question for all who now have IBS

[peanut]

This question may be silly but i want to ask whoever now suffers from IBS caused from or following cdiff. Can IBS mimic cdiff. I know alot of the symptoms are the same in general except the bloody stools. im on my 32 day off the cdiff meds and for the last week have been undergoing a tremendous amount of added stress from some personal stuff going on in my life. Anyway, ive been feeling the naseau and slight cramping the past 4 days, 2 of those days(not consecutive) i had no stool at all and today i had 3 solid bm's with very slight detection of mucus. Usually i have 1 to 2 solid/soft solid bm's daily. I know we all wonder if its coming back again when we feel this way. Guess i should do a few stool samples again huh? I hate waiting with this. Was just wondering if anyone with IBS now goes through this in times of stress. Thanks

[Christina]

My honest non medical opinion is if you aren't having flat out diarrhea such as when you are relapsing with C-diff I wouldn't test.If you came out positive and aren't severely ill or seriously relapsing most Dr.'s recommend not to retreat unless symptoms become much worse and unbearable.It is very common to remain positive for sometime even after "beating" C-diff. Some patients even remain positive fore life or long extended periods of time but do not require treatment.
It sounds more to me like IBS but I am not a DR. so I'd check with yours tomorrow.I do have IBS following C-diff and yes it can sometimes feel like C-diff is coming back. All of the symptoms you are describing are both symptoms of IBS and also of C-diff. Where you are having solid BM's and no real watery diarrhea I wouldn't be concerned. I still have days where I go 5-6+ times if it is a bad day and when that happens there is no form to them at all.when I was relapsing it was more like 20-30.
Try not to panic as it really sounds like IBS but I'd at least call the Dr. tomorrow just to make them aware.If symptoms persist or get worse and you can no longer stand it then I'd retest.

[TheVike]

It s IBS be careful what you eat and don t eat too much in excesss i e junk fodd / spicy food! You ll be OK!

[peanut]

Yeah I hope its IBS. i did test negative 2 weeks ago so who knows whether to retest or not. Will ask doc. Wow Christina thats alot of bm's a day. ive never had that many even during active disease. but we all react differently. although, still lost alot of weight, and still losing. guess everybody loses weight whether having 2 bm's a day or 20. Thanks for the advice folks.

[Christina]

I only lost 4 pound with C-diff. Everyone does react differently.That's the name of the game with both IBS and C-diff.I am now 17 pounds heavier than I was prior to C-diff thanks to the IVIG's. I've got to work on that.Maybe after the holidays!

[peanut]

well from 3 days ago when i posted, i have had mucus in my stools with a little blood. handed in my 3 days of stool sample today. so funny though, right now i dont have diareha. my stools are still formed. my GI says to give it more time because i do have internal hemmoroids, and i could possibly have post infectious IBS. but from what i understand of IBS there is usually no blood involved. has anyone else ever had some bloody mucus in their stools after cdiff or nonactive? thanks

[Nancy1]

I've been having this occasionally and think it's due to a fissure. However, because I'm not sure, and it's gone on for a while (I've been recovered from cdiff for 18 months), I'm going to check with my doc after the holidays.

[whitepine]

I have bad days when I go 8 times and its like strings of semi solid mush.
Then I have days where twice is normal. The more I go the more I cramp! Christmas (today ) was awful, 8 bms all semi solid, but oh the pain! I took 2 Immodium and upped the vanco AGAIN back to 2,000 mg
I tried it at 1,000 mg and was ok for 4 days, now Not! Grrrr....