Where to turn? Gastritis, Pancreatitis, IBS-C, diverticulitis, c-diff

Hello.
I am a male, lifelong vegetarian, and 55 years old. Last July, I was diagnosed with diverticulitis, for the third time in 19 years. I was put on Augmentin to treat it. Within two days the diarrhea started and I ended up in the ER about 4 days later. The ER doc thought that I may have developed CDIFF because of the Augmentin. I was taken off this med right away and tested for cdiff, then sent home. The following morning, I got the results that I had cdiff and went back to the ER. They then gave me Vancomyacin. It worked and my diarrhea stopped.

However, a week after I finished the vanco treatment, the diarrhea started again and I went to urgent care. Again, tested positive for Cdiff and I went back on Vancomyacin. This worked, but for two more weeks, I had nausea, off and on diarrhea, and severe acid reflux. The reflux was so awful I thought my chest was on fire and I had to take an ambulance to the ER. They gave me esophagus coating medication which took a few days to work. I could not take a real acid reflux medication because that could increase the chances of Cdiff coming back. I also then had an upper GI and all was normal.

I did see several times an outstanding GI specialist who reassured me that I am okay and that it would take months for my gut to heal from the cdiff. I was also diagnosed with chronic IBS-D and this will never go away. There are certain foods I can never eat again and I am trying to go full vegan with the exception of lactose free yogurt and lactose free cheese. He also recommended a probiotic called Florastor that has real clinical research behind it. It is expensive but I started taking it and I really felt better. I did have the occasional bout with diarrhea if I was not careful with my diet.

In March of this year, I had a really bad bout of IBS D and this time they ran a Fecal Calprotectin test to check inflammation in my gut. Test results were normal.

Last Thursday and Friday morning, I had 6 very dark, watery bowel movements between 10pm and 7am. This freaked me out and I ran to urgent care. They ran very detailed stool panel. All results were normal except that they detected cdiff again. I went back in and they told me that I will probably always test positive for Cdiff going forward but as long as I don't have massive, watery diarrhea, the infection is not present...just the germ.

This is what the CDC site also says. People who get a formal diagnosis of Cdiff will always carry the bacteria though have no formal symptoms. Since last Friday, I have have not had any massive watery diarrhea and deal with my "normal" bouts of IBS. No fever, some random pains here and the in my abdomen which I have had for many years.

Finally, I can tell you that I may have anywhere from 2-4 bowel movements a day. At least 2-3 before noon and maybe one in the afternoon. During flare up weeks, I can have up 5-6 movements. My GI doc, who I really like and trust ( very patient, knowledgeable, and a great communicator) states that this is basically my IBS flaring up randomly. During my bout with diverticulitis and Cdiff last summer, I lost over 15 pounds in two months. All blood tests were normal and my doctors told me that I was at my healthy weight and should try to maintain it instead of gaining at all back.

Very frustrating and depressing. I literally avoid going out anywhere in the morning as I need to be near a clean toilet...which is basically my home.

Any thoughts or similar experiences?

Thank you for reading.

Hello.
I am a male, lifelong vegetarian, and 55 years old. Last July, I was diagnosed with diverticulitis, for the third time in 19 years. I was put on Augmentin to treat it. Within two days the diarrhea started and I ended up in the ER about 4 days later. The ER doc thought that I may have developed CDIFF because of the Augmentin. I was taken off this med right away and tested for cdiff, then sent home. The following morning, I got the results that I had cdiff and went back to the ER. They then gave me Vancomyacin. It worked and my diarrhea stopped.

However, a week after I finished the vanco treatment, the diarrhea started again and I went to urgent care. Again, tested positive for Cdiff and I went back on Vancomyacin. This worked, but for two more weeks, I had nausea, off and on diarrhea, and severe acid reflux. The reflux was so awful I thought my chest was on fire and I had to take an ambulance to the ER. They gave me esophagus coating medication which took a few days to work. I could not take a real acid reflux medication because that could increase the chances of Cdiff coming back. I also then had an upper GI and all was normal.

I did see several times an outstanding GI specialist who reassured me that I am okay and that it would take months for my gut to heal from the cdiff. I was also diagnosed with chronic IBS-D and this will never go away. There are certain foods I can never eat again and I am trying to go full vegan with the exception of lactose free yogurt and lactose free cheese. He also recommended a probiotic called Florastor that has real clinical research behind it. It is expensive but I started taking it and I really felt better. I did have the occasional bout with diarrhea if I was not careful with my diet.

In March of this year, I had a really bad bout of IBS D and this time they ran a Fecal Calprotectin test to check inflammation in my gut. Test results were normal.

Last Thursday and Friday morning, I had 6 very dark, watery bowel movements between 10pm and 7am. This freaked me out and I ran to urgent care. They ran very detailed stool panel. All results were normal except that they detected cdiff again. I went back in and they told me that I will probably always test positive for Cdiff going forward but as long as I don't have massive, watery diarrhea, the infection is not present...just the germ.

This is what the CDC site also says. People who get a formal diagnosis of Cdiff will always carry the bacteria though have no formal symptoms. Since last Friday, I have have not had any massive watery diarrhea and deal with my "normal" bouts of IBS. No fever, some random pains here and the in my abdomen which I have had for many years.

Finally, I can tell you that I may have anywhere from 2-4 bowel movements a day. At least 2-3 before noon and maybe one in the afternoon. During flare up weeks, I can have up 5-6 movements. My GI doc, who I really like and trust ( very patient, knowledgeable, and a great communicator) states that this is basically my IBS flaring up randomly. During my bout with diverticulitis and Cdiff last summer, I lost over 15 pounds in two months. All blood tests were normal and my doctors told me that I was at my healthy weight and should try to maintain it instead of gaining at all back.

Very frustrating and depressing. I literally avoid going out anywhere in the morning as I need to be near a clean toilet...which is basically my home.

Any thoughts or similar experiences?

Thank you for reading.

Hello Scolio
I love oatmeal and I do eat it on a regular basis.

RR

Hi, RR-- I was wondering how long you've been taking the probiotic and whether you notice any difference so far?
This is very much third-hand information, but a neighbor's friend had some good results by researching and taking some probiotics after a cdiff diagnosis. I don't know exactly what she used or on what kind of schedule but I got the impression that she switched around between different formulas/brands. I think it took quite a while, too.
If you are hoping that cutting back on gluten could be helpful, have you ever looked into other grains such as millet, teff, amaranth grain, quinoa, and kasha/buckwheat? I have used each of these in different ways, including cooking together with oatmeal.
Did you say beans/lentils have been causing you problems lately? How do you do with green vegetables, starchy vegetables, and with fruit?
Another second-hand tip is that supplementing with small amounts of psyllium may sometimes be helpful for ibs-d.

Also here is a thread about pvcs

whttps://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/which-form-of-magnesium-for-pvcs-taurate-glycinate/

Hello.
I am a male, lifelong vegetarian, and 55 years old. Last July, I was diagnosed with diverticulitis, for the third time in 19 years. I was put on Augmentin to treat it. Within two days the diarrhea started and I ended up in the ER about 4 days later. The ER doc thought that I may have developed CDIFF because of the Augmentin. I was taken off this med right away and tested for cdiff, then sent home. The following morning, I got the results that I had cdiff and went back to the ER. They then gave me Vancomyacin. It worked and my diarrhea stopped.

However, a week after I finished the vanco treatment, the diarrhea started again and I went to urgent care. Again, tested positive for Cdiff and I went back on Vancomyacin. This worked, but for two more weeks, I had nausea, off and on diarrhea, and severe acid reflux. The reflux was so awful I thought my chest was on fire and I had to take an ambulance to the ER. They gave me esophagus coating medication which took a few days to work. I could not take a real acid reflux medication because that could increase the chances of Cdiff coming back. I also then had an upper GI and all was normal.

I did see several times an outstanding GI specialist who reassured me that I am okay and that it would take months for my gut to heal from the cdiff. I was also diagnosed with chronic IBS-D and this will never go away. There are certain foods I can never eat again and I am trying to go full vegan with the exception of lactose free yogurt and lactose free cheese. He also recommended a probiotic called Florastor that has real clinical research behind it. It is expensive but I started taking it and I really felt better. I did have the occasional bout with diarrhea if I was not careful with my diet.

In March of this year, I had a really bad bout of IBS D and this time they ran a Fecal Calprotectin test to check inflammation in my gut. Test results were normal.

Last Thursday and Friday morning, I had 6 very dark, watery bowel movements between 10pm and 7am. This freaked me out and I ran to urgent care. They ran very detailed stool panel. All results were normal except that they detected cdiff again. I went back in and they told me that I will probably always test positive for Cdiff going forward but as long as I don't have massive, watery diarrhea, the infection is not present...just the germ.

This is what the CDC site also says. People who get a formal diagnosis of Cdiff will always carry the bacteria though have no formal symptoms. Since last Friday, I have have not had any massive watery diarrhea and deal with my "normal" bouts of IBS. No fever, some random pains here and the in my abdomen which I have had for many years.

Finally, I can tell you that I may have anywhere from 2-4 bowel movements a day. At least 2-3 before noon and maybe one in the afternoon. During flare up weeks, I can have up 5-6 movements. My GI doc, who I really like and trust ( very patient, knowledgeable, and a great communicator) states that this is basically my IBS flaring up randomly. During my bout with diverticulitis and Cdiff last summer, I lost over 15 pounds in two months. All blood tests were normal and my doctors told me that I was at my healthy weight and should try to maintain it instead of gaining at all back.

Very frustrating and depressing. I literally avoid going out anywhere in the morning as I need to be near a clean toilet...which is basically my home.

Any thoughts or similar experiences?

Thank you for reading.

Hello Colleen
Thank you for the links and the feedback. I have tried the Fodmap diet. It is difficult for me to do long term being a vegetarian and trying to go vegan. Some of the foods that I love ( broccoli, beans, chickpeas) I am supposed to avoid. I am trying CBT to reduce stress and anxiety and I do see a therapist. I have now completely cut out decaf coffee and have stopped drinking beer or wine ( I only drank a couple of beers or a couple of glasses of wine with my wife once or twice a week anyway).
Thank you!
RR

Hello.
I am a male, lifelong vegetarian, and 55 years old. Last July, I was diagnosed with diverticulitis, for the third time in 19 years. I was put on Augmentin to treat it. Within two days the diarrhea started and I ended up in the ER about 4 days later. The ER doc thought that I may have developed CDIFF because of the Augmentin. I was taken off this med right away and tested for cdiff, then sent home. The following morning, I got the results that I had cdiff and went back to the ER. They then gave me Vancomyacin. It worked and my diarrhea stopped.

However, a week after I finished the vanco treatment, the diarrhea started again and I went to urgent care. Again, tested positive for Cdiff and I went back on Vancomyacin. This worked, but for two more weeks, I had nausea, off and on diarrhea, and severe acid reflux. The reflux was so awful I thought my chest was on fire and I had to take an ambulance to the ER. They gave me esophagus coating medication which took a few days to work. I could not take a real acid reflux medication because that could increase the chances of Cdiff coming back. I also then had an upper GI and all was normal.

I did see several times an outstanding GI specialist who reassured me that I am okay and that it would take months for my gut to heal from the cdiff. I was also diagnosed with chronic IBS-D and this will never go away. There are certain foods I can never eat again and I am trying to go full vegan with the exception of lactose free yogurt and lactose free cheese. He also recommended a probiotic called Florastor that has real clinical research behind it. It is expensive but I started taking it and I really felt better. I did have the occasional bout with diarrhea if I was not careful with my diet.

In March of this year, I had a really bad bout of IBS D and this time they ran a Fecal Calprotectin test to check inflammation in my gut. Test results were normal.

Last Thursday and Friday morning, I had 6 very dark, watery bowel movements between 10pm and 7am. This freaked me out and I ran to urgent care. They ran very detailed stool panel. All results were normal except that they detected cdiff again. I went back in and they told me that I will probably always test positive for Cdiff going forward but as long as I don't have massive, watery diarrhea, the infection is not present...just the germ.

This is what the CDC site also says. People who get a formal diagnosis of Cdiff will always carry the bacteria though have no formal symptoms. Since last Friday, I have have not had any massive watery diarrhea and deal with my "normal" bouts of IBS. No fever, some random pains here and the in my abdomen which I have had for many years.

Finally, I can tell you that I may have anywhere from 2-4 bowel movements a day. At least 2-3 before noon and maybe one in the afternoon. During flare up weeks, I can have up 5-6 movements. My GI doc, who I really like and trust ( very patient, knowledgeable, and a great communicator) states that this is basically my IBS flaring up randomly. During my bout with diverticulitis and Cdiff last summer, I lost over 15 pounds in two months. All blood tests were normal and my doctors told me that I was at my healthy weight and should try to maintain it instead of gaining at all back.

Very frustrating and depressing. I literally avoid going out anywhere in the morning as I need to be near a clean toilet...which is basically my home.

Any thoughts or similar experiences?

Thank you for reading.

Hi Scolio
Thank you for the message and the information.

I have been taking probiotics for years, but then I switched to the Florastor probiotic last summer once I received my Cdiff diagnosis, based on the recommendation by my gastro doc. It does have clinical proven research. I have tried different grains and I have no problem with them. It is only tapioca that causes me issues. I eat a lot of spinach, kale, bananas, and strawberries. I did take psyllium husk for years and then my GI recommended that I try Citrucell fiber instead...I guess it works better in your system.

I now know that I cannot do decaf coffee anymore...the bowels movements are significantly more in a very short time. I made the mistake of having a decaff, dairy free latte on Saturday morning and I have 4 bowel movements in the first three hours. I then had to take a medication called Hycosiamine to stop the movements and I was fine all day yesterday. Even a couple of pieces of chocolate will set off my IBS.

RR

Hello.
I am a male, lifelong vegetarian, and 55 years old. Last July, I was diagnosed with diverticulitis, for the third time in 19 years. I was put on Augmentin to treat it. Within two days the diarrhea started and I ended up in the ER about 4 days later. The ER doc thought that I may have developed CDIFF because of the Augmentin. I was taken off this med right away and tested for cdiff, then sent home. The following morning, I got the results that I had cdiff and went back to the ER. They then gave me Vancomyacin. It worked and my diarrhea stopped.

However, a week after I finished the vanco treatment, the diarrhea started again and I went to urgent care. Again, tested positive for Cdiff and I went back on Vancomyacin. This worked, but for two more weeks, I had nausea, off and on diarrhea, and severe acid reflux. The reflux was so awful I thought my chest was on fire and I had to take an ambulance to the ER. They gave me esophagus coating medication which took a few days to work. I could not take a real acid reflux medication because that could increase the chances of Cdiff coming back. I also then had an upper GI and all was normal.

I did see several times an outstanding GI specialist who reassured me that I am okay and that it would take months for my gut to heal from the cdiff. I was also diagnosed with chronic IBS-D and this will never go away. There are certain foods I can never eat again and I am trying to go full vegan with the exception of lactose free yogurt and lactose free cheese. He also recommended a probiotic called Florastor that has real clinical research behind it. It is expensive but I started taking it and I really felt better. I did have the occasional bout with diarrhea if I was not careful with my diet.

In March of this year, I had a really bad bout of IBS D and this time they ran a Fecal Calprotectin test to check inflammation in my gut. Test results were normal.

Last Thursday and Friday morning, I had 6 very dark, watery bowel movements between 10pm and 7am. This freaked me out and I ran to urgent care. They ran very detailed stool panel. All results were normal except that they detected cdiff again. I went back in and they told me that I will probably always test positive for Cdiff going forward but as long as I don't have massive, watery diarrhea, the infection is not present...just the germ.

This is what the CDC site also says. People who get a formal diagnosis of Cdiff will always carry the bacteria though have no formal symptoms. Since last Friday, I have have not had any massive watery diarrhea and deal with my "normal" bouts of IBS. No fever, some random pains here and the in my abdomen which I have had for many years.

Finally, I can tell you that I may have anywhere from 2-4 bowel movements a day. At least 2-3 before noon and maybe one in the afternoon. During flare up weeks, I can have up 5-6 movements. My GI doc, who I really like and trust ( very patient, knowledgeable, and a great communicator) states that this is basically my IBS flaring up randomly. During my bout with diverticulitis and Cdiff last summer, I lost over 15 pounds in two months. All blood tests were normal and my doctors told me that I was at my healthy weight and should try to maintain it instead of gaining at all back.

Very frustrating and depressing. I literally avoid going out anywhere in the morning as I need to be near a clean toilet...which is basically my home.

Any thoughts or similar experiences?

Thank you for reading.

Hello.
I am a male, lifelong vegetarian, and 55 years old. Last July, I was diagnosed with diverticulitis, for the third time in 19 years. I was put on Augmentin to treat it. Within two days the diarrhea started and I ended up in the ER about 4 days later. The ER doc thought that I may have developed CDIFF because of the Augmentin. I was taken off this med right away and tested for cdiff, then sent home. The following morning, I got the results that I had cdiff and went back to the ER. They then gave me Vancomyacin. It worked and my diarrhea stopped.

However, a week after I finished the vanco treatment, the diarrhea started again and I went to urgent care. Again, tested positive for Cdiff and I went back on Vancomyacin. This worked, but for two more weeks, I had nausea, off and on diarrhea, and severe acid reflux. The reflux was so awful I thought my chest was on fire and I had to take an ambulance to the ER. They gave me esophagus coating medication which took a few days to work. I could not take a real acid reflux medication because that could increase the chances of Cdiff coming back. I also then had an upper GI and all was normal.

I did see several times an outstanding GI specialist who reassured me that I am okay and that it would take months for my gut to heal from the cdiff. I was also diagnosed with chronic IBS-D and this will never go away. There are certain foods I can never eat again and I am trying to go full vegan with the exception of lactose free yogurt and lactose free cheese. He also recommended a probiotic called Florastor that has real clinical research behind it. It is expensive but I started taking it and I really felt better. I did have the occasional bout with diarrhea if I was not careful with my diet.

In March of this year, I had a really bad bout of IBS D and this time they ran a Fecal Calprotectin test to check inflammation in my gut. Test results were normal.

Last Thursday and Friday morning, I had 6 very dark, watery bowel movements between 10pm and 7am. This freaked me out and I ran to urgent care. They ran very detailed stool panel. All results were normal except that they detected cdiff again. I went back in and they told me that I will probably always test positive for Cdiff going forward but as long as I don't have massive, watery diarrhea, the infection is not present...just the germ.

This is what the CDC site also says. People who get a formal diagnosis of Cdiff will always carry the bacteria though have no formal symptoms. Since last Friday, I have have not had any massive watery diarrhea and deal with my "normal" bouts of IBS. No fever, some random pains here and the in my abdomen which I have had for many years.

Finally, I can tell you that I may have anywhere from 2-4 bowel movements a day. At least 2-3 before noon and maybe one in the afternoon. During flare up weeks, I can have up 5-6 movements. My GI doc, who I really like and trust ( very patient, knowledgeable, and a great communicator) states that this is basically my IBS flaring up randomly. During my bout with diverticulitis and Cdiff last summer, I lost over 15 pounds in two months. All blood tests were normal and my doctors told me that I was at my healthy weight and should try to maintain it instead of gaining at all back.

Very frustrating and depressing. I literally avoid going out anywhere in the morning as I need to be near a clean toilet...which is basically my home.

Any thoughts or similar experiences?

Thank you for reading.