C Difficile

[GinaCampbell 434]

So I have C Difficile. I have had it for several weeks if not months.

Only found out today.

Have exposed all of my family.

Just a heads up, your GP here in the UK does not test stool for CDiff unless specifically requested.

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[Heather I 500]

Ugh! I'm so sorry! I know that was a concern with the testing the past couple weeks. What is the treatment for it, antibiotics? I know those can goof up your GI system even more.

[Heather I 500]

I swear, I think you have had almost every complication imaginable! Totally sucks. I really hope your team is suitably freaked out by all you have gone through and they get their heads together to come up with a good plan of monitoring you and checking EVERYTHING; organs, labs, nutrients, etc.

[melvin5ft2 56]

My husband had this from taking a particular type of antibiotic for an ingrown toe nail. While they were giving him antibiotics to get rid of it, we made sure he ingested as much yogurt or other yogurt type drink containing active s. thermophilus. He could not get rid of the diarrhea until he added that. The little 'shots' of probiotic drinks often contain it, but he made sure to drink as much as he could. Sorry to hear about all these troubles. At least you have a specific issue that can be fought and fixed. Good luck!

[GinaCampbell 434]

My husband had this from taking a particular type of antibiotic for an ingrown toe nail. While they were giving him antibiotics to get rid of it, we made sure he ingested as much yogurt or other yogurt type drink containing active s. thermophilus. He could not get rid of the diarrhea until he added that. The little 'shots' of probiotic drinks often contain it, but he made sure to drink as much as he could. Sorry to hear about all these troubles. At least you have a specific issue that can be fought and fixed. Good luck!

I will definitely get some of this! Do you take it while taking the antibiotics or afterward?

Thank you for your help!

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[GinaCampbell 434]

Ugh! I'm so sorry! I know that was a concern with the testing the past couple weeks. What is the treatment for it, antibiotics? I know those can goof up your GI system even more.

Two weeks of massive amounts of metronidazole!

Massive pills that can't be crushed either. A little bit frightened that they might get stuck!

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[GinaCampbell 434]

I swear, I think you have had almost every complication imaginable! Totally sucks. I really hope your team is suitably freaked out by all you have gone through and they get their heads together to come up with a good plan of monitoring you and checking EVERYTHING; organs, labs, nutrients, etc.

Today my bariatric nurse did say that it has been "one thing after another!"

And no, told me to go to my GP and let them handle it!!!!

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[GinaCampbell 434]

What annoys me is that I have had this so long. And my GP, surgeon and the infectious control team all discussed this but no one called me. I only found out because I phoned them yesterday and they rang me back today. Even my bariatric nurse didn't know!

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[theantichick 2,204]

Wow.

I worked long-term acute ICU, so I had my share of c.diff patients. You have a tough row to hoe, definitely. But at least you now know that your diarrhea can be resolved. Most patients can get c.diff cleared with a round or two of the strong antibiotics. If yours does not clear, as gross as it sounds, I strongly recommend looking into a fecal transplant. The remission rate for c.diff with transplant is over 90%. They don't do it right off the bat because most will respond to the antibiotics, and the transplants are a lot more difficult and people are resistant to them.

I would want to find out if there is a cluster of c.diff in your bariatric unit. If so, then there have been some lapses in the cleaning and isolation protocols at your facility, and this may be a contributing factor to why so many of your friends in the same center have had problems. If c.diff is colonized in that facility, other bugs may be as well.

C.diff is certainly highly contagious, but if your family isn't experiencing that horrible watery diarrhea then they probably have not contracted it. The labs at my facilities wouldn't even run the test on samples we sent if the stool was formed, because if it is, it's not c.diff (at least that's their position). It's really only contagious through handling the stool, so if your family hasn't been cleaning up after you, they likely haven't been exposed.

I certainly wish you the best of luck in dealing with this!!

[GinaCampbell 434]

Wow.

I worked long-term acute ICU, so I had my share of c.diff patients. You have a tough row to hoe, definitely. But at least you now know that your diarrhea can be resolved. Most patients can get c.diff cleared with a round or two of the strong antibiotics. If yours does not clear, as gross as it sounds, I strongly recommend looking into a fecal transplant. The remission rate for c.diff with transplant is over 90%. They don't do it right off the bat because most will respond to the antibiotics, and the transplants are a lot more difficult and people are resistant to them.

I would want to find out if there is a cluster of c.diff in your bariatric unit. If so, then there have been some lapses in the cleaning and isolation protocols at your facility, and this may be a contributing factor to why so many of your friends in the same center have had problems. If c.diff is colonized in that facility, other bugs may be as well.

C.diff is certainly highly contagious, but if your family isn't experiencing that horrible watery diarrhea then they probably have not contracted it. The labs at my facilities wouldn't even run the test on samples we sent if the stool was formed, because if it is, it's not c.diff (at least that's their position). It's really only contagious through handling the stool, so if your family hasn't been cleaning up after you, they likely haven't been exposed.

I certainly wish you the best of luck in dealing with this!!

Thank you! I was certainly worried. My grandson is severely autistic non verbal and how we would get a stool sample off of him, I don't know!

I stayed at their house for two days because I have been so ill and I am worried sick that I might have infected them. Little hands and toilet seats etc. They don't always wash their hands well enough!

So I cried all morning because my little granddaughter was expecting me to have a short visit with her today but they have told me to stay isolated from them. She is only five, it's hard for her to understand and she worries because Grandma is always sick and "shrinking", bless her.

I have texted my bariatric friends to let them know that I have C diff.

Unfortunately, cleanliness and hygiene in hospitals here (my NHS one), is not to the same standard as in other places so who knows.

I have no idea where I got it but I have been back to my surgeon three times with diarrhea.

Really dreading the antibiotic course and what do I do about moving house? Now I have infectious runs!

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[theantichick 2,204]

Bleach is your friend. It will kill the c.diff, so use it on every bleach-safe surface, especially in the bathroom. There are a couple of other cleaners that can be used on surfaces that can't be bleached, but I'm pretty sure they're not standard cleaners, it's special stuff we had in the hospital.

Alcohol gels WILL NOT KILL IT. Make sure everyone who comes into contact with you knows that. Soap and Water, with the soap being used for 30 seconds before rinsing, is the only way to get it off your hands. Even if someone wears gloves, they still need to wash their hands.

I don't know what to advise as far as moving house, unless you can put it off until the c.diff is cleared, or if you can have other people do the packing and moving after you have someone come in to do a deep cleaning of the house?

[KristenLe 5,979]

@@GinaCampbell I'm surprised to hear that you're just being tested for C Diff. I thought a few weeks ago you mentioned that this is what they suspected and planned to admit you. I would have thought you were told to take precautions back then. Boy - you just can't catch a break!

[GinaCampbell 434]

@@GinaCampbell I'm surprised to hear that you're just being tested for C Diff. I thought a few weeks ago you mentioned that this is what they suspected and planned to admit you. I would have thought you were told to take precautions back then. Boy - you just can't catch a break!

They took the stool sample, blood sample and sent me home. Nutritionist said the results were normal back then so either they didn't test for C Diff that time, forgot to tell me that time, who knows. GP did a test on 28th June but didn't test for C Diff. Surgeon tested for C Diff on 29th June.

And no, I was told that if there was anything wrong, they would phone me. They forgot to phone me. So no, even though they tested for C diff, I wasn't told to take any precautions and my poop sample bottle was handled without gloves after I was told to "just leave it on the desk love".

I can't decide if God is trying to tell me to not move house or if the devil is trying to rob me of my dream house!

Answers on a postcard please!

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[GinaCampbell 434]

Bleach is your friend. It will kill the c.diff, so use it on every bleach-safe surface, especially in the bathroom. There are a couple of other cleaners that can be used on surfaces that can't be bleached, but I'm pretty sure they're not standard cleaners, it's special stuff we had in the hospital.

Alcohol gels WILL NOT KILL IT. Make sure everyone who comes into contact with you knows that. Soap and Water, with the soap being used for 30 seconds before rinsing, is the only way to get it off your hands. Even if someone wears gloves, they still need to wash their hands.

I don't know what to advise as far as moving house, unless you can put it off until the c.diff is cleared, or if you can have other people do the packing and moving after you have someone come in to do a deep cleaning of the house?

Thank you so much for the info. Will get bleach, and lots of it.

I can re schedule the big move (furniture etc) for later and just pack away here in quarantine.

Can the moving guys catch it from just moving the boxes and furniture?

But there is no guarantee how long I will have C Diff. I have heard it can be tough to shift and I will be paying double rent until I get going.

Didn't see this coming. I thought that I was clear.

Nevermind!

Will definitely hire a team of cleaners for after the move!

I am so tired.

I am still confused. Won't taking all these antibiotics leave me open to re populating with C Diff?

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[Heather I 500]

What the hell? "Leave it on the desk, dear"?!?!? Eww! What's the safety standard over there?