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

That is so interesting. I just had a colonoscopy at Mayo and the GI besides removing polyps also noted that mucous was granular so he took biopsies throughout the entire colon for possible microscopic colitis. Fortunately I was negative for it.
And what I now tell everyone is that even if you are near "aging out" from colonoscopies, do them!!! In 2010 I had 2 10mm precancerous polyps, but in 2013 and 2018 I only had 1 and 2 polyps found and they were not precancerous. So that period was eight years and no cancerous polyps.
Then in 2024 - 14 years from 2010 and 5+ years from last colonoscopy, they find 3 polyps - each a different type and all precancerous!!! And one even 12mm!!!

Am also impressed that Bactrim caused you C-diff as I have been given it more than once with the statement that it is relatively safe.

So…. After I finished the course of antibiotic for Yersenia and then for C -Diff, the diarrhea didn’t stop and by that point it had been going on for six months. So based on a hunch of the GI doc, I had a colonoscopy with random biopsies taken - and learned I had something called collagenous microscopic colitis. That was resolved with almost 4 months of a steroid that is processed in the colon so no systemic effects - although I had symptomatic relief only days after starting it.

GI doc thinks the stool sample showing Yersenia was a red herring because so many people are carrying it around with no symptoms. And of course the C-Diff was triggered by the treatment for Yersinia. So almost a year to get proper diagnosis and treatment but it has taken some people longer.

"Yersiniosis is an infection caused most often by eating raw or undercooked pork contaminated with Yersinia enterocolitica bacteria."
So first you tested positive for Yersiniosis and then later positive for C-diff? What a mess!
Bactrim is considered to have low risk for C-diff.

Google search:
Clindamycin and fluoroquinolones are some of the worst offenders. The list of antibiotics that could cause C.Diff includes:
• cephalosporins
• clindamycin (Cleocin)
• ciprofloxacin (Cipro)
• levofloxacin (Levaquin)
• moxifloxacin (Avalox, Vigamox)
• amoxicillin (Amoxil)
Which antibiotics are less likely to cause C.Diff?:
• azithromycin (Zithromax, Z-Pak)
• clarithromycin (Biaxin)
• doxycycline (Oracea, Vibramycin)
• erythromycin (Eryped)
• fidaxomicin (Dificid)
• minocycline (Minocin, Solodyn)
• metronidazole (Flagyl

I was given Augmentin, a penicillin type antibiotic. I think doctors should warn patients about the possibility of C-Diff when taking antibiotics. I never heard of C-Diff until I got it.

Same thing happened to me - I had diarrhea and stool sample was positive for Yersinia - which my PCP treated with Bactrim - which made it
better and then it got worse again -and that proved to be C-Diff - And Vancomycin cured that. What an ordeal.

thanks for your reply. What drug gave you c-diff?

I recently had C-Diff from taking an antibiotic. My infectious disease doctor in Boston told me that if I ever needed to take an antibiotic again I would have to take it with Vancomycin. I would certainly do that. I don't want to go through that nightmare again!

I had C-diff back in 2011 caused by 10days of Amoxicillin prescribed by my dentist. Since then I had not touched antibiotics except second half of 2023 I had to take some for lung infections . I took 10days of Doxycycline Monohydrate, and 4 weeks of Bactrim. These are not high risk antibiotics for C-diff. Fortunately, I had no problems. But because of my lung problems I know I am always at risk of needing antibiotics and I will not have a choice since lung issues can be life threatening.
I am wondering if anyone has been prescribed something like Vancomycin as protection when they are in a position of really needing a strong antibiotic.

He is great! He gained weight and has excelled in life. He weights 235 lbs now! Thanks for asking.

How’s your son doing now?