1. < Digestive Health

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

Posted by acres @acres, Apr 12, 2016

I am trying to recover from a c.diff infection. This started with taking clindamycin in mid January and 3 days later I became ill with diarrhea and felt sick, loss of appetite etc...Went to the er twice, tested negative for c.diff on my 2nd visit. The Dr. told me to take imodium to rest my colon since I tested negative. That evening I had diarrhea and took the Imodium. Became constipated with pain lower right side. I went to a GI dr. pleading for help, I did another stool test and it came back positive for c.diff. I tried flagyl but could not tolerate the side effects. Tried vancomycin for 10 days. Did not work. Tested positive again, Went to a new gi doctor who prescribed dificid for ten days. I am 31 days post dificid and I have almost constant gut rumbling and urge to go. My 1st bm in the morning is usually semi normal, but after that they are always either pencil thin and or small pieces (2 to 5 times a day). This has been my routine since the vancomycin. I do not get dull blown diarrhea..... My dr. wants me to have a colonoscopy but I an scared that the cleansing will wipe out all my good flora. I currently take 2 florastor pills and 1/2 vsl3 per day. I eat fermented pickles for the probiotics as well..... I have many food intolerances since this whole mess began (fiber, many vegatables, dairy). I also have a strange taste in my mouth most of the time, have very little energy and fight with depression. My primary gave me Xanax .25 but I only take them at night when I cannot sleep...... Went to a nutritionist who put me on a no wheat, soy, dairy, gluten diet. Does not seem to be helping or hurting. I lost 20 pounds and cannot gain any weight (I weigh 120 at 5'7")... I am thinking it might be sibo, or candida but cannot find a dr. to test for these....I am in the right place for help or advice ? The urge to go is awful and limits my once active lifestyle.....
Thank you, Scott

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mhi | @mhi | Mar 7, 2021
In reply to @dilly69 "Hi, l'm just weaned off vanco for the 4th., time. No more diarrhea but feel weak..." + (show)
@dilly69

Hi, l'm just weaned off vanco for the 4th., time. No more diarrhea but feel weak and nauseous most days. I'm going to an internist tomorrow to talk over issues. Does everybody feel weak for quite some time?

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I took me at least 4 month of feeling weak and up until this day I struggle and I do have nausea as well still sometimes. Stay strong and please keep us posted what the internist will say!!

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1 reply
ngorman25 | @ngorman25 | Mar 7, 2021
In reply to @mhi "Great I will do the same will try to go on their website and order it!..." + (show)
@mhi

Great I will do the same will try to go on their website and order it! Thank you!!

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@mhi Glad to be of assistance! Let me know how you make out.

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dilly69 | @dilly69 | Mar 7, 2021
In reply to @mhi "I took me at least 4 month of feeling weak and up until this day I..." + (show)
@mhi

I took me at least 4 month of feeling weak and up until this day I struggle and I do have nausea as well still sometimes. Stay strong and please keep us posted what the internist will say!!

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I sure will let you all know. Mostly have fissures that l'm talking to him about.

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ngorman25 | @ngorman25 | Mar 7, 2021
In reply to @dilly69 "Hi, l'm just weaned off vanco for the 4th., time. No more diarrhea but feel weak..." + (show)
@dilly69

Hi, l'm just weaned off vanco for the 4th., time. No more diarrhea but feel weak and nauseous most days. I'm going to an internist tomorrow to talk over issues. Does everybody feel weak for quite some time?

Jump to this post

@dilly69 I have to say that once I got the fmt, I really started to feel like myself. I was tired of vancomycin and worried what effects it might have on my system. Hope this helps! Ask me anything.

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baz10 | @baz10 | Mar 7, 2021
In reply to @lacy2 "@concerned mtn mom When I had c.diff on top of ibs-b and overprescribed antibiotics, my doctor..." + (show)
@lacy2

@concerned mtn mom When I had c.diff on top of ibs-b and overprescribed antibiotics, my doctor said I could use Imodium; pharmacist said no. We again abit later asked my doctor who again said yes; pharmacist said no. And the answer really is , as your dr said, NO. I ended up not taking anything and had no guidance from dr. it was a rough summer, lost 15 lbs and physically and mentally drained.. and I hear about or read about some who have c.diff and are "over it" reasonably quickly....and am wondering why. Now I have fecal incontinence but at least can take Imodium. Because Ihave so many odd reactins to many meds I was too scared to take anything suggewted.

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Hello to all who are going through the difficult illness of C-Diff. I had it several years ago and my doc was giving me meds to stop the loose stools which is a NO! NO! and a doc friend of mine ordered a stool lab and diagnosed the c-diff. She told me to drink plenty of gator ade or pedialite, eat yogurt and she ordered vancomycin which did the trick, but it took my system about 6 months to recover from the weakness, so hang in there and try the liquids and yogurt, the best yogurt would be the natural kind but any will suffice! Blessings to all. Also use a good disenfectant to do your laundry. Baz10

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Valerie | @lacy2 | Mar 8, 2021
In reply to @dilly69 "Hi, l'm just weaned off vanco for the 4th., time. No more diarrhea but feel weak..." + (show)
@dilly69

Hi, l'm just weaned off vanco for the 4th., time. No more diarrhea but feel weak and nauseous most days. I'm going to an internist tomorrow to talk over issues. Does everybody feel weak for quite some time?

Jump to this post

@dilly69 Hello again. Yes I have had no (former) energy since C.Diff 2018...long time... had full blood count last week and all seems ok (walk-in clinic dr.)... hope you get some answers from your GP today.... I now have to summon up strength to make a sandwich... but who knows if its anything to do with the actual illness or the many meds? Take care, J.

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2 replies
dilly69 | @dilly69 | Mar 8, 2021
In reply to @lacy2 "@dilly69 Hello again. Yes I have had no (former) energy since C.Diff 2018...long time... had full..." + (show)
@lacy2

@dilly69 Hello again. Yes I have had no (former) energy since C.Diff 2018...long time... had full blood count last week and all seems ok (walk-in clinic dr.)... hope you get some answers from your GP today.... I now have to summon up strength to make a sandwich... but who knows if its anything to do with the actual illness or the many meds? Take care, J.

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I'll reply after doc appointment. I'm doing 30 minutes walking a day or working in garden and hoping things will pick up

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dilly69 | @dilly69 | Mar 8, 2021
In reply to @lacy2 "@dilly69 Hello again. Yes I have had no (former) energy since C.Diff 2018...long time... had full..." + (show)
@lacy2

@dilly69 Hello again. Yes I have had no (former) energy since C.Diff 2018...long time... had full blood count last week and all seems ok (walk-in clinic dr.)... hope you get some answers from your GP today.... I now have to summon up strength to make a sandwich... but who knows if its anything to do with the actual illness or the many meds? Take care, J.

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Hi, so saw the Internist today. The results; when the C Diff was at it's worse, l developed fissures from such violent diarrhea. So he prescribed this gel that l squirt in my butt and it stops the Anal canal from opening to far and enables the fissures to heal.
Apparently it burns a bit when you first use it but it has to be better than the pain of trying to have a bowel movement.
Will let you know how it works

REPLY
2 replies
mhi | @mhi | Mar 8, 2021
In reply to @dilly69 "Hi, so saw the Internist today. The results; when the C Diff was at it's worse,..." + (show)
@dilly69

Hi, so saw the Internist today. The results; when the C Diff was at it's worse, l developed fissures from such violent diarrhea. So he prescribed this gel that l squirt in my butt and it stops the Anal canal from opening to far and enables the fissures to heal.
Apparently it burns a bit when you first use it but it has to be better than the pain of trying to have a bowel movement.
Will let you know how it works

Jump to this post

Glad he prescribed something and hope it helps you... good look with your recovery and hope you will continue improving. May God bless! Keep us posted!

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ngorman25 | @ngorman25 | Mar 8, 2021
In reply to @dilly69 "Hi, so saw the Internist today. The results; when the C Diff was at it's worse,..." + (show)
@dilly69

Hi, so saw the Internist today. The results; when the C Diff was at it's worse, l developed fissures from such violent diarrhea. So he prescribed this gel that l squirt in my butt and it stops the Anal canal from opening to far and enables the fissures to heal.
Apparently it burns a bit when you first use it but it has to be better than the pain of trying to have a bowel movement.
Will let you know how it works

Jump to this post

@dilly69 I so hope this works for you! Keeping you in my prayers. Keep us posted.

REPLY
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