My C.Dif Adventure

[Eric]

Today is my 70th day without medication. I'm happy and relieved to have reached this milestone, and to be posting my probably too-lengthy "success story" here.

On December 31 2006 (New Years Eve), I was rushed to the hospital for an emergency appendectomy. The surgeon found that my appendix was already perforated, so I was treated post-surgically with a strong dose of broad-spectrum antibiotics to ward off peritonitis.

I was in the hospital for another week before the doctors began to speculate that my worsening condition might be related to C.Dif. I had a CT scan which showed severe pseudomembranous colitis. I was immediately treated with both Flagyl and Vancomycin for the infection, and connected to various tubes and catheters (including IV nutrition - TPN) to address my intestinal dysfunction.

I slowly started to recover over the next week in the hospital, and was discharged with a 7-day course of Flagyl. Three days after ending the Flagyl, I had a severe recurrence: a colonoscopy and another CT scan revealed that the colitis had returned and was now even worse than the first time. Three ID doctors, one GI doctor, and two surgeons all pretty much agreed that it was the worst case they'd ever seen (one particularly unhelpful doctor made a point of reminding me of this every time he saw me).

I was hospitalized for another two and a half weeks. This time the standard treatment (Flagyl/Vanco) didn't seem to be working. The doctors did some brainstorming and came up with a short list of experimental treatments to try - the primary option being immunoglobulin. They didn't tell this me at the time, but if I didn't start improving in a few days I was going to need a complete colectomy. And even then my chance of survival was 85% (this seems like a relatively big number until it's you own survival being discussed).

I had the immunoglobulin, a blood transfusion, and lots more TPN, and my situation finally did start improving. I was discharged with a home TPN regimen and a prescription for nearly constant liquid Vanco. My recovery was greatly aided when my appetite returned and I started eating normally again several weeks later. I was on a very gradual 14-week Vanco taper, and by the end of it I was feeling pretty much back to 100% normal. My bowels are definitely different than they were before, but not in an overly annoying way. I can handle it. I feel great.

I'm going to be extremely wary of antibiotics for the rest of my life. I recently had a deep puncture wound on the bottom of my foot, but it thankfully didn't get infected and force me to find out what more antibiotics would do. Someday I'm really going to need them though, and I'm hoping that selecting the drugs carefully and supplementing them with probiotics will be enough to keep me from harm.

I should mention that reading this site really helped my understanding and mental state while I was in the midst of my illness.

[Bobbie]

Eric,
Glad the site was helpful & you are doing better. Do try to stay away from antibiotics -- unless they are absolutely necessary. All of us with C. diff. are terrified of needing them again. I've had C. diff. twice (once for 4 yrs.) & had pneumonia again last Nov. Surprisingly, a Z-pak worked (altho. my doc. wanted me to take a broader spectrum antibiotic), & I didn't develop C. diff. again. I have no idea why. I hadn't had an antibiotic (except Macrobid for UTI's) for 6 yrs., I took a probiotic, who knows? (Had taken probiotics before w/o success.)

Continued good luck with your recovery.

[TheVike]

Congrats..
We all feel your pain less than three months out of C Diff I developed or had a bug E Coli in my gut from traveling abroad (Middle East) The doc gavre me Cipro just in case twic a day for three days 500 mG. I was very reluctant to take them for I had what felt like the same symptoms as my prior C Diff. Low and behold it stopped the D and other symptom nausea etc.... an knocking on wood finally feel much better...it must be said i am always anxious now of it returning and sometimes have to pop a xanax to calm me dowm ...also I was in Hosp for three days and had ONLY a ten day course overall of Flagly hope this is it for me but I ll be close to deatrh before ever taking another Antibiotic that is for sure!!!!!!!!!!

[RN092504]

Eric

I'm glad to hear you're doing better. Reading your post...I'm reminded of the fact that no one believes me when I say that I almost died from this. My doc had the same colectomy talk with me, and I almost got the immunoglobulin. I miraculously improved before those options became necessary.