I have c diff

Posted by rrf67 @rrf67, Jul 24, 2022

I have recently been diagnosed with c diff. I am currently on vancomycin 125mg four times a day. I have been bleeding for over 2 months now regularly with no solid movements whatsoever. I have urgency in the mornings and have to run to the bathroom only to be issues of blood and coffee ground feces, nothing ever solid. I just had a colonoscopy last Monday if showed diverticulum in the transverse colon and inflammation in the sigmoid colon in four different places. my question is when will I get better?? I have been dealing with this for a long time and it is debilitating. Will the vancomycin give me solid movements and will it stop the blood issues?? I just need to talk to someone who can identify with what I have. I have to call my gastro at the end of the week to let her know how I am doing. if I still have this what will be the next step?? Also, has anyone else with c diff smell an odor on themselves and when they go?? does c diff have a distinctive odor?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Infectious Diseases Support Group.

Profile picture for roso @roso

What probiotics are you taking? My husband now has c diff for the second time and is taking vancomycin again. I am looking at probiotics, but every site I go to recommends a different one to take to try to avoid a recurrence.

Jump to this post

Infectious Disease department at my hospital suggested Kefir yogurt. Most physicians won’t recommend over the counter medicine or supplements but kefir has scientific study behind it I was told. Also, I was put on Dificid after my second bout when Vancomycin didn’t work. It’s very expensive so it’s not used as a first line of defence. 2 pills twice a day then one pill every other day for 20 days. A low roughage diet and no dairy, a probiotic every other day and so far, so good! I will gradually add more roughage. Remember…your gut is inflamed. It needs TLC right now. Hope this helps.

REPLY
Profile picture for lamiller @lamiller

Infectious Disease department at my hospital suggested Kefir yogurt. Most physicians won’t recommend over the counter medicine or supplements but kefir has scientific study behind it I was told. Also, I was put on Dificid after my second bout when Vancomycin didn’t work. It’s very expensive so it’s not used as a first line of defence. 2 pills twice a day then one pill every other day for 20 days. A low roughage diet and no dairy, a probiotic every other day and so far, so good! I will gradually add more roughage. Remember…your gut is inflamed. It needs TLC right now. Hope this helps.

Jump to this post

Thank you. Stay well!

REPLY

C-diff is a horrible infection. I feel for you! The quarantine and cleaning everything with chlorine is a lot of work especially when you feel unwell. Make sure your health care provider checks your electrolytes. Losing fluid the way you are can cause severe dehydration and dangerous electrolyte imbalance. Vancomycin did not work for me. By my second hospital admission for the same bout I was started on Dificid. It’s expensive so it’s not the first line of defence. It’s working for me. 5 days 2x a day and now I’m on 1 pill every other day for 20 days. Talk to your doctor about fecal transplant. Sounds awful but it evidently works for hard to cure cases. As far as the odour question.. there was a study of nurses who could detect c-diff infection by the odor . There’s lots of info online. Hope you get well soon.

REPLY

I had bleeding and urgency and diarrhea for 4 months approx. No gastro would listen to me or treated me as if it was nothing. Finally I went to a gastro in Cleveland Clinic. She did multiple blood test, colonoscopy which showed Ulcerative Colitis. I did have C diff with this and it does smell but when I took my colonoscopy and took the prep all my feces (diarrhea) was green, which is a sign of c diff. I went through hell with all this until someone finally listened to me. I am now on infusions every 8 weeks and have not had a problem. Praise God. I hope this helps you and God bless. I know what you are going thru.

REPLY
Profile picture for dpete19743 @dpete19743

I have c diff and have had it for almost 2 years I am finally getting an FMT however here is my question.

Do c diff patients have memory issues, disoriention, confusion?? Details and any info will be helpful

Jump to this post

I have had cdiff 3 times. The last time I had sepsis and was in the hospital for a week. I am on vancomycin (tapered from original treatment) every other day for 30 days. Ever since I left the hospital I have very frequent soft ( not diarrhea ) bowel movements each day. Anyone experience that. I am just wondering if it could be from the vancomycin.

REPLY
Profile picture for janet4038 @janet4038

I have had cdiff 3 times. The last time I had sepsis and was in the hospital for a week. I am on vancomycin (tapered from original treatment) every other day for 30 days. Ever since I left the hospital I have very frequent soft ( not diarrhea ) bowel movements each day. Anyone experience that. I am just wondering if it could be from the vancomycin.

Jump to this post

Hi,
I'm sorry to hear about you lingering problems. I have had C-diff 9 times. I was in the hospital 16 days a couple years back with C-Diff with Megacolon. Have had multiple re-occurences since. Had 3 FMT via pill form which helped for a short time and Cdiff came back. Was also on Dificid each episode which was a great help-but it always came back. On January 30th, 2023 had an FMT via Colonoscopy route. So far so good. BM's are not as they were when I was "normal", pre Cdiff. But as my Dr said, with having been through all your body has endured who's to say what your "new normal" is.
To address your question. I currently have Bronchitis and am on Antibiotic. My infectious Disease Dr placed me on Vancomycin 125mg- 2 daily- for the duration of the ABX, Plus 7 more days after finishing Abx. This was done as a prophalaxis to ward-off any more Cdiff developing. I HAVE noticed since starting the Vancomycin I too am having frequent, soft Stools (not diarrhea). You described it perfectly. I havent called my Dr about it-but I just assumed it was from the Vancomycin, as it seemed to start within a day of starting the Vanco. I hope that it in some way reassuring to you. I wish you the best with your healing process!

REPLY
Profile picture for pixie1960 @pixie1960

Hi,
I'm sorry to hear about you lingering problems. I have had C-diff 9 times. I was in the hospital 16 days a couple years back with C-Diff with Megacolon. Have had multiple re-occurences since. Had 3 FMT via pill form which helped for a short time and Cdiff came back. Was also on Dificid each episode which was a great help-but it always came back. On January 30th, 2023 had an FMT via Colonoscopy route. So far so good. BM's are not as they were when I was "normal", pre Cdiff. But as my Dr said, with having been through all your body has endured who's to say what your "new normal" is.
To address your question. I currently have Bronchitis and am on Antibiotic. My infectious Disease Dr placed me on Vancomycin 125mg- 2 daily- for the duration of the ABX, Plus 7 more days after finishing Abx. This was done as a prophalaxis to ward-off any more Cdiff developing. I HAVE noticed since starting the Vancomycin I too am having frequent, soft Stools (not diarrhea). You described it perfectly. I havent called my Dr about it-but I just assumed it was from the Vancomycin, as it seemed to start within a day of starting the Vanco. I hope that it in some way reassuring to you. I wish you the best with your healing process!

Jump to this post

So sorry to hear you’ve had cdiff so many times. I call it human torture. Thank you for your reply. That helps a lot. I was beginning to think I had serious colon problems. I too am considering the FMT.

REPLY
Profile picture for janet4038 @janet4038

So sorry to hear you’ve had cdiff so many times. I call it human torture. Thank you for your reply. That helps a lot. I was beginning to think I had serious colon problems. I too am considering the FMT.

Jump to this post

I appreciate your kindness. it certainly is torture. Folks who haven't experienced it, or are close to someone who has, just dont understand how miserable and serious it is. I am having the issue today of frequent soft stools. I certainly tie it to the Vancomycin since it started within a day of my beginning Vanco. So we seem to be in the same boat on that. Its a relief (though certainly not a joy) to know someone else is experiencing what seems to be side effects to the Vancomycin. Anything different (esp tending toward Diarrhea), just freaks me out thinking the monster is rearing it's ugly head again!
I would reccomend the FMT by colonoscopy route to anyone dealing with this terrible issue. But, having said that, I am only a little more than 4 months out from my FMT at this time. I wish you the best with this battle.

REPLY
Profile picture for pixie1960 @pixie1960

I appreciate your kindness. it certainly is torture. Folks who haven't experienced it, or are close to someone who has, just dont understand how miserable and serious it is. I am having the issue today of frequent soft stools. I certainly tie it to the Vancomycin since it started within a day of my beginning Vanco. So we seem to be in the same boat on that. Its a relief (though certainly not a joy) to know someone else is experiencing what seems to be side effects to the Vancomycin. Anything different (esp tending toward Diarrhea), just freaks me out thinking the monster is rearing it's ugly head again!
I would reccomend the FMT by colonoscopy route to anyone dealing with this terrible issue. But, having said that, I am only a little more than 4 months out from my FMT at this time. I wish you the best with this battle.

Jump to this post

Thank you so much. I am seriously considering FMT by colonoscopy but have a small tear in the bowel so have to make sure that has healed. I’ve heard it’s at least 85% effective against cdiff. I appreciate all your help and hope it is a cure for you.

REPLY
Profile picture for dpete19743 @dpete19743

I have c diff and have had it for almost 2 years I am finally getting an FMT however here is my question.

Do c diff patients have memory issues, disoriention, confusion?? Details and any info will be helpful

Jump to this post

You're very Welcome. I see. Yes I understand the tear would need to heal first. I hope when and if you decide to have the FMT , and are able to, that it is a cure for you as well. I think from all I've read and understand from my Doctors, it is indeed the best hope for cure of Cdiff. Especially for folks like you and me where it keeps Recurring. Take Care and my best to you.

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.