune system can put us at a higher risk for reoccurrence.

You take care and we'll do our very best to steer clear of that Beast known as Cdiff!

you too...I will let you know the final result to this story