Has anyone ever had C. Diff?

[lynn07]

If you don't know what it is, consider yourself lucky

I was on antibiotics a ton in August for a sinus infection and then a UTI. I'm also an RN, so I'm around cdiff at work. I think it was just too many antibiotics for my body to handle, and I probably picked up the actual bug while working.

In just wondering if anyone else has dealt with it and what your treatment looked like. I was previously healthy, and I'm only 29, but I am scared to death that I'm going to have to continue dealing with this since there are so many bad internet stories about it! I need some hope that I'll be back to normal after treatment.

[nahoku]

I haven't but my daughter had it when she was an infant after getting antibiotics for an ear infection. I believe they treated it with a different kind of antibiotic - a shot of something, I can't remember what now. She's never had any issues with it after that.

I hope it clears up for you soon!

[TheSeaward]

there was a big article in the AJC about it this weekend, scary stuff

[Deleted]

Massive amounts of probiotics. 

Ultimate Flora--the 50 Billion one, I think.  I took like 6 or 8 of those day and some Culturelle pills, plus ate yogurt.  

You need to replenish your natural flora.  

[orangeblossom]

I haven't, but know a fair amount about it.

It's a pretty hearty germ, that can take a lot of kill when it gets on surfaces. There are antibiotics for it, but it may take a few rounds (hopefully, for you it doesn't).

Some people will get a fecal transplant if antibiotics don't do the trick.

Are you looking for more information? If so, I can post some for you.

Sorry, you're dealing with this.

[bcv513]

I had it in June, right after I finished an antibiotic. TMI, but I couldn't tell becuase I was in a Crohn's flare at the time though. I never noticed a difference and thought my doc was a nut for testing for it. I honestly never want to take antibiotics again.

[lynn07]

Sept 30, 2013 14:04:32 GMT -5 @imback said:

Massive amounts of probiotics. 

Ultimate Flora--the 50 Billion one, I think.  I took like 6 or 8 of those day and some Culturelle pills, plus ate yogurt.  

You need to replenish your natural flora.  

Thanks! I've been taking Florator since the get go, and eating yogurt and kefir, but I'll add this into the mix.

[muppetinma]

I only know the horror stories of it, so I'm no help.

[lynn07]

Sept 30, 2013 14:05:31 GMT -5 orangeblossom said:

I haven't, but know a fair amount about it.

It's a pretty hearty germ, that can take a lot of kill when it gets on surfaces. There are antibiotics for it, but it may take a few rounds (hopefully, for you it doesn't).

Some people will get a fecal transplant if antibiotics don't do the trick.

Are you looking for more information? If so, I can post some for you.

Sorry, you're dealing with this.

Thanks. I started on Flagyl but had to switch to Vanco because I was getting a massive rash from the Flagyl. If you have any extra idea on how to kick it quickly, I'm all ears!

I'm also pissed, because we were planning on TTC again this month

[lynn07]

Sept 30, 2013 14:10:12 GMT -5 bcv513 said:

I had it in June, right after I finished an antibiotic. TMI, but I couldn't tell becuase I was in a Crohn's flare at the time though. I never noticed a difference and thought my doc was a nut for testing for it. I honestly never want to take antibiotics again.

Me either. I am going to do anything possible to go a natural route from now on. What did your dr treat it with? Have you felt ok since?

[orangeblossom]

Sept 30, 2013 14:13:49 GMT -5 lynn07 said:

Sept 30, 2013 14:05:31 GMT -5 orangeblossom said:

I haven't, but know a fair amount about it.

It's a pretty hearty germ, that can take a lot of kill when it gets on surfaces. There are antibiotics for it, but it may take a few rounds (hopefully, for you it doesn't).

Some people will get a fecal transplant if antibiotics don't do the trick.

Are you looking for more information? If so, I can post some for you.

Sorry, you're dealing with this.

Thanks. I started on Flagyl but had to switch to Vanco because I was getting a massive rash from the Flagyl. If you have any extra idea on how to kick it quickly, I'm all ears!

I'm also pissed, because we were planning on TTC again this month

Unfortunately, no ideas on how to get rid of it quickly.  

I know more about the prevention side of it.

Here's some information.

www.cdc.gov/HAI/organisms/cdiff/Cdiff_infect.html

www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm6109a3.htm?s_cid=mm6109a3_w

www.apic.org/For-Consumers/Monthly-alerts-for-consumers/Article?id=what-you-need-to-know-about-clostridium-diffi

Hope this helps.  I think others have given good advice about replenishing good bacteria.  Also, don't be afraid to reach out to an infectious disease doc if you think your GP is not handling the case well, or you're not getting better.

[bcv513]

Sept 30, 2013 14:15:52 GMT -5 lynn07 said:

Sept 30, 2013 14:10:12 GMT -5 bcv513 said:

I had it in June, right after I finished an antibiotic. TMI, but I couldn't tell becuase I was in a Crohn's flare at the time though. I never noticed a difference and thought my doc was a nut for testing for it. I honestly never want to take antibiotics again.

Me either. I am going to do anything possible to go a natural route from now on. What did your dr treat it with? Have you felt ok since?

I took vancomyacin for two weeks and am totally fine now.

[kcr1972]

My boyfriend almost died from a C-Diff infection. It was not treated quickly enough and his intestine perforated resulting in a emergency Colostomy surgery. He had to wear the bag for about a yr and half before they could reverse it. Please take this seriously!!!

[kcr1972]

Sept 30, 2013 14:28:11 GMT -5 @scottydeux said:

Sept 30, 2013 14:25:11 GMT -5 kcr1972 said:

My boyfriend almost died from a C-Diff infection. It was not treated quickly enough and his intestine perforated resulting in a emergency Colostomy surgery. He had to wear the bag for about a yr and half before they could reverse it. Please take this seriously!!!

I love responses like these.  Thanks for the near-death story, super helpful.

Ditto massive amounts of probiotics.  People laugh at me for my constant ML Dr. Rx, but it makes sense here.  Feel better!

And my point was it is not to be taken lightly. Probiotics do not kill or treat c-Diff alone. Your hippy dippy shit is not always the solution.

[OrangePixyStix]

I had it last year and it took 2 rounds of antibiotics and 3 months to get rid of it. I was also drinking a liquid probiotic every day. It made me very sick and people thought I was anorexic because I could barely eat and had lost so much weight.

The second round of antibiotics (Dificid) cost me over $500 out of pocket even with GOOD insurance, but it is what ended up working. I wanted to cry about having to pay that much for a 10 day supply of pills, but luckily it worked the way it was supposed to. I was told I was very lucky to have caught it when I did (did not require emergency surgery), but I had let it fester for months before I knew something was wrong, and my system is still recovering from the damage. I had never been that sick before, so I didn't realize I needed medical help or I would have gone in before it got so bad. I truly felt it was just going to "go away" on it's own, but that was before I actually knew I had C-Dif.

[Glitter Tits]

Make sure to take the probiotics after you're done with the antibiotics.

[emsumm]

My sister got a poo transplant!

[lynn07]

Sept 30, 2013 14:28:11 GMT -5 @scottydeux said:

Sept 30, 2013 14:25:11 GMT -5 kcr1972 said:

My boyfriend almost died from a C-Diff infection. It was not treated quickly enough and his intestine perforated resulting in a emergency Colostomy surgery. He had to wear the bag for about a yr and half before they could reverse it. Please take this seriously!!!

I love responses like these.  Thanks for the near-death story, super helpful.

Ditto massive amounts of probiotics.  People laugh at me for my constant ML Dr. Rx, but it makes sense here.  Feel better!

Lol. 

Thanks! I'll start in with the probiotics, but how do I know how much to take? More than the recommended dose on the bottle?

[lynn07]

Sept 30, 2013 14:36:24 GMT -5 OrangePixyStix said:

I had it last year and it took 2 rounds of antibiotics and 3 months to get rid of it. I was also drinking a liquid probiotic every day. It made me very sick and people thought I was anorexic because I could barely eat and had lost so much weight.

The second round of antibiotics (Dificid) cost me over $500 out of pocket even with GOOD insurance, but it is what ended up working. I wanted to cry about having to pay that much for a 10 day supply of pills, but luckily it worked the way it was supposed to. I was told I was very lucky to have caught it when I did (did not require emergency surgery), but I had let it fester for months before I knew something was wrong, and my system is still recovering from the damage. I had never been that sick before, so I didn't realize I needed medical help or I would have gone in before it got so bad. I truly felt it was just going to "go away" on it's own, but that was before I actually knew I had C-Dif.

Scary! I caught it within a week (although my symptoms weren't too bad, and I don't think my dr actually could believe it until he had the positive test in his hand), but I knew to look out for it because of the antibiotics plus working in a cesspool of these sorts of diseases! I'm on Vanco now, and I couldn't believe my copay was only $10. The pharmacy handout said my insurance saved me $760!

[Norticprincess]

I tested positive day 5 post bone marrow transplant ( months of antibiotics before) I got sick in clinic so it was caught early. I was on IV flagyl for two days, then on oral vanc until day 30. I had no immune system. I was feeling much better two days later and they let me back to outpatient land two days later after the rest of the cultures were clear for anything else. I went septic with something else the next week. Toxin was still present, but no active culture. Eta that was 5 months ago. No positive tests since.

[OrangePixyStix]

Sept 30, 2013 14:46:45 GMT -5 lynn07 said:

Sept 30, 2013 14:36:24 GMT -5 OrangePixyStix said:

I had it last year and it took 2 rounds of antibiotics and 3 months to get rid of it. I was also drinking a liquid probiotic every day. It made me very sick and people thought I was anorexic because I could barely eat and had lost so much weight.

The second round of antibiotics (Dificid) cost me over $500 out of pocket even with GOOD insurance, but it is what ended up working. I wanted to cry about having to pay that much for a 10 day supply of pills, but luckily it worked the way it was supposed to. I was told I was very lucky to have caught it when I did (did not require emergency surgery), but I had let it fester for months before I knew something was wrong, and my system is still recovering from the damage. I had never been that sick before, so I didn't realize I needed medical help or I would have gone in before it got so bad. I truly felt it was just going to "go away" on it's own, but that was before I actually knew I had C-Dif.

Scary! I caught it within a week (although my symptoms weren't too bad, and I don't think my dr actually could believe it until he had the positive test in his hand), but I knew to look out for it because of the antibiotics plus working in a cesspool of these sorts of diseases! I'm on Vanco now, and I couldn't believe my copay was only $10. The pharmacy handout said my insurance saved me $760!

That is some good coverage you have!  I really hope this helps get rid of it for you, and that's wonderful you knew what to look for and get checked out right away.   
Do you have side pain from inflammation, or was it just a matter of irregularity that raised your concerns?  

My GI Doc said most people get it from being in hospitals and nursing homes, but I couldn't figure out how I got it since I don't really go to those places.   I really didn't know anything about C Diff at all until I "needed" to know, and since then I've read the stories about the fecal transplants.  THAT is a crazy procedure but does seem to be a life-saver for those who don't have luck with the antibiotics. 

[lynn07]

Sept 30, 2013 14:57:09 GMT -5 OrangePixyStix said:

Sept 30, 2013 14:46:45 GMT -5 lynn07 said:

Scary! I caught it within a week (although my symptoms weren't too bad, and I don't think my dr actually could believe it until he had the positive test in his hand), but I knew to look out for it because of the antibiotics plus working in a cesspool of these sorts of diseases! I'm on Vanco now, and I couldn't believe my copay was only $10. The pharmacy handout said my insurance saved me $760!

That is some good coverage you have!  I really hope this helps get rid of it for you, and that's wonderful you knew what to look for and get checked out right away.   
Do you have side pain from inflammation, or was it just a matter of irregularity that raised your concerns?  

My GI Doc said most people get it from being in hospitals and nursing homes, but I couldn't figure out how I got it since I don't really go to those places.   I really didn't know anything about C Diff at all until I "needed" to know, and since then I've read the stories about the fecal transplants.  THAT is a crazy procedure but does seem to be a life-saver for those who don't have luck with the antibiotics. 

I know. I am praying this gets taken care of quickly, because those stories are crazy! Irregularity was the main thing, but I also had some (sorry, TMI) rectal pain and mucous. None of that stuff is normal for me, and after a few days, I knew something must be up. But I wasn't going 5+ times a day like I know a lot of people do, so I think that's why my dr was skeptical at first. I'm so happy for you that you're not having to deal with it anymore!

[kcr1972]

Sept 30, 2013 14:45:45 GMT -5 @scottydeux said:

Sept 30, 2013 14:33:34 GMT -5 kcr1972 said:

And my point was it is not to be taken lightly. Probiotics do not kill or treat c-Diff alone. Your hippy dippy shit is not always the solution.

Uh, go fuck yourself.  Probiotics aren't 'hippy dippy'.  Your scare tactics aren't doing anything other than giving *an already concerned person* a heart attack.

tia

LOL

[katiescarlett]

Ugh c.diff is the worst! I had it twice while on chemo. Mind you this was 11-12 years ago but flagyl cleared it up both times. The tablets tasted nasty but the docs said it works better orally than if they give injections. Good luck-I hope it goes away quickly for you.

[Deleted]

Sept 30, 2013 14:42:25 GMT -5 emsumm said:

My sister got a poo transplant!

Fecal transfer?

[emsumm]

Sept 30, 2013 16:00:07 GMT -5 @imback said:

Sept 30, 2013 14:42:25 GMT -5 emsumm said:

My sister got a poo transplant!

Fecal transfer?

Lol, yes.   But poo transplant is so much funnier.