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

I was diagnosed with c-dif last Thursday and have been on vancomycin - 125mg 4/day. The past few days I haven't really needed to use the bathroom much - almost feel constipated. Is that normal? I have internal hemorrhoids and a tortuous colon and two bouts of diverticulitis since Oct so I don't know what's normal any more. But just curious on feeling stopped up with c-dif. Or maybe it's my hemorrhoids making things weird. The gastro Dr said not to really worry about it, but I'm just wondering if anyone else has experienced this.

@judy75 I already had IBS-D ; then five or more antibiotics for UTI in as many months which caused C.Diff. In my case and I thought all cases, symptoms of CDiff include profuse diarrhea. When I started weeks of Vancomycin I was told not to use my anti-diarrhea meds, so you can imagine what I went through (as many others) and the constant thin diarrhea let to a painful behind! But as you have other bowel issues that I didn't have, am not sure if not going to bathroom is OK for you , but my thought is if you are eating, then where is that processed food going .... maybe someone here with more knowledge would know but I would keep count of the days you have not had a bowel movement..... hope you are better soon. J.

Thank you for the wishes to get better! I was on antibiotics for my bout of diverticulitis in late Feb which led to the c-dif (I also had c-dif back in 2019). Basically what I started experiencing was just a lot of needing to use the bathroom during the day - a lot of soft, but for the most part, formed stool. My gastro sent me to another for a second opinion and that gastro did a test for c-dif which came back positive. Just a vicious circle of things.

...I did a quick search and one site said some people get bloating and constipation when they have a-typical C.Diff....I didn't know that. I had quite a bad few months and year... diagnosis of narrow angle glaucoma and four of my very few friends passed away... having the very bad diarrhea led to a lot of laundry, disinfecting, and ultimately isolation from which I never really recovered that was 2018 and I was 75. I was told once the vancomycin treatment was over they don't test again (Ontario) for c.diff as it can live in the body...unless diarrhea starts again, but as I had IBS-D ... and ended up with fecal incontinence, was not tested again...its odd that some people get it and get over it quickly, am happy for them, but was no so in my case, unfortunately ... Take care, J.

Oh Lacy, my heart goes out to you. I wish I could give you a hug. Thank you for researching the other effects of c-dif. This episode of c-dif is different from when I got it in 2019. You are absolutely correct about the loads of laundry and I’ll probably get brain damage from breathing in the disinfectant. I wish my bathroom had a window. I don’t think doctors test after the vancomycin treatment. I’m in the States and I asked for the stool test in 2019 and my Dr also said they don’t do follow-up testing. It’s a very frustrating infection. Please take care.

@judy75 I could do with a hug right now... well when we consider that many , especially older patients in hospital, can die from c.diff it puts the infection into perspective but it seems many are walking around who have it and don't know.... why it hits some people harder than others.... I already had bowel issues and why I took I think 5 antibiotics for uti without questioning my doctor I dont know! Fosfomycin finally did me in...Well I used a LOT of bleach and later read it is not good to breath in.... but I wonder with all these places using disinfectants for Covid, how safe the air is...such as my dentist, pharmacy... it truly is a horrible situation in all aspects. Thanks for the reply, June

@judy75 and all Oh just found 15 mayo emails about responses in my Spam file! ugh Judy i also washed my hands a lot but dont forget you can use hand cream after... I had a tall container of Vaseline intensive care with pump on top... dont forget to wash the white cloths separately or yu will end up with bleached patches on your dark clothes.. I ruined a lot. Cant remember if i lost 15 or 25 pounds over that C.Diff summer....yet my dentist's assistant said her husband had it and just made sure he washed his hands..she did nothing else special: makes one wonder how many people are walking around with cdiff and spreading it....ugh J.

@dilly69 ... just found 15 mayo emails in spam with lots of posts I missed... not sure how that happened... I think you said you cand have colonoscopy but can you have fecal transplant dilly? sorry, so many comments to get caught up on plus the ones I was getting in In box.... I meant to keep in touch. I would take a f.t. in a minute if I could get one... but too late for me.....June

Hi June, l believe l can get a FMT. So far the C Diff is not coming back. I'm just now off of the Vancomycin so fingers crossed. Still a bit weak, energy still low and some nausea, hoping all that will go away soon.

Hi dilly. Been following these chats about chronic c-diff. Again, always learn from all of you. As you know (don’t want be redundant) I also had a positive test for c-diff after my colon resection. Two rounds of antibiotic after over two months of complaints to my surgeon. (I emailed my pcp, she sent back to the surgeon). I wouldn’t have the second round if I hadn’t become a total pain in the a... about it. So, I guess what I am saying is the test is expensive and some doctors sometimes ignore the symptoms if not bad enough. I know this because it happened to me. I was told by my surgeon’s nurse (never talked with my surgeon after my 20 minute post-op) that the office didnot retest and I was to stop calling the office with my complaints. Now, I’m not saying that your doctor (office) is like that. I am saying that you are your best advocate and-it seems like if you are experiencing this rollercoaster of infection/antibiotic treatment, maybe it’s time for a different approach. Not a doctor, so don’t know what it is. I’m sure there r qualified medical staff that can address your issues. All you have do is read the history of chats to see that other members have had the same ups and downs of c-diff. Covid has brought good hygiene education to many, which is a good thing. Don’t stop asking your doctor(s) for answers. They r not living your life. My “new” normal after 11/2 years is not my “old” normal”. I’m not-settling for anything but the “best” of my situation. If that means sending emails or going over the dr’s head to administration, I will and have done it. Your body, your life. Virgo