8 months postpartum and post c diff

We spend a lot of time talking about the bad news in this discussion group - here's the spot for the good news. If you've had c-diff and are now well, please tell us about it here.
Caligirl
Contributor
Posts: 63
Joined: Sun Mar 03, 2019 6:48 pm

8 months postpartum and post c diff

Postby Caligirl » Fri Sep 27, 2019 1:55 am

I’m a 28 year old female that has never had any health issues until the last year. In December, at 9 months pregnant, I got horrible kidney stones. One was so large that I couldn’t pass it and it blocked my kidney. Normally this is easy to fix, but because I was pregnant, I had to have a nephrostomy tube placed (tube that goes into my back to drain my kidney into a bag). I was struggling to get around and had to go on disability earlier than I thought that I would. A week after my surgery I had HORRIBLE D. The kidney stones caused me to go into labor, which my dr stopped, so I was thinking that maybe I was going into labor again. After being unable to leave the restroom for more than 2 minutes at a time all night, contractions started and I called my OB. She told me to go to the hospital immediately. They monitored my baby while I waited for test results (and waddled to the restroom every couple of minutes). Results came back and I had c Diff. I bawled. I had no idea what it was.

She spoke to a GI and prescribed flagyl, a probiotic, and a muscle relaxer to help with the pain so I could get some sleep. The flagyl had horrible side effects but my c diff symptoms started to subside after a couple of days. I finished the 2 week course and felt pretty great. However, while quarantining myself into my room and looking up every article that I could find about C Diff, I made myself much more scared than I should have. My mom came to stay with us to help and her and my husband bleached the entire house from floor to ceiling. I constantly wore gloves and we bleached everything that I touched instantly. I even called a hazmat company to get a quote to come clean the house and they quoted me $14,000. But I finished the antibiotics and started to feel better.

I was induced on January 21 and had the most beautiful baby girl on the 23rd. I was in labor for so long that I got an infection and had to go on IV antibiotics. One week after she was born I had a relapse. On Feb 1 I was able to see a GI who prescribed Vanco. This time my symptoms were much more mild and the D stopped after one day of the Vanco. I finished my course of Vanco and took Flagyl twice a day.

At the end of March I had my nephrostomy tube removed. I told the urologist about my recent history with c diff and he insisted on using one round of antibiotics due to the foreign objects being placed and removed from my body.
One week later, I knew it was coming back. My bowls purged and I called my GI. It was a Saturday and he wanted to wait until I could get tested before starting me on antibiotics. But the crazy thing was that I felt better by Sunday. On Monday I went to take the test. Two days later, it came back positive. But I felt totally fine! The GI that I was seeing told me that I still needed to take the Vanco and that he wanted me to do a 4 month taper. He assured me that there would be no risk. But it just didn’t feel right. I remember having a minor meltdown trying to figure out what to do. I was suffering from postpartum depression and freaking out about potentially giving it to my baby and the fact that I was 27 and got a lifelong illness. I spoke to my sister in law (a nurse who spoke to a GI at the hospital that she works at) and asked for information on this board. I filled the prescription for the Vanco, but decided that I wouldn’t take it unless I started having symptoms again that lasted longer. The symptoms never returned and I feel great.

For those of you in the middle of it- it does get better. I promise. I remember BAWLING thinking about how my life had totally changed and just thinking about how I just wanted to be normal again. I never thought that I would get to where I am now, and it’s only been a few months. I dreamed of being able to post in the success thread after being 6 months post antibiotics. But guess what, I wasn’t able to make that post because I was on vacation with my wonderful husband, baby, and some of our friends- eating whatever I wanted and going/doing whatever I wanted without always having to keep track of a bathroom or worrying about germs.

I’m back at work and I’m to the point that some days go by that I don’t even think about c diff. My sister is a nurse and told me about her co-worker who actually forgot that she had it about 30 years ago. I am praying that I will get to the point that most days I don’t even think about it. But until then, I will kiss my baby and husband, take my probiotics, and be thankful for my health and the support of this board that helped me make the best informed decision for myself.

Bobbie
Administrator
Posts: 12688
Joined: Sat Aug 06, 2005 8:00 pm

Re: 8 months postpartum and post c diff

Postby Bobbie » Fri Sep 27, 2019 2:03 pm

Caligirl,
Congrats on your success. Well done!! So glad you followed your gut feelings.

Welcome to your baby girl. Thx for the thx. - always appreciated.

brandine
Regular User
Posts: 44
Joined: Fri Jun 21, 2019 11:59 am

Re: 8 months postpartum and post c diff

Postby brandine » Fri Sep 27, 2019 10:11 pm

Thank-you for sharing, Caligirl. I had a similar experience in that I was almost treated (unnecessarily and with a suggested long taper) 2 months after my initial treatment of vanco for a supposed relapse after 2 days of d. But my symptoms stopped and when my doctor still wanted to treat, it didn't feel right, like you said about your experience. I got a second opinion from an ID doctor that supported waiting/not treating. And now it's two months later, and I'm feeling good. I think we need to hear more of these stories of c.diff receding on its own and avoiding over-treating. It's great news when our bodies fight it off w/o antibiotics! *I'm 45, female, and got c.diff after taking antibiotics after surgery for a perforated appendix, diagnosed May 14.


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