Trying to recover from c diff infection

Posted by acres @acres, Apr 12, 2016

I am trying to recover from a c.diff infection. This started with taking clindamycin in mid January and 3 days later I became ill with diarrhea and felt sick, loss of appetite etc...Went to the er twice, tested negative for c.diff on my 2nd visit. The Dr. told me to take imodium to rest my colon since I tested negative. That evening I had diarrhea and took the Imodium. Became constipated with pain lower right side. I went to a GI dr. pleading for help, I did another stool test and it came back positive for c.diff. I tried flagyl but could not tolerate the side effects. Tried vancomycin for 10 days. Did not work. Tested positive again, Went to a new gi doctor who prescribed dificid for ten days. I am 31 days post dificid and I have almost constant gut rumbling and urge to go. My 1st bm in the morning is usually semi normal, but after that they are always either pencil thin and or small pieces (2 to 5 times a day). This has been my routine since the vancomycin. I do not get dull blown diarrhea..... My dr. wants me to have a colonoscopy but I an scared that the cleansing will wipe out all my good flora. I currently take 2 florastor pills and 1/2 vsl3 per day. I eat fermented pickles for the probiotics as well..... I have many food intolerances since this whole mess began (fiber, many vegatables, dairy). I also have a strange taste in my mouth most of the time, have very little energy and fight with depression. My primary gave me Xanax .25 but I only take them at night when I cannot sleep...... Went to a nutritionist who put me on a no wheat, soy, dairy, gluten diet. Does not seem to be helping or hurting. I lost 20 pounds and cannot gain any weight (I weigh 120 at 5'7")... I am thinking it might be sibo, or candida but cannot find a dr. to test for these....I am in the right place for help or advice ? The urge to go is awful and limits my once active lifestyle.....Thank you, Scott

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cmlaub | @cmlaub | Mar 20, 2025

I took Keflex for a UTI and got C-Diff from it. I took Vancomycin and it did not clear up the infection. It has been a month already. Now I am prescribed Dificid and it is almost $2000! How am I supposed to pay for this desperately needed medication since I'm on Medicare and don't qualify for government help? I am at a loss and after doing lots of research can't find any alternatives. Does anyone know of one?

kelygrl67 | @kelygrl67 | Apr 16, 2025

Hello everyone, I was just diagnosed with cdif this past Saturday. I got sick about it 5 days after taking antibiotics for a double ear infection. I am in my late 50’s. I have a few concerns one being that I had gastric bypass 11 years ago and curious how this change in my anatomy may effect this issue. I am currently on vancomycin. And taking a probiotic at bedtime. I usually feel fine in the morning but by noon I start going down hill. I am needing to find dietary information. I realized today that I have been shooting myself in the foot not researching this sooner. I have been doing all the things wrong 😂. I would spy any info I can get and I will be reaching out to my Dr. to see what else I should be doing.

Lisa Lucier, Moderator | @lisalucier | Apr 16, 2025

In reply to @kelygrl67 "Hello everyone, I was just diagnosed with cdif this past Saturday. I got sick about it..." + (show)

Hi, @kelygrl67 - sorry that your health challenges did not end with the double ear infection. I had a double ear infection after my underwater scuba diving test, and it was miserable.

Sounds like you are going to get some further information from your doctor on what you should be doing, which is great. Also, here is some information from Mayo Clinic on treatment. Please note especially at the end it talks about fluids, nutrition and probiotics (which is something you mentioned):

- C. difficile infection
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/c-difficile/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351697
Do you have any theories on why you start to go downhill after noon?

karel | @karel | Apr 17, 2025

In reply to @kelygrl67 "Hello everyone, I was just diagnosed with cdif this past Saturday. I got sick about it..." + (show)

I had cdiff for 5 months last year. Antibiotics from having double pneumonia. I was on vancomyin for 8 weeks, than difocid and finally VOWST, the poop pill. You must 2 weeks after you finish the vanco get another stool speciman to make sure you are negative. It is very weakening. After its all over, it could leave you with IBS, however for this I was given imipramine a trycyclic drug used for depression which now is used for ibs.
Just dont push it, rest, I dont know of any dietary info, your gastro doctor maybe able to give you that. I do hope you are better soon.There is a great doctor who is an expert on CDIff. I dont know if you live in NYC. He also has videos on you tube. His name is Dr. Ari Grinspan. feel better soon.

cas924 | @cas924 | Apr 17, 2025

In reply to @kelygrl67 "Hello everyone, I was just diagnosed with cdif this past Saturday. I got sick about it..." + (show)

Between the antibiotics I took that led to C Diff, the C Diff toxins and Vancomycin that I took to kill the C Diff, it felt like my gut was destroyed. I developed temporary post-infectious IBS, could not eat much, lost 30+ lbs, was malnourished, etc. I found that eating foods on the low FODMAP diet helped a lot while I recovered, as did the probiotics that a Gastro doc recommended: Florastor and Visbiome.

Check out CDiff.org (Peggy Lillis Foundation); The “C Diff Queen” Dr. Sabine Hazan’s book “Let’s Talk Sh!t” and her lab ProgenaBiome.com; and Michelle Moore’s book “C. Difficile Treatments and Remedies” and website C-Difficile-Treatment.com.

I pray you find relief soon.

kaylasills | @kaylasills | Apr 18, 2025

I had cdiff in 2017
Took vancomycin of and on for over a year. 2018 had fecal transplant. It changed my life. Had couple bouts after transplant but they were resolved with Vancomycin. Very careful with antibiotics and no cdiff since 2021.

shaliza | @shaliza | Apr 29, 2025

In reply to @taxpayinghorse "3 Weeks? I have been going though this for over 3 years. I wake up in..." + (show)

@taxpayinghorse

3 Weeks? I have been going though this for over 3 years. I wake up in the morning, feel as if I have food poisoning. Diarrhea and loose stools all morning and after noon with horrible cramping and severe pain in my intestines. By afternoon on a "good day" the diarrhea stops but my stomach feels as if it has been kicked repeatedly by a mule because the intestines are so stripped. My stomach hurts so bad even to move or walk. I usually just want to sleep. On worse days, this goes on all day, with the cramping and stomach pain and running to the bathroom usually nothing coming out by afternoon. I lay in my recliner and try to rest. That is the only thing that seems to help any. It was worse 3 years ago then it is now. My bms are very narrow and soft if it isn't all watery and loose. I have bms starting in the early morning, (waking me up at 5am or earlier) I can not go back to bed because once it starts it doesn't stop. If I am lucky by 2pm, the pain is still very bad but the diarrhea has stopped. I usually don't have another bm till the next morning when all hell breaks out again. The really bad days I wear pull ups and wish for death because the pain is so bad and I can't make it to the bathroom on time. As for it effecting my "social life"....what is that? I could care less about a social life. I just wish the pain would stop. Here is my theory of what I think has happened. I kept having bladder infections. The VA (Veteran's Hospital) Doctors kept giving me antibiotics. Dr. Bender at the VA hospital in Gainesville did me the worse damage, he left me on antibiotics for 2 solid years. I think that has permanently damaged my intestines and even my bladder now. I also have horrible bladder spasms. Bladder Spasms don't stop for hours and it is worse then any tooth ache you can imagine. It feels as if your bladder if OVER FULL and you really need to urinate. One of the things "Dr." Bender told me to do for the bladder spasms was to drink a cup of water with a couple of tablespoons of baking soda put in it. When you drink this, it makes you throw up. It doesn't help at all. I believe this damage is permanent. I have been able to go 3 years without taking any oral or intravenous antibiotics. I go to extraordinary lengths to avoid colds and infections. That is another entire story. I believe the antibiotics has caused this damage. The pharmaceutical companies have not done any studies on what long term use and over use of antibiotics does to people. IF they did they would be sued. I may be wrong but that is all I can come up with. Now what has helped me is this: I take Calcium Polycarbophil 625 mg tablets. I take 9 a day. 3 of them with each meal. It is very important to eat something, it only gets worse if you don't eat I find. On my really bad days I eat only saltine crackers and sometimes a can of Campbells Chicken Noodle soup. It seems to help. Another thing that I think has made a big difference is "Beano", Walmart makes there own brand and you take less of them. I take one of the Walmart Brand 3X a day. Lastly I take 9 to 12 pills a day of Probiotic 10. I can't always afford it. The VA won't pay for most of my meds. I buy the Probiotic from Costco. They have the best prices. I have had people tell me to eat Kimchee (it is fermented cabbage) and drink Apple Cider Vinegar. DON'T DO IT. I tried it and thought I was going to die. The Calcium Polycarbophil and Beano helps the most. I don't really know or can tell if the Probiotic 10 is helping at all. One thing that did seem to make it worse were my vitamins. I have stopped taking all my vitamins. Another thing that will really make it worse is greasy, friend foods, cabbage, cauliflower and ice cream and milk. I hope this helps and thank you for listening to me whine.

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Hi, becareful with calcium. It could be what is causing u to feel so. I have read calcium could make c diff worse. You can check this on google

andoman | @andoman | May 1, 2025

I had this as well and the hospital put me on vancomycin and it did work but it took a long while for me to get regular bowel movements. It’s a very strong antibiotic !

mavans10 | @mavans10 | May 2, 2025

I’ve had recurring cdiff for around 9 months been on every cdiff med available. Flagyl and difficid didn’t help and most of my time has been on vanco with multiple long term doses including a four month taper I just stopped on Monday due to a Rebyota fecal transplant yesterday praying it helps keep the cdiff away. I have post cdiff IBS with chronic coloretcal pain, abdominal pain, nausea, bloating, etc. and my diet has been very limited else it triggers diarrhea. I keep a food log to help identify what I can tolerate. Find nutritious liquids that work for you, I drink v8 peach mango and pressed juices I dilute with water. I take multiple probiotics including Saccharomyces Boulardii I get from Pure Encapsulation as well as one I get from the Wellness Way integrated medicine doc and have taken Florajen Digestion. Check out Visceral pt it works on the colon and organs in the abdomen and I also do colorectal/pelvic floor pt. I too
avoid sugar, gluten, dairy, and artificial sweeteners. I eat Forager organic cashew & coconut milk yogurt to avoid dairy and tolerate it ok. I also found Manuka Honey has many health benefits comes in varying doses and higher doses have antibacterial properties but can be expensive so I by some higher and some lower and alternate depending on symptoms. It can be a long journey hang in there!

rlevi | @rlevi | Feb 8 10:18am

In reply to @karel "I had cdiff for 5 months last year. Antibiotics from having double pneumonia. I was on..." + (show)

@karel
Did the imipramine help alleviate the pst infectious IBS?

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