I had symptoms all week following an appendectomy. And for two years, I had multiple relapses back into the terrible diarrhea, fevers, and cramps.
My goal is to quickly show others what DID work, because it took so long to get answers that worked for me.
Please seek a qualified physician for all of your medical needs and questions. I’m not a physician, I’m just a biochemistry dude sharing my story of having C Diff.
First, get yourself better.*
In a nutshell, here is what worked for me and many others:
- Metronidazole (Flagyl) – Best antiobiotic to fight C Diff
- Vancomycin – Best antibiotic if Metronidazole doesn’t work
- Saccharomyces Boulardii (Florastor) – Yeast probiotic used with and after Metronidazole or Vancomycin.
- Lactobacillus GG (Culturelle) – Bacteria probiotic used with and after Metronidazole or Vancomycin.
There are certainly other treatments available from as extreme as a fecal transplant to other less effective ways to deal with symptoms. You’ll want to learn as much as you can about treatments and risks. To start learning, see C Diff or My Case History. Remember, no one cares about your health as much as you do.
Second, join us on the crusade to prevent C Diff.
Most of the spread is in healthcare settings. C Diff is spread via the fecal-oral route mostly. C Diff spores last a long time if not killed with bleach or dry heat. Why is it that the very place we go to get well, we end up getting infected with one of the worst bacterias?
I am scared to death that I would ever have to be admitted to a hospital again! How can we start cleaning our healthcare institutions of C Diff and other superbugs? Comments please!
* Please do not use this site to diagnose and/or treat any disease or suspected disease. Please seek a qualified physician for all of your medical needs and questions. I’m not a physician, I’m just sharing my story regarding C Diff.Not what you were hoping to find here?
The new version of this site is at: http://www.CDiffSite.com
This page has the following sub pages.
http://www.cdiff-support.co.uk/
http://www.cdiffsupport.com/
Have you visited these sites?
I am putting a link to your article on them
Roy
Wow, sorry to hear how long you struggled with this. My mother has had 3 bouts of C Diff so far… the first 2 of which she nearly did not survive. We spent a lot of time in ICU hoping she would live thru it.
One other thing to remember is that the spores are much like an egg or seed, with a hard outer shell. They’ll continue to “hide” in the appendix and colon. The Flagyl and Vancomycin don’t kill the spores, only the living bacteria… so even if you handwash faithfully with hot water and soap, and bleach everything in site, you can still re-infect. One of the most frustrating things for my mom is that she felt she was strictly following docs orders and doing what she was supposed to do exactly as told… and yet, she still got sick again. It wasn’t until we had a better understanding how the spores work that this started to make more sense and she realized she wasn’t making herself sick.
Mom JUST came home 2 days ago and is still on small doses of vancomycin. She is taking Florastor and eating 2 Activia a day as well.
One big concern for us is the damage C Diff can cause to major organs as well. So if you experience symptoms, go get help asap! Don’t walk, run, to the doc…
I am currently going thru my third bout of this. I am a otherwise healthy 42 year old female. I had a sinus infection a few months ago for which my Dr. prescribed Amoxicillian. That is when the fun started… I didn’t know what I had for over a week and then when I did finally go to the Dr. he didn’t believe that a healthy person could have this. I started taking Metronidazole (Flagyl) for 10 days and was fine for about 4 days… then it returned with an attitude. I was then put on the Vancomycin and flagyl, (Culturelle), Florastor at the same time with hopes this would work shortly after I was put in the hospital for three days for dehydration. I am and was drinking 120oz of water a day and am still dehydrated. I have just called the Dr. and left a message that guess what it is back again right at a week being off the antibiotics. I have a refil of the Vancomycin and will start that as soon as I get home. What the heck will happen if this never clears up???
I have been clear for almost 7 months after 3 months of treatment. Things are about back to normal, except I am so tired all the time. My labs don’t show anemia anymore, but I am so lethargic. Is anyone else experiencing this?
I am also very lethargic & feel dehydrated after a 4 week battle with C-Diff. When will I feel normal. I’m eating most foods but always stay near a little girl’s room because it only stays with me 1 1/2hrs. Is that normal also?
I was admitted into hospital for an an Aorta aneryism and had cdiff whilst in recovery and it was diarrehea constantly. After 10 days i was moved to a ward with a tiolet specifically for me. Then after hallucinating every night and getting found on a toilet floor covered in faeces, i was moved into a single room. After about three weeks i was discharged, minus 3 stone in weight.It was bad for 12 months with constant diarrhea. In the resulting time it was found that i needed a colostomy operation which was non reversable. I now have a bag with me 24/7. Lethargy was just a minor ailment, still with me it all started Feb 07 and to date Dec 08 am recoverying from latest operatoin on my stomach.
I had c-diff for 3 months. I was going back and forth to the doctor- took all kinds of medications to stop going to the bathroom…nothing worked.
I eventually lost 30lbs – and got my self to a gastroentorologist (sp?) I kept getting diagnosed with colitis. It’s my understanding that c-diff will not go away on it’s own – you need medication for it. Believe me I DID TRY THIS AT HOME. I needed to get back to work. I found some useful info online about c-diff. Never thought any of it would happen to me (anorexia…pain…fevers…all that) I was one of those “lucky” ones who became anorexic from it. When it goes too far you begin to get seriously ill (like I was). Get to a doctor. I was in the hospital before I got c-diff…however I was on antibiotics (strong ones) after it. So how I contracted it is unknown.
Bottom line…get tested and get the antibiotics for it. It WILL NOT go away on it’s own. Also, once you have it…you are more prone to it. I had it 2 years ago…and I’m starting to feel sick again…and I’m scared I may have somehow come in contact with it and possibly relapsing.
My 13 month son was FINALLY diagnoised with C-Diff, after 6 weeks of constant diaherra. I am so frustrated. Doctors just kept telling me he must have rotovirus, etc. 9 trips to the dr, and 2 ER visits, and today I finally have answers, but now about scared to death!
i had back surgery and was in and out of hospital for 22 days with staph infection on incision, was on vancomycin for 5 wks iv and began having diarrhea. learned that iv vancomycin does not help c diff. took 2 wks of flagyl and whelcol ( cholesteral med that binds with toxins) and asacol. i have ulcerative colitis since i was 15 so my gi was extra concerned. it took 4 days of meds and it went away. has anybody elses gone away that fast. has anybody ever heard of false positive c-diff test?
comment above
Hey everyone, I hope you or your family members are getting through all thus. I’m sending out good vibes to everyone!I just got diagnosed a few days ago, I’m scared, and no one seems to get it, so I thought I would try to find a place where I can talk to people who understand. I started flagyl and saw a litte bit of a difference so far, things look a litte better. Except I hate choking down that pill every few hours ugh! I’m trying to find florastor but I have tried a few places and to no avail. Any ideas? I hope you’re all doing better.
Ask your pharmacy to order Florastor.
Hello, I developed c dif last may after being put on omnicef for a possible sinus infection. by the ninth day I was having a lot of stomach distress, but thought I could finish the medication, consulted with my neighbor, a nurse practictioner, and she thought it might be c dif, I began yogurt and had already been taking acidopholus every day with the antibiotic. I became worse rapidly, it was my son’s graduation, the doctor was out of town, so with a temp, flu like symptoms, a stomach the size of manhattan, 10-15 stools a day, etc. we made it through the weekend and did a stool test the next week. I had also become covered with a variety of rashes and welts on my arms. started on flagyl and became very sick and had more skin reactions, switched to vancomycin, waited a month retested, and had to go on vancomycin again. skin was still not healed. for months my sense of smell was out of whack and the rash took several months. The week after I became sick I then had to go to the e.r. for an extremely painful locked neck, the doctor had no diagnosis but felt it was related to the c dif, said he had heard of the combination before. That was last May and I have still not recovered from the neck issue nor does anyone know what is causing it, but I think it is related to c dif. Am I better? I can’t tell . I had bronchitis and my practictioner insisted on doxycycline which made me immediately sick with horrible cramps, she did not want to believe it and insisted on 2 more antibiotics, which I did not take after discussing them with the pharmacists, neighbor and research. Again, ended up in the er to stop the bronchio spasms. I am scared to death of having to ever take an antibiotic again, and have even wondered about antibiotics in food.
Does anyone know how to be sure it is gone, or is it ever? How do you prevent it again and how do you make doctors understand the seriousness of it. Has anyone else experienced the neck problem?
Thanks
I’ve been on flagyl 3 days- diarreha has stopped but not cramping. I am too tired to get out of bed and kind of afraid I won’t ever have the energy. How long should I expect to be bed ridden?
OMG!! I am so sorry to hear about all of you guys’ problems. I work at a hospital and when we are dealing with C-Diff patients we have to take extra, extra precautions. When the patient goes home or ends up in ICU, Housekeepers have to wear special cleaning gowns and have to spray the entire room down with this cleaner called DISPATCH. A bleach cleaner and then the room has to be shut down for two hours while that bleach solution sits on everything. These stories have me spooked and I am in the healthcare profession. Not a doctor but, I have never heard stories like this. Everyone at the hospital does tend to play this stuff down, sounds fishy to me. I read an article a few months ago about C-diff and it was explaining that even when a room is cleaned with the bleach that it was tested throughout the United States in certain Hospitals and that 85% of the rooms still tested postitive for C-diff. SCARY, huh? There has got to be a better way of dealing with this. Please respond with any ideas that you may have and that I could possibly pitch to my Directors.
I have been dealing with C Diff for 2 months +. I have no health insurance & am using a local health clinic. It took them over a month to call me back with a diagnosis. They thought it was samonella, a UTI, pregnancy…. Finally after threating them to sue & got a phone call from a nurse practicioner who told me it was C Diff. She couldn’t even spell it for me & proceded to tell me that it was NOT contagious & a bunch of other misinformation. She had no clue what to tell me. My doctor never called me despite several messages & my stopping into the office at no avail. Thanks to what the nurse told me I exposed two liver transplant patients & all of the patients at the nursing home where my grandmother lives (my grandmother had just had tumor removed from her bladder & I came to visit not knowing/being told that I was not contagious). I have just finished my second round of metronidazole & my symptoms are back & worse then ever. I’m having sever diaherra every 30 min., extreme stomach cramps, weight loss, nasuea, fever, appetite is either extreme or nonexistent. My doctors didn’t even want to test me after this last round of antibiotics, I had to request the test that I am paying for. I have tried all the recommendations, nothing is working for me. My urine had been tested several times (blood in it) & all they will tell me is that I don’t have a UTI, but I may be diabetic because of the proteins & sugars present. I’m terrified that I will go into kidney failure at this point (my back is killing me). If you are experiencing any symptoms, make them listen to you! Don’t end up where I am at. Helpless, sick, & not a single doctor will listen to me.
I got c diff from a round antibiotics for a sinus infection. I had just found out I was pregnant, so it was extremely tough on my body. I think the key is to be on flagyl for 21 to 30 days. Most doctors, not being extremely familiar with the disease don’t know that. I wouldnt even bother with a family doc, I would go right to a GI specialist. It will save you money and health in the long run. I was prescribed flagyl (thank god it’s safe during 1st trimester pregnancy) for only 10 days by my OB/GYN and of course it came back 3 days later. I went to a specialist and he told me treatment is ALWAYS 14 to 30 days of flagyl, depending on how long it took for the patient to be diagnosed. After the 21 day dose, I have been c-diff free for over a month and it is not likely to come back. See, the spores hatch again after 3-14 days, which is why it’s important to be on the meds at least 21 days. This way you kill the spores before they multiply again. I don’t believe I would have ever had a relapse if I had been prescribed a longer dose of flagyl. The specialist also told me to eat activa yogurt and gave me a sample of a probiotic called “align”. I found it to be the cheapest on the costco website it you have a membership. Just keep in mind AT LEAST 14 days treatment is neccesarry. 21days is the magic number though I believe. Flagyl is cheap too so it doesnt hurt the pocket as bad if you dont have insurance. Treat it right the 1st time and it won’t come back pissed off a second time. I can’t stress the medication days enough! If I would have never contacted a good specialist to get the real deal, I could have lost my baby and became even more ill.
Gob Bless Everybody.
21 DAYS WITH FLAGYL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO LESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Buy Align
Eat 1 Activa Yogurt a day
Hi, I am now on my 5th episode of C-diff!!! It all started back in August, 08 after being on antibiotics several times for sinuses infections…took Flagyl for the first 3 episodes and then the 4th epidose I took Vancomycin which I finished in January, 09. Now here I am in March, 2 months later, and c-diff has reared its ugly head again! Abdominal cramping, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea! No fever this episode, but with the other episodes, fever was present.
I’m not sure if I’m having “recurrances” or if this time I got re-infected because I was visiting someone in the hospital last week who UNKNOWINGLY at the time had C-diff. C-diff has claimed another victim! Not only is my concern my health and overall well-being, but the fact that my doctors keep prescribing the same meds w/ the same dosing, i.e, 500 mg Flagyl 3 times a day for 10 days…OR Vanco (super expensive~$800!!). And they don’t seem all that concerned that this is the 5th time!!!! and that this has consumed my life! I’ve read and researched data and statistics for C-diff and there are now resistant strains out there that Flagyl isn’t killing with it’s current dosing regimen. At this point, I think I need to either switch to Vanco (which I don’t know how I will pay for) or to be on Flagyl for like 3 weeks as opposed to 10 days. Then I’ve read about pulse-dosing as well. Has anyone else heard of this??? I’ve also been taking Florastor, Colestipol, and Acidophilus since January. UGH! This C-diff is an awful nightmare!!! Any information or tips on regaining my health would be greatly appreciated!!
Stacy, I just read your comment above and will be calling my doctor about the 21 day regimen of Flagyl. Thanks!!
Stacy, unfortunately, it is my GI doctor (whom I don’t think I care for) who has put me back on the 10 day Flagyl regimen. You’d think after 5 times infected w/ c-diff, he’d automatically put me on the medicine longer!!! I think I’ll call a different doc asap!
I was prescribed Augmentin in Sept 08 and 1 week later had diarrhea and fever and cramping. Doctor thought it was a stomach virus and gave me an anti-diarrheal med. After 2 weeks of arguing with them that I was not better, he finally tested me and of course…C-diff!!! Prescribed flagyl and it helped but I felt the symptoms were still there. 6months later I get retested and again positive for C-diff. Just finished 14 days of Vancomycin. Still having several bowel movements per day and gurgling stomach and cramps. Not sure what’s next or if this will ever go away.
Dr wants me to take Questran but I’m not sure if I should?
I am a 45-year-old male multiple myeloma patient. Following a stem-cell transplant in December, 2008, I developed pneumonia. The doctors gave me antibiotics, which killed the pneumonia, but I developed c. diff. I took Flagyl. Symptoms subsided until February, 2009, when I had a positive result to a stool test at my local primary care physician. She gave me Vancomycin. She had to double the dosage.
In March I started being chilled during the day and having sweats at night. I ran a 99-100.9 temp. I returned to the doctor last week. The stool test came back negative, but she sent me to the gastroenterologist. I’m glad that I went. He said that I have c. diff. even though the stool test was negative. He said that this third bout of c. diff. probably was the same c. diff., rather than a reinfection. The reason why the test came back negative was that I have the new, stronger c. diff., which has been traveling from the American East coast west across the Mississippi River.
He gave me Questran, which is supposed to bind the bad toxins and allow them to be flushed away through the bowels.
I read that c. diff. causes flu-like symptoms. Has anyone had c. diff. to cause upper-respiratory problems?
Blessings to all of you on this not-fun journey.
ok i got c-diff somehow and was in the hospital with it for 6 days then did ten more days on the flagyl and vancomycin at the end of feb. and i thought i was starting to feel alot better. then i attempted to have sex whch hurt my guts so bad went to the doc they said i have an uti more antiboitics and maybe the pain from more guts was because more colin was not healed yet gvie ti a couple weeks take it easy and it should go back to mormal. now im scared to take another antibiotic and i wonder did anyone else experince painful sex and does it go away?
erica
I have had a sore throat and stuffy head along with my c diff. I am a health care worker and had a sinus infection a month or so ago that I took Doxycyline for. Not sure if I picked it up at work or from the antibiotics. Either way I feel terrible and can’t wait for the syptoms to go away. I have been on Flagyl for 2 days now.
I am on week 3 of C-Diff. I had my appendiz rupture four weeks ago and stayed in the hospital for 7 days. I went home for 4 days with Cirpro, and Flagyl and began feeling the first symptoms of c-diff, I went to my dr. and he sent me back to the hospital for another 4 days of antibiotics. They told me it was a infection in my colon. Went home again, with more antibiotics , and was there for another 5 days, then the c-diff relapsed and I was again admitted to the hospital. This time, the hospital was overcrowded and they had to place me in a hallway until a room became available. Here I am, in the hallway (covered) next the elevators and public restroom and using the bedside toilet. Then then blocked off the area so that I could use the public restroom. Then I was given a private room and they didn’t even clean the restroom when they removed the curtain!
So far it is day 6 out of the hospital and I have 1 and a half days of antibiotics. I hope that it will help and I hope that I do not relapse, however, after reading this, I am now doubtful that it will go away.
God bless all of you dealing with this terrible infection.
4/17/09,
I contacted C-dif two years ago after a 5 day stay in the hospital with severe diverticulitis. Was discharged on a Saturday with at home antibiotics for the diverticulitis, return the following Saturday to the ER with extremely hard chills and 103 temp. They admitted me and ran the necessary cultures and blood work and diagnosed me with C-dif. I feel that I contracted the C-dif on my first hospital stay. The first or second day I was there the hospital housekeeper came in my room to clean. She brought in a bucket of very dirty mop water and proceeded to mop the floor. I immediately noticed that the floor was visabily filthy and asked her to mop it again. Later, I walked across the floor to the bath room and when I returned to my bed, noticed that the bottom of my feet were black from the filthy floor (should have known better than to go bare foot).
I think this infection has compromised my immune system, as now I have come down with several autoimmune diseases. Does anyone else feel this way?
Woke up with bad diarrhea on the morn of Dec. 25, 2008 (which took an hour to get out!). I then couldn’t do anything for 4 days. Had no other symptoms other than being “backed-up”… Went to see my doctor (he wasn’t available and had to see the RN instead). Was told to get X-Rays. Was then told (2 days later!) the results of my X-Ray; I was backed up (yeah, duh) and just needed to get something to “blow it out”. Got Magnesium Citrate but still didn’t feel normal. Went to a local emergency clinic (was 11 days now with this infection) and was told to see a GI specialist. Went to a local one, had a colonoscopy 3 weeks later and given 10 day supply of Metronidazole. Did not help a bit. Couldn’t get past his office people to see or talk to him again so went to a second GI specialist! He had me get a CT scan and blood test of some sort… Then he said there was no reason I shouldn’t be normal; “more fruits and vegetables and fiber” he says and sends me on my way! I give up and go to a third specialist. He sends me to get a stool sample (first one yet to request that!) and a “Sitz Marker Exam” and yet another blood test. Everything shows normal except the stool test, which says “C-Diff”. I’ve been put on Metronidazole again for yet another 10 days (now on day 3) along with (as of yesterday) 30-day supply of Probiotics (Florastor). Don’t have much hope of getting rid of this now though after reading all of you poor souls’ stories too. My symptoms now (after 4 months of this): Still feeling backed-up, have a mildly distended abdomen, still having the rumbling I’ve read others having (since the beginning of this), have a weird taste in my mouth and throat all of the time again (probably sinus infection again). The specialist told me to quit taking most of my laxatives, saying that I don’t need that many… Doesn’t sound like he’s going to be any good either judging from the things he told me. I just can’t manage to keep “cleaned out”, so to speak, with Miralax & Kristalose & 2 generic Colace (stool softeners) twice a day… But I have to admit, so far he’s doing better than the last two “specialists”… But more than anything, I’m afraid I’m going to pass this on to other people now after reading about it! God bless us all during these difficult times!
I contracted c-diff after a five day stay in the hospital for a staph infection five weeks post partum. I then went on vanco for ten days, had to stop breastfeeding, and then relapsed two weeks later. I then tried an alternative therapy called oil pulling which seemed to subdue the symptoms. I then went on a strict GAPS diet and have been feeling pretty much symptom free for the last three weeks. The diet was the opposite of what the g.i. specialist suggested. Go figure… I plan to continue the diet for at least 6 months, I am dreaming of chocolate!! Just glad to have company, thanks Russ for the site.
Hi, I too have been fighting my second bout with c-diff. Feb of 2008 I had a sinus infection, so I went to the nurse practitioner and she gave me some kind of really strong antibiotic. The second day into taking these pill my guts started to bother me. I was sick all spring, diahrrea, nausea, tiredness just all in all not right. Then in July I had some sort of attack, Severe pain in my center upper abdomen, just like a knife stabbing me. I thought I was gonna die. I went into emergency, she gave me a needle in the *** sent me home, told me I pulled a muscle in my stomach. I thought Oh My God you’ve got to be kidding me !!!!! For the next month I still didn’t feel worth a hoot. Then again Severe pains that would come and go, about every 3 minutes. I went through emergency got a Wonderful Doctor this time thank God!!! He admitted me ran a series of tests and yes it was c-diff. He sent me home and I took flagyl. Things were fine, the diahrea cleared up, although it took about a month to straighten out. Then April 15, 2009 another attack, 1am in the morning. Severe abdominal pain again, vomiting, fever just plain sick! I got the same doctor told him it was the exact same thing going on. I was hopitalized again for 4 days, took flagyl, florastar for a month and yogurt every day. I don’t feel too bad, but I am scared to death that maybe something else is wrong, like how could anyone have that much pain. Did anyone else experience these sort of pains???
What is the GAPS diet? I’ve heard of and been on the BRAT diet, which consists of Bananas, Rice, Apple sauce, and Toast. The BRAT diet helps.
My c. diff. comes and goes, about once every two weeks, but now I’m throwing up with the diarrhea. Does anyone else’s c. diff. come and go without treatment?
Both my parents had cdiff. I contratced it 4 days ago. I am on flagyl. It is very important not only to take flagyl but acidophilus as well. This is the good bacteria u are lacking which causes cdiff. U have to build this back up as quickly as possible to keep from relapsing. I plan to take it at least 2 months after I finish the flagyl and test negative. U can not get rid of this on your own without flagyl .
Hi guys!! I am writing this because I also was infected with C DIFF. I was on Cipro antibiotic for 3 months to treat chronic Urinary Tract Infections which unfortunately led to this. I went undiagnosed for almost 7 months. I saw more doctors than you can imagine and for some reason or another continued to be misdiagnosed with EVERYTHING (even pregnancy, which I wasn’t). I was finally diagnosed after my doctor thought I had food poisoning (another misdiagnosis). Anyways, I guess I am writing this to Jeannie and Rebecca because when I read your comments I knew exactly how you feel. I have been more fatigued and lethargic ever since having C DIFF and that was 2 years ago. My doctor said that since I had it for so long it would probably take about a year to recover and I am finding that I am still recovering. I am only 25 and I feel horrible for everyone who has had to experience this. The only effects from having C DIFF that I currently experience is diarrhea sometimes and fatigue. I have been tested 2 times since and I am officially rid of it, so there is hope…just don’t give up:) I was instructed by my doctors to take the two prescriptions together for a while and it apparently worked. I’m so sorry that ya’ll are having to go through this because that is definitely the worst pain imaginable. Good Luck and write if ya have questions:)
I’m 43 and was never sick. I got a sinus infection and went to urgent care and he gave me Cefdinir….while taking it my stomach sounded like 2 cats in a fight and i called my PCP of which she told me i could instead of taking 2 of those at the same time, take one in the evening and one in the morning…bottomline…when i took my last dosage…diarrhea started…and boy did it…cramps….my doctor was not serious enough about it and said it would be rare i’d get c diff and she could test me but by the time the tests would come back, the diarrhea would stop….well, she was wrong….after a week or so of going through this she tested me and i tested positive….thus, she put me on flagyl….fine and dandy but then when i finished i had picked up a virus that turned into pnemonia….thus she put me on the z pack, even though i had just tested positive a few weeks earlier of c diff….and of course, when finishing the zpack, here came the diarrhea again….still, she had a very complacent attitude and freaking sent me home with 7 containers to poop in because she wasn’t sold i had c diff again….i switched doctors and this is like my 2nd round of flagyl with him….after the first round he tested me again and i was positive so here i am again….i’m absolutely amazed that anything like this has happened….how someone can get so sick from taking an antibiotic for a sinus infection! I’m taking Acidophilis….but i don’t even know if this is adequate….i want something strong….this really sucks.
Hi Kim, I am really sorry what you are going through. I found this site a few months ago, and found it comforting that other people were going through the same thing and finding relief. But I didn’t have the choice to take more antibiotics because I was/am breastfeeding. I went on the usual 10 day Vanco, but when I relapsed, which my dr. denied, I tried some alternative therapies which worked for me. To ease the immediate symptoms I tried oil pulling 2x a day for five days. In addition, I also followed a strict GAPS diet. It has been almost three months since my last relapse, and I have been intestinally healthy because I have been following the GAPS diet for the most part. Only within the last week I have had some sweets with no consequence. YEAH!! I really think the DRS. are missing a key component of healing C.Diff, and that is of nutrition. The key to GAPS is healing your gut, and blood toxicity, and hence building up the healthy flora. I am religious about my pro-biotic, and try to eat some fermented food with every meal. Sometimes it is just a spoon full of kraut, other times it is beet kvass which is also a blood tonic. Because so much is loss with C.diff, it is important to build your blood up with good food. I have gotten very motivated to change my eating habits, and I believe that it is going to benefit me in the long run. If you need more information about specific foods, email me. But I would advise anyone with c.Diff to check out the following websites. They don’t, nor do I claim that this heals c.diff, although it did for me, it is merely a suggestion. I have mentioned a lot of these therapies to my practicioners and many had never heard of them, so don’t get discouraged if they haven’t heard about it . Some websites to peruse: bodyecology.com, gapsdiet.com, westonaprice.com, and oilpulling.com. I hope this information helps.
groovygreenmama.wordpress.com
So glad I found this site, I have just been diagnosed with C. Diff. and this is very worrying.
I have underlying Coronary Artery Disease and am prone to episodes of Paraoxysmal Atrial Fibrillation, the last episode occured in March and I was hospitalised for 3 days. I can hardly believe that this resulted in my being infected with C. Diff. after so long. I have not been on any antibiotics recently either and I am a scupulous handwasher.
My Dr. prescribed Flagyl which I have been taking for 2 days now, so far it has not made any difference but I guess I should give it 48 hours at least.
I don’t have any appetite and would like to know if anyone can recommend a good diet, this might take some time to clear up (if it ever does), I will try the BRAT diet but I imagine you can only stay on that for so long.
Would really appreciate any further information that would help.
Lots of good stuff above thanks.
My wife (41 yr old) contracted C-diff in hospital Feb 2009, she is on her third relapse right now. Treatment is same as mentioned above Flagyl, oral Vanco and florastor (250 mg).
The fatigue and chronic diahrea has never really stopped. She’s been hospitalized mostly for dehydration – Check a patient’s tongue for moistness is an easy way to tell. Dehydration is very dangerous because any fluids she takes, pass right through. She is on other meds and when she is really sick the pills will pass through her system undissolved.
This time around she had a bowel obstruction which developed into pseudomenbraneous colitis along with the C – diff reoccurence. Along with all of this she suffered an electrolyte imbalance which caused severe mental confusion, total loss of surroundings/reality along with a small dose of parnonia – Nurses don’t like paranoid patients. These symptoms lasted for 3 days and today the 4th day is much better. She’s 95% back to her old self as compared to previously barely recognizing me for 3 days – quite scary.
Things I’ll suggest to her doctor
- 21 days of flagyl
- increasing flora to 2000 or 3000 mg
He intends to pulse dose the vanco (3 day cycle) towards the end.
If this doesn’t go away she’s ready for a fecal transplant – that’s suppose to have a very high rate of success. Of course no doctors in our area are familiar with that procedure. Any success stories?
Most likely our family is carriers now so I will be refusing antibiotics unless absolutely necessary.
As I mentioned above, the third specialist had a stool test done and it tested positive for C-Diff. He gave me a prescription for 10 days of Flagyl along with Florastor and sent me on my way (with a follow-up appt. a month later).
One week after taking the Flagyl and Florastor together (among other things, which included DanActive drinks, Activia yogurts and other stuff) I felt great! All of *my* (*my* symptoms, which don’t seem to be the “norm”- which I have chronic constipation and not diarrhea) symptoms were gone (rumbling noise I’ve read that others had, abdominal pain in several locations, mucus in my stool, backed-up feeling, bulge where my large intestine is in my right side (which to my understanding is my intestine being swollen from inflammation?)).
One more week later (2 weeks after finishing the flagyl) the symptoms came back. My follow-up appt. came and the Doc says it’s likely not C-Diff again. He seems reluctant to even prescribe me the 21-day prescription if it turns out to be positive again, saying “the GI guideline says 10 days” or something like that. I printed out this page for him to read but he was again reluctant and tried to give it back to me. He did finally keep it but likely threw it in the trash later. He does give me the go-ahead to get the stool test; which came out negative.
It simply amazes how these doctors refuse to listen to their patients about their symptoms and other folks’ stories and the possibility their
“guideline” could be wrong!
Anyway, I’m yet again waiting for my follow-up appt. to talk to him again and tell him I’m not any better regardless of the test results.
It has been a total of 6 months now with this horrible problem. I keep hoping I can get this under control before I lose my colon and have the bag like so many people (I’m still middle-aged and don’t want to carry the bag for 30+ years!) and I only hope I’m not spreading it to others! I had to research it to even find out whether it was contagious or not and how to properly wash my hands and clean my bathroom to prevent spreading it (none of the specialists have mentioned anything about it even being remotely contagious!)
Kind of makes me wonder if they WANT more people to get sick with it so they can be rolling in the dough? My opinion only of course. LOL
One other thing.
In my wife’s situation, the C Diff test results are often unreliable with a false negative.
I am not sure if they are doing them properly or what? Apparently you have to take 3 or 4 different samples to test and you may get one positive. My wife has been obviously quite sick and the test results have been negative but the next time around they are positive.
They can also confirm C-Diff with scope by looking at inflamed membrane lining. This is how they initially confirmed it.
There is a book on google books “Bacteria for Breakfast” that has a partial section available online regarding C-Diff treatment.
Best of Treatments!
My son who is seven was on Omnicef longterm for RF. In Feb he started diareah and his bottom got so raw. He began itching /grabbing at his bottom so his ped put his on two rounds of worm pills. When they didn’t work we went to Kefir and probiotics and Culturelle. Now he is having horrible bowels issues. He goes without feeling it. We smell him and realize he went. When he goes into the bathroom he makes a huge mess. He comes out with poop everywhere. I think he is trying to pull it out. He feels stuck and the muscles aren’t pushing it out. I took him to a psychologist who helps them get on a poop schedule and gives a reward in two weeks. I have to keep a diary. Could it be C dif? He often complains of his bottom being sore or stinging. He is going multile times a day but not much comes out but runny loose stools. Should I get a stool sample?
There is more than one strain of C. Diff and it is a growing problem in the US and Canada. It is now affecting individuals who have not been in hospital or on antibiotics and has been fatal in some cases, particularly with people who are elderly of have underlying health problems.
One of the most informative sites I have found so far is the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta, they are taking this infection very seriously. http://cdc.gov/
If you don’t think your Dr. is taking you seriously enough ask for a second opinion.
As for Michele, I would insist on testing.
One further note, hand washing is the only way to prevent infection, I read on one of the sites that Alcohol based hand gel disinfectants are not efffective in destroying this bacteria.
My 77 yr old mother has been suffering from C-diff and infectious colitus as a result. On Easter Day, she started to get a cold. Because she was a heavy smoker for over 50 yrs, her colds quickly spiral downward. So she got pneumonia was went into the hospital for a week and was on all kinds of heavy antibiotics. Upon returning home, weak and wiped out from pneumonia, she strarted having diarrhea.We thought it was from all of the meds and trauma her body had just gone through. This is where the nightmare begins—-
Monday, 4/20 – admitted for pneumonia
Monday, 4/27 – released
Wed, 4/29 – starts complaining of diarrhea
Thurs, 4/30-Sun, 5/3 – diarrhea worsens at home
Mon, 5/4 – Dr. puts her on BRAT diet.
Wed, 5/6 – Calls Doctor – prescribes Flagyl
Sun, 5/10- getting worse
Mon, 5/11 – Calls doctor…he asks for stool sample.
— Mom takes several days to get sample back to doctor. Big mistake to put this off!
Thurs, 5/14 – Admitted to hospital for dehydration. yup-it took 2 weeks for them to get her into the hospital. 2 weeks!
Fri 5/15 – diagnosed with C-diff
Tues, 5/19 – released from hospital – comes home on oral Vanc (14 days since beginning in hospital )& Flagyl ( 21 days since beginningin hospital) and Florastor.
Thurs, May 28th – No more diarrhea. Feeling better. Does well UNTIL….
Wed, June 10th – thinks she has a UTI. Gets prescription for another antibiotic. Starts on Thurs, June 11th.
Sun, June 14th – Relapse
Mon, June 15th – Tues, June 16th – gets worse…afraid to go back in hospital…tries to deal with it at home. Destroys furniture, rugs…soooo sick.
Wed, June 17th- admitted to hospital for dehydration
Thurs, June 18th -assumed C-Diff although stool samples negative- put on Vanc & Flagyl. Given TPN (IV nutrition) and saline w/ pottasium and magnesium. Anemic, low albumin, malnutrition!
Mon, June 22nd – Colonoscopy- doc can’t go in very far—too inflamed and could puncture tissue. Takes biopsies-they came back neg. for cancers. She has colitus.
Tues, June 23rd-Catscan to rule out all cancers- Ruled out.
Fri, June 26th- RELEASED with diagnosis of ” C-diff Induced Infectious Colitus”
Admitted into a nursing home same day as release from hospital since she cannot go home on her own and needs daily strength therapy and help with diet. Nursing home has had not 1 case of C-diff for 11 months. Will not take C-Diff positive patients.
Tues, June 30th-stops Flagyl (too soon-only 14 days! Needs 21!)
Thurs, July 2nd- relapse…immediate dehydration, fever, vomitting.
Back in hospital for flare-up. Nursing home freaking out until they gets neg. C-diff sample or won’t take her back.
So there is my poor mom, in Depends for the rest of her life probably. A strong woman, despite smoking all these years. Next stop, U Penn, as Bryn Mawr can’t seem to get it right.
i was diagnosed with c-diff after being told i had IBS ( i was diagnosed with IBS in November 2008). My father is in a “nursing home” type of place and i go to visit him 4-5 days a week. he has been in and out of there and the hospital since sept. 2008 for pancreatic problems, gall bladder and MRSA, pneumnia (sp), c-diff, and VRE. (he is very sick)
i was not on any antibiotics before the infection.
i got really sick for about two weeks and thought i had a stomach flu (i usually catch whatever is going around at the time) but when i started to lose a lot of blood and had not eaten in 6 days i got worried, also the pain was unbearable i would black out at time from it. i called the doctor and they said to go to the ER. i went to the ER and they took blood tests and i insisted they take a stool and urine sample because all the blood tests that had been taken came back neg for anything. of course the blood tests came back neg.told me there was no way i had c-diff because i have not been taking antibiotics. they sent me home with pain meds and nasuea meds. the next night they called me and said they were calling in antibiotics to my nearest pharmacy and to pick them up immediately and take them. i was prescribed flagyl for 14 days three times a day 500mg. yesterday was my last day on the meds and i feel okay today, just nervous hoping all is well. i just do not what to do know that i am not on them i am going to get yogurt, and probiotics (more of them) to continue taking. they are sure i have worsened my IBS and possibly got colitis from all this, what a bummer!
thank you for reading my story i hope i can help others or they can help me!
Hi,
I’m 26 years old and have just been diagnosed with c.diff. In May I started alli (FDA approved weight loss treatment) and only did it for 3 weeks. Next thing you know, beginning of June my bowel movements were not normal. It seemed that every weekend during the month of June I had a mucus consistency bowel movement. My mom made an appointment for me to see her GI specialist. I got some blood work done and my doctor requested I do a stool sample. About two days after I submitted the stool sample I get a call from the nurse asking for my local pharmacist because I have c.diff and was prescribed Flagyl (generic form). I have no idea how I got this. I’ve read all the possible ways people are normally infected such as:
1. being on antibiotics,
2. being admitted to the hospital/visiting a patient,
3. having cancer or HIV, oral/anal sex.
I have DONE NONE OF THE ABOVE. Also, besides the mucus consistency bowel movement, I didn’t get a fever or abdominal cramps. As a matter of fact, I had the most energy in my life and had started working out. I’m super depressed about it because I have no clue how this came about. I have been on flagyl for about 3 days and have noticed a change in my bowel movement for the better. It’s not quite normal yet. Also, my nurse told me to only take the prescription for 10 days no longer but yet there is a refill on it. I’m starting to think she doesn’t know what she’s talking about b/c why else would the doctor give me a refill?
Is someone is the same situation as me? Is there a cure for this? Am I ever going to be normal again?
It’s hard to say how long this infection will last. I was treated with Flagyl for 10 days and the diarrea more or less cleard up, when I went back to my Dr, he said the C. Diff could return. Sure enough 7 days later it was back with a vengeance, now I am on Flagyl again, this time for 14 days. I imagine if this doesn’t work I will go on to Vancomycin. Also my Dr, is arranging for a colonoscopy, not looking forward to that.
My dad is going through his second bout of c.diff. It nearly killed him the first time. He went back in hospital to have his ileostomy reversed and the c.diff is back. He had the hallucinations, now has bloating, diarrhea has not stopped for one month now. The docs tried immune globulin , this is still experimental. Didn’t seem to make a difference. He is on the liquid vanc, activa and on iv fluids. We are not sure how this will end. Wearing the gowns and gloves seems stupid, what about our shoes, our exposed faces and heads. What about all the hospital staff that walk around the entire hospital , moving about from a c.diff room to the hallways, cafeteria, etc.
I think this thing is worse than the ‘health proffessionals’ are telling us. Oh ya, another thing, what about the colonoscopy and endoscopy equipment. How clean can they be.
Please be careful with your mother and make sure she keeps taking the flagyl or vicamasyn, my mother had this for 4 months and like your mom went to a nursing home after the hospital to rehabilitate then they sent her home and said she was all better, it came back extremely worse, she had to have her colon removed but she did not make it, she died one month ago, though she did have chronic lukemia which weakened her immune system I believe she should have kept taking the flayl but the doctors had stopped it , I will pray for your mother.
I contracted C diff after I gave birth to my son in March and they left pieces of my placenta behind TWICE!! they began me on IV therapy and shortly into it the diarrhea began. i went almost 7 weeks with it and was extremely sick and week, unable to care for my newborn baby at all. And my husband being in the military and away for a few months, it was unbearable to say the least
Finally my gynocologist brought me downt he hall to an Infectious Disease specaillast and he explained to me i had c diff and put my on 10 days of Flagyl. during this time i got worse, when this course was done he put me on another 14 days and i got worse still so he sent me to a GI speciallist who did a colonoscpy and said it was fine, gave me 2 more weeks of Flagyl. this time i took a severe reaction to the drug and was told by the ER doctor it was an allergic reaction andT not to take any more Flagyl
The GI then put me on 2 weeks of vanco and i felt fine while i took it but 5 days after i finished i relapsed again, so another month worth of Vanco should work. i took it and felt some of the symptoms such as bloating,extreme gas, pains in back and left ab, but diarrhea not so bad
5 days after this round was done i relapsed and ended up in the hospital for a few days on IVs for liquids and vanco, rhivampin and cholestramine…after 3 days i came around and went home with a comtinuing 2 weeks on Vanco. i thought this time it would work for sure because the only symptoms i had was the load gurgling that kept me all night. I was tested on tues and the results were negative. i was very happy but still worried and sure enough by saturday had explosive diarrhea again. back to the ER i went in an emotional mess and was tested positive so back on vanco again. i went the following week with no symptoms at all and also added Florastor even though these doctors said there was no benefits in taking probiotics but i knew better, i ws taking acidiffilous the entire time.
the three doctors who are dealing with my case agree that i have to go back on Flagyl which I am a complete wreck thinking about. It made me sooo sick, so they are gonna try it in the ER to see how i react next week. I feel they dont know how to handle it at all and I am scared to death. I mean i tried for 5 yrs to get pregnant and battled uterine cancer in order to have him. i am so blessed but coping with this everyday is making my hair fall out. i am not only in fear for myslef but also for my son and husband. I am only 30 yrs old and not okay with having a colostomy bag at all. It seems like an unfair thing to happen after all i went through.
I today made an appt with a naturaopath 5 hrs from here for the 19th of this month and hoping she can help me out. I just plain dont trust these doctors anymore,( they didnt even think i should take probiotics)
My son is now 5 months old and i am so angry over the precious time I am losing with him. I wish someone would tell a story of how they beat this thing for good. My heart and head cant handle it anymore. Im really hoping they are right about the Flagyl but i dont agree, i hope after time the Florastor will help as well and the diet that the naturopath is gonn give me will help. i may even go to the hospital in the other city while im there to see her to see if they will run any more tests to check if this is a disease or the infection, or if any damage was done. Im desperate at this point and so saddened for my son who is not getting as much attention as he needs with me in the bathroom so often.
I am so sorry to hear about your nightmares with this infection.
If you have a bad reaction to ANY antibiotic you must make sure the physicians understand this. And, if vancomycin is the only one that works for you, then demand that you get it!
When you have something like C Diff, you think about it all the time. Most physicians don’t think about it all the time like you do. It’s impossible for them to be thinking about your specific case as much as you are. So, I’d argue that no one cares about YOUR health more than you do.
So, be bold and take control of your health. Question the advice from doctors to make sense of it. Get multiple opinions. Ask questions until you get YOUR answers. It may be expensive, but research and pursue all types of treatment possible. This thing is deadly.
MOST people with C Diff get over it eventually. So, there are plenty of stories “out there” of people winning against C Diff. I’m one. When we’re suffering and focused on C Diff the most, we post comments and talk to people. When most people get over C Diff and are no longer worried, and they don’t write their stories. I wish we all would/could.
I need to finish more of the details on my case history and those will be on the new site: http://CDiffSite.com.
I can only offer what worked for me (see above) for encouragement. That, and to advise that you take a VERY ACTIVE role in your doctors visits and your treatment options.
One more thing: I think there is hope in a new drug, fidaxomicin, hopefully being released soon. See: http://cdiffsite.com/?tag=fidaxomicin for more information.
“No one cares about your health more than you do.”
Poor Tammy, So sorry for you. I also had 2 courses of Flagyl and it made me horribly sick, I felt as if I was being poisoned every day, couldn’t eat, got thrush as well and lost 17 pounds.
Now I am on Vancomycin, started yesterday and for the first time today felt almost human. My Dr. tells me this may not work and that if it does not I will have to go back on to Flagyl.
He also told me that it does go away eventually, the problem for me is that I am on other medications and the diarrea prevents the meds from being absorbed so I end up with palptations.
This is a really horrrible bacteria and I don’t think enough attention is being paid to finding a cure. My drug plan does not pay for Vancomycin either so I am taking it in a liquid form made up by the pharmacy from IV Vancomycin which is cheaper than the capsules. The liquid tastes vile..but it only cost $100 as opposed to $600 for the capsules.
I just found a naturopath alot closer to home and have an appt. monday(works well since im being admitted tues to try flagyl again) just wondering if anyone has had success this way
Apart from feeling so desperately ill on Flagyl and with constant nausea and no appetite I did try to make sure that I kept hydrated and stayed away from any kind of foods containing fibre. I made up a drink with Soy Milk and Nestle Instant Breakfast and manged to have that once a day, I’m sure it kept me from really deteriorating. If I was very thirsty I drank Coca Cola (which I don’t usually drink) because in a pinch it is a second class electrolyte. My Dr told me he had a patient who tried 2 courses of Flagyl, then Vancomycin to no avail, he went back on to a 3rd course of Flagyl and it finally the C. Diff cleared up, so there is some hope.
Is Brewers Yeast the same as S Boulardii?
I think it is the same thing….Im taking Florastor and heard that Brewers Yeast is the next best thing.
Brewers Yeast is not the same as S Boulardii, Brewers Yeast is a vitimin and mineral supplement, mainly containg Vit B. S Boulardii is a Probiotic. Both do have a beneficial effect on the colon though.
Thank you EKathryn!
I was just posting something along the same lines…
http://cdiffsite.com/?p=78
“Brewer’s Yeast (Saccharomyces Cerevisiae) and Florastor (Saccharomyces Boulardii) are not the same organism. They are both yeasts and have similarities, but they are distinctly different strains within the same species….”
so a bilt of good news, the stool test i did on friday came back NEG!!, the doctor still thinks i should continue with the vanco for 2 weeks and add the flagyl as well starting on thursday because of it being so “perverse”. Im not sure how I feel about that but we will see how it goes
I seen the naturopath today and he was amazing to say the least. He helped me make sense of alot of ongoing issues i have had since childhood and turns out i am alergic to wheat and in turn my gall bladder isnt working right so i am not digesting or absorbing the antibiotis or my food properly. He mapped out a diet plan and is ordering me in another herbal/garlic based med to treat the c diff from reacurring. I cant remember what he called it but i will let you all know friday
Thank you all for the stories and advice. My mom has been going thru this for months but we hadn’t heard of this c. diff. until just recently. My mom actually found an article in a newspaper and took it to her doctor. They tested her and it came back negative, yet her symptoms are exactly as all of you have described and so her doctor put her on the Flagyl anyway and it is helping. She is in her 70’s and is a strong woman but this has weakened her so much. She has lost a ton of weight and strength. I just wanted to tell all of you that your stories help others. After finding this site we were better able to help her. She is eating the yogurt and trying to increase the good bacteria, she also insisted that she be on the RX for 21 days instead of the original 14 days.
A question I have is should she be on it even longer to be sure it is all gone? She can’t survive very many relapses of this. We need to be sure she gets it all NOW! She suffered for months before getting the dr. to listen to her.
(by the way, it is her small town dr. who has helped, the gastro. dr. just dismissed her over and over again.)
Thanks again for all your stories and advice. I hope you all get relief from this asap.
C. Diff is a very persistant bacteria, since the middle of June I have had 2 courses of Flagyl, the first for 10 days and the second for 14 days, I think I felt sicker on the Flagyl than I did without it and it didn’t help. I have just finished 14 days on Vancomycin, that hasn’t helped either. My Dr. said if the Vancomycin doesn’t work he will put me back on Flagyl. I have lost 20 pounds in weight, have no appetite and have constant cramps. I am scared to go out anywhere because the diarrea is so unpredictable. Also I think it is possible to test negative for the bacteria even though it is still there, its just hiding somewhere. My Dr. seems quite knowlegeable about C. Diff., he said there is a strain of this bacteria that originated in Quebec and has spread all over North America, he also said that sometimes it takes several courses of antibiotics before it clears up.
Today I am having some concern. I have been seeing the naturopath and feeling great for a while. I decided not to take the 3 doses of flagyl and 4 doses of vanco a day and taper off the two of them so i am down to 1 each a day along with florastor and 2 other probiotcs.
yesturday I had alot of stool when i went to the bathroom and just didn’t feel well at all for the rest of the day. My naturopath said it was more then likely what i had eaten because I went way off the diet plan. yesturday I did the same because I was out for the day and couldnt stick to my diet.
This morning i had a really strange stool, it was orange on one side and brown the other. then started coming out green and very soft. I know green stool can be caused by bacteria, oncoming diarrrhea and what you eat. I did have blueberry pie last night before bed. But I cant help being scared of relapse. I am having pain in my left side, same as i did when i was really sick from the C DIff. has anyone experienced pain in the infected area after the infection was gone?
Tammy…I would encourage you to take the Flagyl and Vancomycin as they were prescribed by your Dr. By reducing the dose you are actually allowing the bacteria to build up a resistance to the antibiotics and they will never be effective again.
It is essential to keep adeqate levels of the antibiotic circulating in your blood serum to destroy the bacteria.
As for the colour of your stool, the only thing you have to worry about is whether or not there is blood in it, green or yellow means nothing according to my Dr.
Personally I don’t think a naturopath can be of much use in treating C. Difficile and probably will do more harm than good.
The most imprtant thing in your diet would be to make sure you are well hydrated and to keep your electrolytes in balance. Gatoraide is a good electrolyte replacement. Banana, Apple Sauce, Toast and Rice (BRAT) diet does help and avoid high fiber foods.
hi Tammy,
I can totally empathize with your situation, but really strongly believe in diet rather than drugs. I think you are doing the right thing by seeing the naturopath b/c they look at the whole picture (including post partum mom) instead of just the c.diff and trying to get rid of that. I went the g.i. specialist route and was not willing to go on drug after drug to rid this. What I am doing is managing the c.diff and the havoc it has created on my body. Although I have tested neg. for c.diff, my gut is not the same. I have been on a strict GAPS diet, similar to Specific Carbohydrate Diet and have been having pain free days. However I went on vacation for a month, and was not as strict on my diet and my body feels like it has “relapsed” with d. So to get myself back on track I am starting back on strict GAPS, which totally eases symptoms and pain. DIET, DIET, DIET is what I am saying. The flora in your gut needs to keep on being replenished with probiotic and good food, rather than food that feeds the bad flora such as carbs, sugar, etc. So yes, fermented food is a part of my everyday diet, and I am not able to eat my berry pies this summer, but I am happy that I am not taking any more drugs. I know this might not be the most popular way, but I am proof, and have gone both ways. I don’t believe that drugs can heal this… I believe you have to manage it with diet, and a strict one at that. Also as for the electolyyte, try coconut water b/c there is no corn syrup such as in gatorade. Remember sugar feeds the bad flora. People want to take the drugs and keep on SAD (standard american diet), but it just feeds the drug industry, and our processed foods industry. Eat real food and you can be healed.
I posted above with some websites, and email me personally if you want more information. My baby is now 6 months old.
groovygreenmama.wordpress.com
thank you both for your input. but i dothink the naturopath is best. I cant agree with my MD at all on this couse of treatment. All the sites say taper the meds and i have been on them 5 months. plus i did test neg and have been feeling much better, its just today that ive had pain in that same spot and i really went far off my recommended diet the past few days. The diet he gave m is based on my blood type which is O-.
im wiccan and beleive fully in the healing abilities of herbs. i cant seem to find your info groovygreenmama but would love to chat, my son is 5 1/2 months old so i think we may have alot to talk about. sopport from someone going through the same thing would be great.
the ND told me this morning that it sounds as if the infection is coming out of my system and the pain could be from what i ate being roughage on my colon were the infection was, that it would be tender for a while but wants me to keep in touch later today.and just keep an eye on my BMs.
my eail is tammybearnes@hotmail.com i would love to chat
Thank you Deborah for pointing that out, I’ve updated this page http://cdiffsite.com/?page_id=7. (Dosage Saccharomyces Bouldardii and relapse reduction) I hope that helps.
wondering if anyone had a problem with Candida with the c diff.?My ND has started me on garlic pills to help with both infections. I was feeling pretty ill after taking the wheat and sugar out of my diet, but i was told about the die-off effect and thinking that may be the prob.
I strayed far from my diet this weekend and getting the gluten and sugar actually made me feel better today. although i do understand that i was getting better when i was sick and now just feeding the yeast.
it seems the two infections are hand and hand with me. both caused by insufficient bacteria in tlhe gut. I just cant beleive that it took this long to find out about. my MD didnt seem to think that i had any such problem but it is painfully clear that i do.
Tammy,
Sorry you now have Candida which is a side effect of antibiotics, unfortunately the antibiotics kill off the good bacteria as well as the bad bacteria.
I also have Candida but it can’t be treated with medication as long as I am taking Vancomycin so I just eat yogurt and that is keeping it under control.
I am an R.N. so I prefer to go the traditional medicine route as opposed to naturopaths and I wouldn’t have any faith in garlic pills or weird diets, if garlic pills worked on these bacteria we would all be taking them. However, we all have different opinions and everyone is looking for answers.
I know enough to make sure I drink adequate fluids and maintain my electrolyte balance. Electrolytes keep your heart functioning properly and essentially consist of Glucose, Sodium and Potassium as well as other minerals. What form the glucose is taken in is irrelevant and a banana will provide Potassium.
It is possible to drink lots and still become dehydrated, that is because the lining of the colon is inflamed and fluid cannot get through the walls of the colon into the circulatory system.
Treating this bacteria can be very frustrating, just when I think it is beginning to clear up it starts again. I am fortunate to have a Dr. who is really knowledgeable about C. Diff. and takes it very seriously. I also do a lot of research on sites like the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention. The pharmacist has also been very helpful in explaining the need to taper off the Vancomycin over the course of weeks to make sure that as the spores are killed off as soon as they hatch.
We all have different ways of responding to antibiotics and there are also different strains of C. Diff, so what works for one might not work for another.
Anyway, good luck Tammy, I do hope you are feeling better soon.
thanks,
I too am still taking vanco and flagyl but started on my every 2nd day doses, tapering off for a few weeks now. After i tested neg my MD added the flagyl and he doesnt agree with tapering at all. but i feel i know more then he does.
thats why i have to go natural for now, starving the candida from sugar and gluten and taken 3 probiotics and a garlic pill a few times a day. My body cant handle more drugs for sure. I wouldnt have known about candida if it wasnt for the ND. I thave been complaining about yeast infections since i got sick with c diff and was sure it was from the flagyl I took in the beginning. My MD told me it was papulous veins from the delivery of the baby..hahaha. that didnt make any sense at all.
but good luck to you as well Hopefully we all get better and this god aweful thing leaves us alone.
how do you find out what strain of c diff you have?
Can you take too much acidophilus, such as using Kefir, Flora Q, Culurelle?
Has anyone undergone the fecal transplant? I relapsed again after two months being symptom free and two negative tests.
Its clear in my situation I am only “chasing my tail” with the antibiotics and now my doctor is looking into the transplant for me. Im waiting for a call today. Im reading that there is alot of luck with this line of treatment, like 95% have not had a relapse.
Hi tammy,
I am sorry you relapsed. I relapsed as well after a month on the road and off my diet. The bad bacteria overtook the good bacteria again. I then went back to chicken broth and saurkraut and probiotics. My tummy didn’t feel good for about 2-3 weeks, but I am back on top now and feeling great energy and no tummy pain. I am sticking to the GAPS diet and antibiotic free. As far as the fecal transplant I talked to another mom who had success with it, she used her husband as a donor. She also has stuck to the GAPS diet, which she learned about after the transplant. Good luck with your decisions. Out of curiousity what probiotics are you taking and are you including carbs and sugar in your daily diet? I noticed the most difference with Bio Kult brand of probiotic.
I have a question that Im not sure anyone can answer but here it goes. Can the c diff toxins show positive in stool tests during die-off????
the reason Im asking is because I was sure i was on the way to recovery feeling much better then started last week feeling ill but no diarrhea, just loose stools and lots of undigested food. So i got my MD to order a test and it came back pos. the next day I got explosive diarrhea and it was like nothing I had ever seen. tons and tons of mucus(sometimes thats all it was) and the stool was very weird looking. So my MD told me to meet him at hosp. to run tests, they did all the blood work and it came back fine and the stool test was pos. again.
The next day I had no diarrhea, just 3 loose stools and alot of pain. and for the next couple of days I have been feeling much better, my head is clearer and the pain is gone. just the occational gurgle and feeling like i have to go but dont. I only had 1 BM today and it was well formed but soft. So i dont feel like it was a total relapse, not yet anyway.
I have been sticking to the diet(mostly) I have cheated a few times and had bread or fries and a few glasses of 7-up here and there. I find the fruit really hard on me and Im not digesting greens or peppers at all. So to save my sanity I have to cheat or Ill starve.But for the most part my diet is very healthy and Im taking a few different probiotics. I just ran out of florastor but took it for over a month, I have been taking acidopholis and bifidus and also a multi-srtain from my ND along with Garlic. I havent seen any Bio-kult brand around.
groovygreenmama,
can you tell me if you buy your sauerkraut in a jar or make it yourself. after you mentioned it i did some research and it truns out that there are many benefits to it. I picked soem up yesturday and luckily I really like it anyway, my aunt used to give it to my cousin and I warmed up with bacon bits when we were sick or something was going around the schools. Its weird i have never thought of it again until you mentioned it. so how do you prepare yours? does it need to be heated or not?
aslo when you have relapse how long does the diarrhea usually last? Im a bit confused bc mine usually lasts a really long time or until i get the antibiotics into me. the last time it was only one day but i started vanco the same day. this time its been over a week and i have only had diarrhea once a day on two seperate days and my stools are very full of mucus and i think candida as well. they are different every. but i feel a bit better everyday as well. and i am seeing the GI next week but scared he’s gonna want me to do antibiotics again and i will have to refuse. I am never going back there unless it gets too hard to control
Dazed and Confussed, wow just read about your wife, I am so sorry. My mother is a dialysis patient and was admitted to the hospital in July after being on antibiotics for shingles she was just getting worse and worse and it seemed her body and mind was shutting down. Thye admitted her thinking she had a stroke and with in a couple days we heard the word C -Diff. They never did say that this was probably the reason for mom being not right in the head too but I bet like your wife she had the same imbalance. I pray for you all. I don’t have this awful thing but watching my mom slowly die from it is killing me also.
This page is getting so huge with comments I decided to have the hosting company to setup a forum for anyone interested to share on (what has worked for you, research, how to care for relatives with C Diff, whatever) and I think we all agree that reading others’ real stories helps a ton when you’re new to this and scared.
http://cdiffsite.com/forum
Enjoy sharing on the forum, if interested, it’s yours…
Grooveygreenmama what is the GAPS diet? Please share. Trying to help mom with her C-Diff. She is not getting any help from anything or any one else and we are willing to try anything. you can e-mail me the diet info at shellie69@live.com
Thank you
I am 33 years old and healthy.. I went to the ER in august with horrible abdominal pain and vomiting. they did a catscan and told me I had colitis, they put me on flagyl and cipro for 10 days. after finishing that i started to feel sick again and finally found out I had c-diff. I went on vancomyacin for 15 days. I just got retested and I go to the doctor today to find out whats going on. I still have bad side pain and I am nauseated, but my diarreah is only 4-5 times per day instead of up to 15. I hope its gone but I am still scared. I am also very tired all the time, my Dr said its cause i am dehydrated and to drink a lot of fluids, which I do. When I found out I had C-diff I had never heard of it before and didnt worry too much until I went online and found out how bad it can really be!!!! Praying for all of you:)
Wondering if anyone went through a die-off effects when not on a diet. had I am so confused as to if im having die-off or re-infection.
about 3 weeks ago I had terrible diarrhea with more mucus then i had ever saw and pain so went to get a stool test done and it came back positive for c diff toxins again, after 2 negative tests i was heart broken. then stared feeling better for the rest of the week. then the past few days i have a little pain but tons and tons of mucusy BMs like yesturday i had 10 BMs they are not diarrhea but soft and lose. and it is calming down again today. after the first bout which i assumed was a die-off i went off my diet because my MD said it would be better to eat whatever i could tolerate. I still watch my sugar intake and stay away from processed foods and lactose. but eating lots of bread. I am taking 70-90 billion probiotics and still taking my garlic suppliments, B12 and taking epsom salt baths each night till i sweat and then dry brushing in the shower following the bath.
i do feel the baths are greatly helping me rid some toxins when i get out it looks like someone poured pepper all over the tub and my ND says this is toxins and bacteria coming out. i feel a bit better each day and yet Im confused. I see the IDS and the GI soon but wondering if anyone else ever experienced it like this without strict diet.
I do have to add in that usually i went straight for antibiotics for the past 6 months of relapses and this time i refused. My MD agreed that i am just chaising my tail with them. I must admit my symptoms are far easier to deal with then usual and not having half of them.
Thank heaven my C.Diff bug seems to have finally died. The last course of Vancomycin combined with Florastor seemed to have done the trick. I have been clear for nearly 3 weeks now and feel so much better. My Dr. says this does happen sometimes, he thinks that my own immune system combined with the antibiotics and pro bioitic worked. The pharmacist also told me that Yougurts do not contain enough pro biotics to affect the C. Diff.
My Dr. also mentioned the fecal enema and after my initial reaction (revulsion) I felt that perhaps it was worth trying, at least it would be preferable to any surgical intervention. Thankfully I didn’t have to go that route.
I do feel sad for those who are still struggling with this infection and wish you good luck.
I had c-diff this summer after being on cipro for only a few days. I ended up in the hospital for the first time in my life due to significant dehydration. I subsequently developed a fissure from all of the diarrhea and just had a sphincterotomy to correct the fissure. I developed bronchitis and after fighting it for two weeks and the secretions getting worse I was put on a Z pac. I was trying to avoid antibiotics at all costs. Today I have developed the D again x3. I have a call into my doctor to see if this is the c-diff returning. I am praying it is not as my fissure is still healing from the first round. Any suggestions on how to manage both at the time? Has anyone heard about the new antibiotic fidaxomicin that is supposed to have a lower relapse rate than flagyl?
I came down with C.Diff in April after taking Flagyl for a vaginal infection. I did lots of internet research and decided to take Florastor along with Vancomycin to prevent a relapse. I had one anyway in May. This time I took Vancomycin, Florastor, Acidophilus, and even Questran the first week (which I had to carefully time three hours away from the Vancomycin). I didn’t take the Questran the second week, but did take it again for three weeks after stopping the Vanocmycin for added insurance. This seemed to take care of the C.Diff. I am still taking probiotics in October, because I am so paranoid about getting this thing back. I don’t know what I’ll do if I ever have to take antibiotics again and I’m also paranoid about having any procedures done at a hospital (like colonoscopies). My elderly mom in a nursing home and daughter are often on antibiotics and I worry about them getting C.Diff.
Although I’m quite sure I’m over the C.diff, my stools are a little more frequent and a little softer than before this all started. Nothing like C.Diff poop, though. I wonder if this caused a few long lasting effects – like IBS or minor lactose intolerance. Has anyone else experienced this after c.
Diff recovery?
norma
This really is a very difficult bug to treat. I developed C.Diff at the beginning of June, despite not having been on an antibiotic or recently admitted to the hospital.
I took 6 courses of antibiotics, 3 courses of Flagyl and 3 courses of Vancomycin and the C. Diff finally cleared up with the last course of Vancomycin combined with Florastor.
I still had occasional bouts of diarrea for a week or so after I finished the last course of Vancomycin, but the culture for C. Diff came back negative and then it finally cleared up altogether. I think toxins from the C.Diff cause colitis and that takes a little while to heal.
Your concern is understandable, I am also worried about what will happen if I have to take an antibiotic again. My Dr. can’t figure out why I got C. Diff in the first place so I am having a colonoscopy on Nov.17th. Not looking forward to that but I think its a good idea to make sure there is nothing else going on that I should know about.
I still have an intolerance to Lactose and still getting alot of pain once in a while..Im wondering if anyone else still experiences this? I had another stool test done yesterday and waiting till monday for results. I am having loose stools, but no diarrhea, just the pain in the same spot on my left side everytime i eat, anyone else?
i had c-diff for a year and a half. was told i would be on vancomycin the rest of my life. two weeks ago i went to a dr. colleen kelly. she is at women & infant hosp in rhode island.her telephone number is 401-453-7953. she performed a fecal transplant . i was her 5th patient and it worked on all of us. this involves a family member donating their feces which she puts into the patient by doing a colonoscopy. so easy – it was over in 15 minutes and you don’t feel anything. God bless her and i hope i have helped someone on this site by sharing this info. i’m from massachusetts. no one in this state performs this. tomorrow she gets a big bouquet of flowers from me.hope this info helps
Sheila,
Thanks for that information, My Dr. suggested a feacal enema and that would probably have been my next step if the last course of Vancomycin hadn’t worked.
I have read that it is being done in Canada as well, a doctor in Calgary is doing it very successfully so I would definitely consider it if my C. Diff returns.
My sister had a kidney transplant in June this year and has just been taken back into hospital with c diff. This is the second time she has got this and was just wondering if any body knows or can suggest anything? She cannot have any “live” yoguts due to her condition.
follow-up. i sent the doctor the flowers. she called me today to thank me and in the process told me she was doing a transplant on a person from n. carolina tomorrow.
this person has had c-diff for 8 years. can u imagine 8 years.