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

@judy75 not sure why i thought of a funny response, as have felt so awful lately , know yu do too, and just home an hour after having largest molar in my mouth taken out... he had a hard time as roots 'very wide" and i had numbing but he broke the tooth up first as full of fillings.... ugh ugh and ugh. i could feel the vibrations of him rocking each root back and forth a lot, to dislodge them..and grind them.... it was brutal but didnt want to leave the tooth and end up on even more anticiotics which gave me c diff in first plant.
regardless: reading your note , and it's NOT funny at all for any of us with bowel issues; but i had ibs-d for years before c diff, had runny diarrhea all during c diff and months of VANCO, and ended up with faecal incontinence; the only thing that saves me 50 per cent of the time is Imodium. Then its like rabbit poo and - this is even more "gross" than your question; sometimes i go to bathroom to pee and there on the floor is a little brown ball; or shower and in the drain is a little brown ball and we have a dog as a pet not a rabbit!!!
I am making a joke of it but it's enough to drive me to drink. i would say in past 2 years i have had may be three times a normal sausage bowel movement and overjoyed and felt like taking a photo - its like a rare siting!!!! So didnt have formed stool before c.diff and havent had since... i have forgotten what its like to have normal bowls.........think i have had too much happen to my bowel and now at 77 i don't want to pursue.... i have other issues with health physical and mental and just cant go through the colonoscopies etc etc etc.
i will say though, had fecal transplant been available to me at age 65 or before i would have had it in a minute with no hesitation... am sure it could not have been worse than the last ten years or more.
Best of luck and on this site there is no such thing as "gross" Take care my dear J.

I have a gross question regarding c-dif. I tested positive for c-dif, but my stool has been basically soft, but formed. I just go a lot. I end the vancomycin today. Has having a formed stool been anyone’s experience?

@lacy2 , @judy75 @acres when I suffered from cdiff years ago I took Metamucil and it helped me a lot. I found eating rice and bananas (not together, of course) very calming for my stomach too. I am so glad I’m over it but my heart goes out to all of you - been there!

Judy from what i can gather i believe there are a lot of people walking around with c,diff and do not even now it.... it took myself in to a clinic as i noticed my usual diarrhea looked odd, and thought i saw blood in.... its odd over the many many years i had ibs-d a docctor NEVER got my feces tested for anything!! i would say to anyone who is concerned, to ask for a fecal test. the dr i saw at the clinic had 2 things to test for, one from .... cant remembr but from bad food; another from infection and had added c.diff at the side, he didnt even mention it tome and i wondered why i had to do 3 vials for testing so i was inshock when my famiy dr phoned with the new... devastated more like it. but then i have spoken to others who didnt over-react, made sure hands washed and got better sooner - but i really think maybe they didnt have any gastro problems before getting it?? Sometimes innocence is bliss! But i am anxious so overdid it. But tell me, how do we know if in a restaurant someone makes us a sandwich and theyhave it and we eat the food...... we got it after we used antibiotics but FROM WHERE???

oh thats good judy.... i kept so many notes about that, but also my other health issue that now i cant find anything ... personally i would try and branch out a little and try a few other food items, just a little and see how it goes.. i hate yougurt but buy the small Green yogurt andput about 2 tsp maple syrup on and mix it up... however, one book i read said, like many other foods we eat now, processed yougurt isnt the same as he good old fashioned kind.... cant win.. take care my dear, june

I do keep a food diary showing what time and what I ate along with every other thing like blood pressure, weight, at what time I have bowel movements. If a dr asks me what’s been happening I’ll be able to let them know.

Hi June, I’ll be 64 next month, but I think my 88 year old mom is in better shape than I am! She had a resection when she was about 84. I think it was because of diverticulitis. That must run in our family- I’ve had three bouts and I think the antibiotics from the bout in late Feb caused the c-dif. I’m reluctant to go anywhere because I never know when I’ll need to use the restroom. My 26 and 28 year old daughters live nearby and they will go grocery shopping for me when I don’t trust my gut.I don’t share my bathroom with anyone and I make sure my daughters use the other bathroom. I like to wear slippers so I keep a separate pair to wear in my bathroom. I’m always doing laundry. I used to wear my nightgowns or pj’s a couple of nights in a row, but now I wash after each wearing. I also use sanitary pads to keep my underwear from getting stained. It’s a messy infection. I’ve also cancelled various other Dr appointments as I don’t trust my gut while I’m there. I only talk to my gastro dr, although that’s still telemedicine. Hopefully they will open their office soon to see patients in person. But I agree with you that the Dr doesn’t really tell you what to eat except to stay on a bland diet which I have been doing for months because of the diverticulitis. And the Dr said that Clorox wipes are fine and no need to spend money ordering the germicidal wipes that hospitals use. I figure if my hands are really clean I shouldn’t pass c-dif on to anyone. I apologize that this is a rambling reply.
Judy

...husband just searching for that book on c.diff. in meantime, an old ibs cookbook I have, which i didnt follow , does suggest keeping a food diary which i think is a good idea for anyone with tummy troubles; just a simple lined paper with date and what you ate and drank, and if made things worse or not; i am thinking that IF you are referred to a dietician or can speak with one, you will have it handy i.e. what you have been eating etc.. just an idea for now.... i am having scrambled eggs for lunch and a cup of tea!! J.

Hi Judy like you, i cared for myself at home age 75 and husband including keeping home sterilized etc., no help from family dr or any suggestions... however had i been a patient in hospital would have had my clothing and bedding washed for me, room cleaned etc., and "probably" a dietician finding ut what i could eat..... no fun having it in hospital either and for older people who are ill can be life threatening but for those who have it at home i wish they would provide more support if requested; my doctor just said wash your hands. i said, shall i tell pregnant neighbour next door or my 92 year old neighbour i visit across the street, he said; you dont have to tell anyone! i was terrified the whole time i would pass to my spouse or my adult children when visiting so isolated myself. anxiety didnt keep me in bathroom but diarrhea did as while on over 120 vancomycin pills i could not take imodium ,,,, as also had ibs-D.. it was HORRIBLE ... i dont think people understand unless go through it, as i probably dont understand other's illnesses.... i am going to look for that book i bought just to see what she suggested, might give you some ideas... but even now i dont eat properly cos of ibsd and fecal incontinence and severe fatigue to even cook... take out is out all right, out of the question.. and really i should be eating better .... hang in there, how old are yu judy , june x

Thanks so much for responding. Half the time I have no real appetite or my anxiety keeps me from wanting to eat. Anxiety also keeps me in the bathroom. But I’m just having a hard time figuring out what to eat for meals. If anything it’s usually cream of wheat and tea for breakfast, soup or a tuna fish sandwich for lunch and maybe a little chicken breast and mashed or baked potato for dinner. Not really anything in between. When I can’t stomach anything I’ll drink an Wnsure protein drink. I’ve lost 30 lbs since the diverticulitis in Oct and still losing with c-dif.