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Is my C. Difficile gone? Fecal smell is different from IBS.
Hi, I 'm new here. I have a question about whether my C. Diff. is gone or not. I have had IBS for 10 years and the symptoms are the same except my C. Diff stool has a sickening sweet smell still. I was diagnosed with C. Diff on 1-28-22 and my GI doc started me on Flagyl (metronidazole) for 14 days. After 11 days, the cramping had stopped, but I still had diarrhea with belly distension and smelly stool so I called my GI doc and he ordered Vancomycin 250 mg 4 times a day for 14 days. I started the Vanco on 2-11-22 and am now on the 10th day of that. I had a couple of days where my first stool of the day was formed but the 4 movements afterward were diarrhea. Today, I'm back to very loose stools all morning. So basically, I've been on antibiotics for 3 weeks and have morning diarrhea with that sickening sweet smell. Usually, with my IBS, the diarrhea would stop by noon and I was fine the rest of the day until the next morning, but my stool was not that sickening sweet smell. My IBS always vacillated between diarrhea and constipation so I'm wondering if I still have the C. Diff. since now, I'm done with the diarrhea by 11 am, but my diarrhea still has that sickening smell. Anybody else experienced anything like this?
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Welcome @p95,
I think you might appreciate these related discussions:
- C. difficile – Are your guts ever normal again?
- Living with High-Risk C-Diff and Preventing Re-Infection
- What happens after C.Difficile? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/what-happens-after-c-diff/
@ngorman25 @foxx67 @mhi @jond @cece55 @ken82 @woogie @minge @sue6408 @snail may be able to share experiences with you.
You could ask your doctor to test for the bacterial toxins in a stool sample to determine whether you still have the c difficile bacterial infection. Have you talked with your GI specialist about how to distinguish between IBS and C difficile?
Good morning. I recently had a bout of C Diff. I have UC for the past 18 years. There is definitely a different smell between the two. With the loose stools it could be from the high doses of antibiotics that your taking. Definitely speak with your GI DR. Best of luck.
Thank you!
I too am currently on Vanco same dosage 250mg 14 days. This is my first reoccurrence after initial diagnosis 12/8. I was on Vanco then Dificid initially. Am devastated that it has come back even tho this episode has not been as bad as first. I am 73, female and never experienced anything this awful. I feel sure this will come back again based on the odds. Feeling like FMT is my last hope. My GI has had 100% success rate with it but wants to wait till 3rd reoccurrence. Don’t know if I can do this again and not sure why I have to wait. Anyone have experience with that?
@p95 - I have IBS but am not n antibiotics - and have the same problem as you do: normal first bowel movement and one or two diarrheal movements within the next couple of hours - all (including the first) accompanied by cramping pains (feel like labour pain each time!) then I am okay the rest of the day. No abnormal smell, though.
All good thoughts. Thanks. I try those suggestions.
Wondering if the Vancomycin failed and that's why they put you on the Dificid. Is that correct. I'm on my 3 round of antibiotics; i.e., 1st 14 days on Flagyl, 2nd 14 days on Vancomycin and started a 3rd round of Vancomycin that I'm now on day 6 of 14 and it still hasn't stopped the diarrhea and that tell-tale smell. Did the Dificid work for you?
My first round of Vanco did not work so tried the Dificid. It obviously did not get it all even tho I felt normal again for about 4-6 weeks except for 1x daily stool that was never “normal”. Was formed but fell apart upon flushing and looked feathery is the only way I know how to describe it. And I would have to go as soon as my feet hit the floor every morning but since it was only once per day, I thought it would just take time to get back to a normal texture, and solid stool. That never happened. I think the Dificid knocked it back but didn’t kill all of it and it just simmered and grew again. Then began 2-3 trips to toilet for a couple days while experiencing that same extreme fatigue and overall sick feeling that came with the first bout back in December. Stool test positive for second time. I must say that this second bout has been much milder than first. There are good days and bad days. Your anxiety can be your worst enemy with this infection because you’re so frustrated and depleted and there’s so much “waiting to get better” time.I have no idea if this second round of stronger Vanco will cure it or not. The odds are not in my favor now b/c of my age. Seeing gastro again on Monday for more info. I pray for healing everyday and will pray for you as well.
@cre8tive I, too, suffered from cdiff in 2018. Also had 3 separate relapses which brought me into March of 2019. At that time, my gastroenterologist suggested fmt which I did and so far has been successful. I, too, wondered why I wasn't offered fmt sooner? I have decided it's the drug company that produces vancomycin. I truly believe that they make the patient go through 3 rounds of vancomycin ( which for me was very expensive!) The fmt costs a lot less but they don't give a hoot about the patient! I still have not been able to gain back the 14 lbs I lost. I don't know of anyone who has been able to get the fmt after the first or second relapse. It's all about the money!
Thank you for your detailed account. I am 67. As I mentioned before, the Flagyl failed and I am now on my 2nd 14 days of Vancomycin which isn't working either. I called my GI doc and begged for something to stop the diarrhea since they won't let me take any immodium. He called in Cholestyramine and Dificid. I started the Cholestyramine yesterday it seems for be firming up my stool slightly. At least after the first 2 morning movements (4:30 am and 5:00 am), I have had 5 more very small movements that stuck together (barely). I'm waiting on the pharmacy to get the Dificid in and am praying it will work. This is ruining my and my husband's life. Thank you for your prayers. I will pray for you too!