Possible C. difficile - bummer

[Kindle 8,667]

So I had diarrhea 3 days ago, then seemed better the next day. Then yesterday my bowels went into overdrive! I got up a dozen times in the night.... A severe cramp was my 5 second warning to get to the toilet NOW! As soon as the local mini mart opened at 6am I picked up some Imodium and pedialyte. I also contacted OCC to see if I should be concerned. I had no pain (besides the cramping accompanying the actual BM), no fever, and no vomiting. Dr. So didn't think it was a sleeve thing but thought I may have picked up a bug and recommended Imodium, pedialyte and Probiotics. Advised me to call again if things weren't better by tomorrow.

As the morning went by, it was obvious oral fluids was not cutting it. I had only managed 1/2 liter pedialyte in 4 hours and I was getting very light headed. So I tracked down an EMT friend of mine to have her put in an IV catheter. I've got all the fluids and lines, so no sense paying for an ER visit, right?! She said there is a bad GI flu going around, so I thought Dr. So is probably right. But after 3 liters of IV fluids and continued nasty watery, greyish, mucousy diarrhea, I decided to call another friend who is an ER doctor just to get another opinion.

With the combined risk factors of GI procedure, multiple antibiotics ( both for surgery and a tooth infection) and being on a PPI, he suspects a C. Difficile overgrowth. I will take a sample in to the lab tomorrow to confirm. He advised to continue IV fluids and to start metronidazole. If the metronidazole doesn't work within 48 hours then IV vancomycin is the only thing that will work. Bummer.

[HHHappy 225]

I'm sorry you are going through this. Not fuN!

[1Day1Life4Now 882]

Hi Kindle, sorry you are having difficulties but it sure sounds like you know your medical stuff and you have the right friends in all the right places. Hope it all works out well and quickly.

[ribearty 544]

If you have c-diff one of the worst things you can do is to take immodium or something to prevent you from having bowel movements. I hope you do not have it. I have had it twice and it is nasty sh**. It can be difficult to get rid of hence the name difficile.

Good luck. Flagyl is one antibiotic to treat it. It is one of those pills that dissolves very quickly and tastes pretty bad. You cannot drink any alcohol with it. I forgot and took a sip of communion wine and got sick. I am allergic to flagyl so have to take vancomycin when I get it. Vanco is avaiable in capsule form. The first time I got it, it was only available in oral suspension. Vanco is very expensive prescription. In 2005 the last time I had to take it was $1,600 for a two week supply.

If the test comes back negative but the symptoms still persist, ask for a retest. I have had tests say negative and then retest shows positive.

Edited January 29, 2014 by ribearty

[Kindle 8,667]

If you have c-diff one of the worst things you can do is to take immodium or something to prevent you from having bowel movements. I hope you do not have it. I have had it twice and it is nasty sh**. It can be difficult to get rid of hence the name difficile.

Good luck. Flagyl is one antibiotic to treat it. It is one of those pills that dissolves very quickly and tastes pretty bad. You cannot drink any alcohol with it. I forgot and took a sip of communion wine and got sick. I am allergic to flagyl so have to take vancomycin when I get it. Vanco is avaiable in capsule form. The first time I got it, it was only available in oral suspension. Vanco is very expensive prescription. In 2005 the last time I had to take it was $1,600 for a two week supply.

If the test comes back negative but the symptoms still persist, ask for a retest. I have had tests say negative and then retest shows positive.

Thanks for the advice. I only took 2 doses Imodium and it has slowed but not stopped the diarrhea. I will definitely not take anymore. Got my stool sample already and started flagyl. So glad animals and people take similar Meds! Any thoughts on the oral vanco being hard on my sleeve since I'm only 6 weeks out?

[ribearty 544]

See what the diagnosis is first. If it is positive, check with your surgeon to see what he thinks. Here is the website for vanco info. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/druginfo/meds/a604038.html

Good luck.

[Kaysosa 1]

Sounds like you should go to a doctor or hospital. Friends are great but try should not encourage you to stay home under your own medical care/without proper medical oversight. I understand the whole not wanting to pay for an ER visit but this seems a little dangerous to me. Hope your feeling better soon and that you get the care you need. Don't take chances with your health.

[Kindle 8,667]

Kaysosa, Thanks for the concern. The friend I talked to is my PCP and the ER doctor of the hospital I would be going to if I went, so I basically have an ER doc overseeing my care at home. He lives 20 minutes away and I have his home and cell phone on speed dial. I'm not running a fever and don't have any other symptoms of serious complications. If I went to the hospital, they would have me on IV fluids and metronidazole, which I'm already doing. In fact, If I weren't actually dehydrated, they would send me home on metronidazole. They wouldn't do a CT or colonoscopy or any other diagnostics tonight and we can't get C. diff results till tomorrow, so there's nothing more to be done at this point. And really, it's not so much the $$$ as the 3 dogs, two cats and 2 horses I have to take care of.

[Care1175 58]

I have had c.diff quite a few times. I was told Iv Vanco will not cure c. diff that u have to take it orally. This is from my infectious disease doc but check with ur doc.

[Madam Reverie 2,958]

I'd start bleaching all of the surfaces you've touched.... Maximise your chances of not getting reinfected...

[SandeeD 363]

I feel for you. I had it once and was hospitalized for five days. As someone said, that IS some nasty sh%!. I get nervous everytime I get an upset stomach and panic when I have to take an antibiotic, so Probiotics and yogurt everyday is a ritual for me.

[Kindle 8,667]

I have had c.diff quite a few times. I was told Iv Vanco will not cure c. diff that u have to take it orally. This is from my infectious disease doc but check with ur doc.

Thanks. I will discuss with my doc. In any case, Things have already improved in just 3 doses of flagyl. Still have diarrhea but much less volume and frequency. Started a higher powered multi strain probiotic as well. Still no word from the lab despite being assured they would have results today.

[Care1175 58]

Glad Flagyl works. It made me worse!! Labs always take longer than they said. On my chart at my allergist office it says gets c.diff just by looking at antibiotics! Lol! I get many sinus infections and now am treated by nebulized antibiotics.

[Kindle 8,667]

Good news is the C. diff test came back negative! I definitely have a GI infection based on all the white blood cells in the culture, but it is responding to the flagyl and Probiotics. Pulled my IV catheter yesterday after getting 5 liters. Managed to gain 3 pounds in Water weight and it's the best 3 pounds I've ever gained I worked 1/2 day today and was actually hungry this afternoon...and I'm never hungry.