Trying to recover from a c. diff infection (Clostridium difficile)

Since you mentioned dietary issues I am dropping this prepared note into the chain. You may take it for what it is worth or simply delete. If you would like more information I can explain what I did (lots of phone calls and food logs ); you may write me directly if you want any of the back story.

My Symptoms – vomiting, nausea, achy stomach, bloat, weakness. Trouble talking, thinking, listening. Pain in left shoulder. All symptoms started slowly and slowly resolved after vomiting at the three to four hour mark. Had asthma as a child. Recent problems started 3 – 4 years ago. I am in very late middle age. Average weight. My symptoms are almost completely under control now and I can look back and figure what I did wrong and remember for next time.
Medical - Had “every test.” GI doctor finally told me to just “avoid trigger foods.”Problem: Couldn’t figure out what trigger foods were. Turned out the problem for me was the preservatives IN the food
Solution: avoid preservatives, especially sulphites which are rarely labeled. I am ever vigilant. Note: If I do happen to eat too much or the wrong thing it sometimes helps to stand up, walk around, take a shower, take deep breaths. Sometimes.

What I Can Eat

Beef, organic chicken, eggs, food after removing skins (apple, avocado, watermelon, etc) canned tuna, maybe lamb. Salad bar items not otherwise excluded. Also yogurt, milk, cheese, fresh fruits and veggies (limited quantities), ice cream (yay). Also cookies, cake – all that stuff you want to keep away from. I ask for a cheese plate for dessert . One – two tablespoons of just about anything. Most food in Europe or Africa. TV dinners – Swanson’s Hungry Man, Amy’s Organic. Always small meals and snacks. Sips of liquids at meals only. Between meals, fine. (I have only ever drunk water or coffee, don’t know about other liquids.) Am never hungry and amazingly have lost some weight.

What I Can NOT Eat

Marinated beef, NON organic chicken, PORK!, most seafood. Canned or frozen or otherwise preserved fruits or veggies or potatoes. Eggs that pour from a carton. Cruciferous vegetables (sort of figured this out) – even fresh. Any of these things that come in a package (note: this is a simple question to ask in a restaurant –“is ______fresh or does it come to you in a bag or is it frozen from another location?) Canned food (except tuna), boil in bag rice, large meals, Worcester Sauce (the worst!). Meal kits (especially Blue Apron). Spicy or fried foods. Large amounts of water or coffee – 8 oz or so – at meals. Wine. Don’t know about other alcoholic beverages. My list could be much longer; I have enough food to satisfy me with my “Can Eat” list. You will want to make you own list.

Again, you may write me directly if you want any of the back story.

Also, this is my 3rd. Time having C-Difficile. Cannot take much of anything I have Bile reflux after loosing my Gallbladder and Gastritis and having a Hiatal Hetnia. I get the C-Difficile In my Stomach first, terrible pain on left side like a fist punched me in my stomach area, then rumbling comes on full force. Horrid pain! Extreme fatigue, tachycardia when I sleep and awake for even 1 hour. Taking Florastar, #VSL 3, L. Rhaminosus, Bio-K, Natren...nothing is helping. On last ER visits with the C-Difficile they did not believe I had C-Difficile because I do not have Diarrhea. Been severely ill for 2+ years! I also have a Fractured Spine that was finally discovered in September of 2018, original MRI was misdiagnosed as a herniated disk 2+ years ago now! PCP never informed me of a X- Ray that showed my Fractured Spine in August of 2017. Have been misdiagnosed with my Uterine Fibroid for well over a year now with all sorts of other issues...I have had to see over 15+ Physicians and 7 ER visits, 4 CT with No dyes, until the December visit at the hospital they did the CT with contrast dye and it showed 1-large fibroid.

@tina1125 I finished the Deficid for my 4th bout of Cdiff just one month ago. It hit me the hardest of all four and I lost 10 pounds during the first two weeks with it. And unfortunately, the first week the test came back negative so I had to go for almost 2 weeks before the test was positive for Cdiff. But during the past month, I've put almost all the weight back on. I wish I could keep it off and take off another 30 or 40 pounds. I'm sorry to hear you continue to lose weight plus muscle tone. I wouldn't wish Cdiff on my worst enemy. And I've never paid so much attention to BM's. 🙂

Am I the only that has gained weight during my 8 month or so bout of C-diff, it did not get diagnosed until this week, but I've been battling diarrhea every day but I feel like my stomach has this hole in it and I'm just starving all the time. I'm currently on Vanco - 2 days in and my bloating is better, but still not great and I'm still starving!

Had c diff, after taking clindamycin, was treated with flagyl which cleared up the c diff, however still had intestinal & bowel problems. Everything returned to normal after taking prescription anti fungal diflucan twice, one week apart. Doing great.
Note: bowels had not been quite right for about three months prior to taking clindamycin.

@breed28 Hi! So sorry to hear about your daughter’s CDiff Infection! It is horrible on the patient and on us, as parents! Since my post on Mayo, I researched and finally found a wonderful doctor for my son. Her name is Dr. Keta Vaidya and she is at Digestive Disease Center in Huntsville, AL. My son had already taken a round of Flagyl (which made him sicker than the actual C Diff), and he took Vancomycin next which offered temporary results. On Dec. 21, my son had a Fecal Microbia Transplant at Huntsville Hospital by Dr. Vaidya. It was simple, hassle-free, pain-free for him and was an immediate answered prayer!! After recovering for about an hour (to let the new, healthy feces absorb into his colon and redistributing good flora bacteria, he was a different child! His smile came back immediately and he even ate a steak dinner on our way home! He has not had one C Diff symptom since. Now, he is working on weight gain. He lost 40 lbs in about 8 weeks so he has a road ahead but is great! Please consider Dr. Vaidya. She is remarkable! Best wishes and thank you for your inquiry. Prayers that your daughter feels better quickly! This disease is not to be taken lightly. Let me know if I can help.