New to Site......depressed

[gaprincess]

Mostly I just need someone to listen, who has been in my shoes. My family is trying to be supportive but they cant fully understand cause they have never dealt with this. I guess I should start with a little background information on what I have been dealing with. I'm a 42 year old female, and was in basically good health when I first got cdiff. This is my 7th reoccurrence in 3 yrs. I was being seen by an Infectious Disease Doctor with the last round and she put me on vico. for almost three months. I went 8 months doing fine, then this past Dec. all the symptoms came back. When I went back to the Dr. she was completely baffled, and did not understand how or why it was back. She did a stool sample (the DNA kind that is not suppose to have false negatives), and the test was negative! How can that be, everything is exactly the same as before? Anyway she said I needed to get a Personal Care Physician, and start from there. Basically start over!
I have not worked in three years and have no insurance, which makes all of this even harder and more stressful. My poor Mother has been having to support me and pay for all my Doctors visits and meds. It was not easy on her paying for the vico. three times!
My sister keeps telling me I have to force myself to get out of bed and get back to life, but she just doesn't understand. I have no energy, or strength due to the toll my body is under from all the symptoms. Someday's I can eat and some I cant! I cant stay off the toilet, which has caused major hemorrhoids that I cant get rid of. My stomach hurts ALL the time, and the more I move around the more it hurts. Plus, I'm running a low grade fever almost everyday. And now depression is setting in and I cant stop crying.
I just feel like this is never going to go away. The Doctors are running me in circles, and giving me conflicting advice! ( I went to a new lady last week, just waiting for the lab results, but she already mentioned sending me to a GI specialist which is where I started three years ago!) Having a really hard time staying positive or hope that I'm ever going to be completely free of this!

[beth22]

STANDARD INTRODUCTION:
Welcome to the site. Read the first forum “All Users Read This First” and subtopics “Site History” and “Information and Guidelines for Posting to our Discussion Boards.” (Note limits on posting.) This will guide you in using the site and answer some of your questions. Read Dr. Borody's articles. Also see the topics under “CDI” – particularly Recent CDC Report, The C. diff. Bible, Tests, Antibiotics, Hygiene, and Nutrition.

“Doctors” lists physicians our posters recommended and also a list of C. diff. specialists throughout the world with contact information. (Many perform FMT's.) See the new forum “FMT’s and FE’s” or “Media Reports” for new information on C. diff.

The majority of patients (about 80%) recover with one to two rounds of Flagyl or Vancocin. An unfortunate small percentage doesn’t and can suffer for months. Most recover unless there are factors such as advanced age or other severe health problems. New treatments include FMT's, which have a high cure rate, and Dificid. Other drugs and treatments are in the pipeline, and there is increased recognition of C. diff. You can help by educating your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers. Help us make others aware of C. difficle – which will lead to further advances in treating and/or preventing the infection. If antibiotics contributed to your C. diff, be careful about taking them again. Some people tolerate them; some develop C. diff again. Don’t take medications for C. diff. unless you are tested.

If a medication contributed to your case, please fill out an Adverse Event Report online at: http://www.fda.gov/Safety/MedWatch/default.htm. Under "Resources for You," in left-hand column, click on "Report a Serious Medical Product Problem Online."

The best protection for you and others is thorough hand washing and good hygiene. (See Dr. Borody’s articles and “CDI.”) For more information, see other support groups on Facebook, including http://www.peggyfoundation.org, the Mayo Clinic and Web MD web sites, and “The FMT Foundation” under “Links” on the homepage.

This is a support site not a medical site. We can’t give you medical advice but can tell you what worked for us and offer support. No one will understand what you are going through except someone who has/had this unpredictable disease. All of our moderators and frequent posters had/have C. diff. (or a loved one with it) and know how physically, emotionally, and financially disabling it can be.

Again, welcome. Remember, the odds are in your favor. (End of letter.)

So sorry you are going through this ordeal. I think it is a good idea to see a GI. There are other conditions that can cause a low grade fever. Some people develop IBS or even IBD, like Crohn's after c difficile. You need someone to check you out, especially with a negative test. The DNA based tests are pretty accurate. Have you had a regular stool culture for other pathogens?

[getwellsoon]

Most of us who have had CDiff and are having bad IBS can never believe it when we get the neg. stool test. IBS symptoms can mimic CDiff so much that you just can't believe you don't have it anymore. Are you treating your symptoms? There is much you can do to make yourself feel better. I had to take Questran for the D, Bentyl for the cramps along with ADvil, Ativan for the anxiety and had to adjust my diet accordingly because some foods just made me ill. Dairy was a no no and a lot of sugar made me feel awful. Two years later I am mostly better but still have some lingering issues. It takes a long time to get over the IBS for some. The colon takes months and longer to heal. Give yourself time. Hope you feel better and a GI is a good step. Hopefully he can guide you through the healing process. Let us know how you do. Carol