Epidemic...or not?

[Sheila1]

Well, there still aren't enough folks with city or state listed, but it is obvious that people are from ALL over, not just the 'known' CDiff areas (ie. Canada, UK, PA, OH, etc.)

I have noticed, however, that 50 new members joined in Sept. so far, and 61 in August and that's a whole lot. Considering this site is several links down the main page for all the searches, and that in the U.S. only about 35% of the population owns a computer (probably the UK and Canada aren't real far off that number); add to that all the people with (or effected by) CDiff that look, read and don't actually join ... and the numbers are quite staggering.

I've been looking at this info. because I decided CDiff had reached "epidemic" proportions and no one is telling....and now the CDC article posted yesterday specifically says "epidemic"...

Anybody else thinking what I'm thinking? Hmmmm....

To end on a little more cheerful note - the vaccine IS showing great promise as is the new Osprey cleaner that's in the media. So there is much hope on the horizon!

[cindym]

Shelia- It is amazing how many people have or know someone who has had cdiff. Yet the media is more worried about e-coli killing a few people versus cdiff killing thousands! Makes you wonder doesn't it? I am not down playing the ecoli thing and am very happy they got the news out to the public like they did, but I think it is ridiculous they are not making cdiff more known about.

[Bobbie]

Sheila,
Thx. for doing the research on cases of C. diff. I'll send the info. to Dr. McDonald at the CDC. (Sometimes he answers; sometimes he doesn't.) It is horrifying to see how cases are multiplying.

Your point about computers is a good one. How many others "out there" have C. diff. and are limited in educating themselves about it? The elderly (& few are computer literate) are particularly suspectible altho. there are now many atypical cases of young, otherwise healthy people developing C. diff.

I agree with Cindy. The E. coli/spinach story is a horrifying one, but because all the media "jumped on it," cases were minimized & lives saved. We can't seem to achieve this with C. diff. Perhaps if someone "rich & famous" developed C. diff. & had it for a lengthy period, we'd see more progress.

Someday there will be a cure. Let's hope it's soon!

[Sheila1]

wow, 77 sign ups in September; October isn't even through it's first week and there are 21. Dramatic increases in folks joining this site......

And 2 docs I've spoken with here have indicated by a shoulder shrug and "well, that's what I hear, but.." when I told them the CDC was now calling CDiff an "epidemic."

I would say the site follows right along with what those truly in the know are saying.

[dalamy]

No luck on my end - I've emailed Oprah (I heard on the radio that Steven Tyler from Aerosmith is going to be on her show to raise Hepatitis C awareness - Naomi Judd and Pamela Anderson also have it), Rosie O'Donnell (she had staph), Michael Moore (he's making a movie on our healthcare system - HMO's, etc.), and Rachael Ray (she's allergic to penicillin) - and not one response. I tried. No one wants to help us! Yet! Someone has to listen sooner or later!

[Bobbie]

Amy,
Same thing here. I Email Oprah periodically & all the major news stations. I contacted all the local TV stations, some radio stations, & The KC Star. Even wrote about C. diff. to a reporter friend of my oldest son. Also apppeared before a KS amendment committee to try & include C. diff. as a reportable infectious disease (spent hours writing my speech). Nothing, nada, zip.

Evidently, the UK is getting PR. Read G. White's post in this forum.

Maybe the bracelets will help raise awareness.

[Christina]

I received an e-mail from Dr.McDonald the other day and I guess in the next couple of months the CDC will be doing a couple of large projects to raise awareness to the public concerning c-diff. Maybe that will help some.

[nsewell]

Today the Oprah show was real interesting. It was on alot of info of the colon. The doctor actually answered alot of my questions. Also OBGYN was on and said alot of women get diarah the first few days of the period.

[cindym]

Nsewell- I was kinda disappointed in Oprah's show with all the emails she has received about cdiff and then for them to only talk about "diarrhea" like it is an inconvenience. The fact that they mentioned "probiotics" did impress me but they should at least acknowledge the correlation of the bad bacteria and the sickness it imposes on some people. The show was a step in the right direction but still MISSES THE POINT. Some of the other info was informative however.

[nsewell]

Thats what I thought. It made me understand some of the things I was wondering about but yeh they should talked about the bad stuff too.

[Sheila1]

Here's an idea if you haven't tried it. My elderly residents all read the 'Letters to the editor' pages (probably second only to the obits!) of the local newspaper - have you tried sending a letter to that dept., since the reporters aren't interested in an actual article?

A letter to the editor along the lines of... "CDiff has killed more people than E. Coli, why isn't it in the news??" might grab the editor's attention and he/she will post it.

Since the elderly seem to have a penchant for reading these and they are still "most" at risk, plus they will pass it on via word of mouth, and so on, it might be helpful - worth a shot anyway!