New here- afraid c diff is back.

[drumchick99]

Well I have a long story that I won't go all the way in to, but I got c diff and before I was diagnosed with it, I developed an Anxiety Disorder- Panic disorder to be exact. This could have developed partly as a result of being sick for so long with no reason from my doc. I was put on a bland diet. I went to a GI doc and they found c diff and put me on fladgyl and something else for 7 days.

The diarrhea has stopped (this is back in the beginning of July) and I had trouble eating normal foods. I was afraid if I ate dairy, raw fruits and veggies, beans and fish that I would get diarrhea again. I have added some foods, but still am afraid of a lot of others. This is related to my Anxiety issue too. Also, I saw mucus in my stoll 3 days ago, but not since. I had some kind of greenish stool today. I don't have D. but I just don't know if I should call the doctor. I dont know at what point I should be concerned enough to go back to the doc.

A lot of the time I feel I am the only person who has anxiety every time I go to the bathroom, or try to eat a new food. Finding this site has helped a lot so far because I don't feel like the only person in the world with this. Any support would be greatly appreciated.

[drumchick99]

I forgot to say also that my stool smells really really bad. It only started after I started eating 2 eggs everyday so my boyfriend thinks that is why. But it's really smelly, and I remember that from when I had c diff before.

[Bobbie]

drumchick,
It does sound as tho. you are relapsing, but I am not a doc. I would call your doc. The most accurate tests are those done after being off Vanco. or Flagyl for 10-14 days -- 3 day type. See FAQ-Tests.

Read PLS READ BEFORE YOU POST which will help you find info. on the site. Foods vary with the individual, but many can't tolerate dairy products or excess sugar. See FAQ-Nutrition. I doubt if eating eggs has anything to do with your problems.

If you haven't already, see a GI -- they see more cases of recurrent C. diff. Others have good luck with ID's (infectious disesase docs.)

Try to do something about your anxiety. Exercise (if you are able) or do anything else to help take your mind off C. diff. See FAQ-Coping with C. diff.

C. diff. can be one nasty disease. Keep us posted.

[Nancy1]

drumchick,
You're certainly not alone with this nasty disease! More of us are getting it all the time. I can really sympathize with your being scared and anxious. My cdiff was misdiagnosed for a month, and during that time I was terrified and depressed, because I started to think that I would never get better. My doc made me feel like a failure and a bad patient because I wasn't. She put me on the BRAT diet. I was told that I would damage my colon if I ate anything else. I lost 20 pounds that month. (Finally I saw a GI doc and was diagnosed with pseudomembranous colitis, the worst form of cdiff.) So I have added new foods back very slowly. I was so glad to find this site, where people said it's trial and error, eat what you want but in moderation. I get along fine with dairy, but many people become lactose intolerant due to cdiff. I eat lots of yogurt. What I still don't have is coffee, alcohol, anything spicy, or much in the way of sweets, fat, or fiber (this includes raw fruits -- except bananas -- beans, and vegetables). I really like nuts so I eat a little bit of those. I eat fish and chicken, but don't do so well with red meat. So the moral is, try some new foods in small amounts and see what works for you. Good luck.

[drumchick99]

Thanks for the replies. I am in counceling for my anxiety and it is going better. I have seen a GI doc, he was the one who found c diff after my doctor (who is a university doctor) couldn't find anything for 2 months. Unfortunately I live in a small town and my GI doc is about 45-60 minutes away, and to do more tests I have to drive there, get a little cup for my lab, go home, wait to "go", then drive back immediately. It's pretty inconvenient. So I got a general doctor in town, not the university doctor. I'm pretty satisfied with him, and I haven't had any weird symptoms the last few days so I guess I'll wait and see if anything else happens.

[pam2738]

Nancy,

How does pseudomembraneous colitis differ from regular cdiff? What makes it worse?

Pam

[Lana]

Pseudomembraneous colitis is full blown c-diff infection. It is usually more resistent to treatment. They look at your colon during a sigmoidoscopy and they can see plaques (white or yellow looking spots) on the wall of the colon.

When you don't have this pseudomembraneous colitis you usually don't have bloody D, but may have other symptoms.

[pam2738]

Lana,

I had one night of continuous diarrhea, cramping, mild fever, & was in the ER the next day (Saturday) where they gave me two bags of IV fluids for dehydration. The stool sample came back on Monday & the ER nurse who called me with the results said it was cdiff. My doctor keeps referring to is as pseudomembraneous colitis.

I didn't have any blood at all, but did have mucous & still have - at least I think that's what those little oily looking dimples in the toilet water "afterwards" is.

After three weeks of Flgayl, I have no more cramping, altho those regions are still gassy. I actually got down to one fairly decent BM a day earlier this past week, but the last two days have not been so good, two per day, not at all as well formed, & sometimes an urge for a third that I resist.

I'm just wondering if I have cdiff of pseudo. colitis.

Pam

[nsewell]

I had the colitis type for over a year and it was real bad! I did not bleed though. I took many months of Vanco high doses to slowly get it back to normal. I have now been off the meds since June 19th. During this time and now my bms still change eveyday. My scope was also normal on July 24th. Also bms change depending on what you eat also. Good luck.

[Nancy1]

Pam,
You've gotten some good responses about cdiff and p colitis. You can look on the net and find more info. Even pictures of p colitis, just what you want to see... I saw the TV screen during my sigmoidoscopy and the plaques looked like stars in the sky, there were so many of them! Scary! But by that point I was happy to have a diagnosis and get some treatment; I had no idea that it would take 8 months to cure. By the way, I did have blood all along, plus lots of other yucky symptoms.

My opinion is that at this point it doesn't matter if you started off with cdiff or p colitis. The treatments are the same. See my post to you elsewhere; I think you may be getting better. Are you still on Flagyl?

Does anyone have any scientific data about whether p colitis takes longer to cure?

[pam2738]

Yes, I'm still on Flagyl. Been on it now three weeks tomorrow. My GP prescribed an initial two weeks & then refilled it for four weeks more. I'm taking Floragen3 twice daily & once in the middle of the night when I get up to pee (hopefully JUST to pee!). I also just started Kefir today - only took a few swallows to see how I did. Will probably be taking Biok on that day whenever when I think I can be ok. My doctor said to take the Flagyl for 10 more days after I feel as if I am ok & have decent BMs.

At the moment I am cutting the Flagyl in to quarters & taking each piece with a dollop of applesauce.

Pam

[Sheila1]

Lana, I'm curious why you resist a third urge for a bm. I'm not a doctor, but I wouldn't think that's good for you. I do know, though, that your body's own defense is to eliminate bad stuff -which it will do by way of multiiple bm's and d (and vomiting, runny nose, etc.). If you were positive for toxins and resisting bm's, for instance, you think they'd build up more maybe?

~Sheila

[pam2738]

Sheila,

Yes, I've already come to that conclusion & won't be doing it anymore. It was really pretty dumb. I guess it was cause I am now so paranoid about diarrhea. Like you said, the toxins are being eliminated & that is a good thing.

Pam

[cindym]

Pam- Most people deal with anxiety issues during episodes with cdiff. I for one (having it over 5 years now) still get very anxious and have to take xanax when I relapse. It is pretty fightening. P colitis is the worst form and the diarrhea is surging nothing but water!!!!!!!! It comes out faster than you can replace it by mouth. On 5 occasions I almost died before it slowed down. Basically if you are feeling well and everything I would stop worrying so much because stress really feeds into the gut problems!

[pam2738]

What you say about stress is so true. I already have GAD (General Anxiety Disorder), I am a worrier (inherit it from my father), & have a history of panic attacks. I"m on Lexapro daily now & take Xanax too, also for sleeping.

My GP says that the colon/large intestine is the second most intelligent organ iin the body after the brain. That is has sufficent nerve endings to probably create its own nervous symptoms.

Plus I have the situation here where my daughter, who lives nearby but is about to move to Madison (WI) about 45 minutes away, has filed for divorce from her husband. He does not want it, is very angry. He's an immature, hot-tempered, oftentimes irrational person & I am afraid of how he might retaliate. They've been separated for a year & the anxiety of that has been very hard to cope with.

Between cdiff & my own psychological problems, I'm a mess. My doctor told me to up my dosage of Lexapro to 10 mg & Xanax for sleeping to .5. May have to go more on the Xanax too but I've been taking it for years in ridiculously small dosages. I had an alcohol problem years & years ago & since then have been paranoid about anything I put into me.

God I wish this would go away.

Pam