Success - Ongoing process at 7 months

[trob25]

Hi everyone, I promised that once I recovered from my last IBS bout, which scared the hell out of me, I'd post my success story, so here I am, recovered from that last bout and now 7 months and 5 days C-Diff free (knock on virtual wood lol). It's been rough since beating the bug and I've thought that it had returned innumerable times, but I recovered each time on my own.

How I acquired C-Diff is a long story, it was the (hopefully) last horrible ailment in a chain of 5 years of bad events that started with an ear infection that ruptured my ear drum, then I ended up with Lyme disease and a heart problem called Supra Ventricular Tachychardia that required a 12 hour operation to fix. After that, I got Lyme disease again, this time a more severe case that last for a year and a half and required me to be on antibiotics every other month, Doxy, Cipro, Amoxicillian, Doxy again, Cipro again, after a year and a half of that, and 3 months after my last round of Cipro, I developed C-Diff in August 2008. Oh and did I mention I'm only 26? lol.

It started as severe intestinal pain and constipation for 3 weeks, then it morphed to C-Diff. I ended up on a 10 day round of Flagyl, then 4 days after going off I tested positive again, and had to go on another 10 day round. I guess I am lucky in that my active C-Diff lasted exactly 1 month, but things did not go back to normal afterwards.

Immediately after going off the meds, I had some D which scared me, but I tested negative. It cleared and I was relatively fine for 30 days straight and began taking probiotics and Danactive/Kefir every day. I thought I was all set by Oct. 16, one month after being cured, but then the D came back.

I panicked and was tested again, negative, and things went back to normal on their own. This pattern continued, with some bouts lasting nearly two weeks and becoming so severe it was tough to go out or eat normal foods. I was tested each time and all were negative and the key was things always went back to normal on their own.

At month 6 (March) I had another 30 days of no problems and I really started to feel good, thinking the IBS was gone and with it, my fear of C-Diff. During that month I had some pizza one day, a steak, I drank soda! And I was fine (crazy stuff I know). You really don't realize how lucky you are to live a normal day until you've had C-Diff, all the things we take for granted.

But then as I neared month 7, just a few weeks ago, I was hit with horrible IBS, so bad I worried it was C-Diff returned, but then again, it cleared, like magic!

So here I am, 7 months out and so far, clear of C-Diff. I'm a little superstitious, so I feared making this post would make the C-Diff return lol, but hopefully not.

A long time ago I read a book by the Dalai Llama, it said to try and be thankful for everything, even your enemies because they teach you the most about yourself. Apply that to adversity or bad situations after you've survived them and you can look back and see something. After surviving all this, the heart operation then the C-Diff 2 years later being the main things, I've really got a new appreciation for small things. Walking outside on a warm day or a snowy day and just being able to exist in good health is something I appreciate now. Being able to eat at a restaurant or drive my car aimlessly around country roads are all things I used to take for granted, but now I realize how lucky I am to have these moments of well being.

Lastly, I want to thank each and every one of you, especially those of you who have helped me. I couldn't have made it through this with my sanity if it weren't for you all. You have not only supported me, but taught me valuable things about C-Diff that my Doctors in some cases did not even know. You guys probably saved me from a quack GI who probably would have given my C-Diff again.

My gratitude cannot be expressed by this post alone, but it's all I can offer.

[anlockwood]

YEAH!!!!!!!!!! So happy to see you made it to success stories!!! Congratulations, you deserve it! So glad to see your last bout with IBS has passed also.

Keep moving forward! You are a great support to everyone here!

Amanda

[Suezer]

Very happy for you! You helped me alot, and I am so glad you are rid of the beast! Keep enjoying life, and taking care of yourself! Congrats~

[monacat]

you are inspiration!
so nice to read your story.

[trob25]

An update, while I've experienced some severe downs since I hit the seven month mark, but I'm happy to report that Sept. 16 marked my one year anniversary of being C-diff free. And for once I have crossed a significant mark in good shape, I've gone 3 weeks today without a single bout of IBS. I'm hoping that the PI-IBS, now after a year, is finally starting to clear, if not slowing down.

I'm sure I'll still have some more bouts of it, but 3 weeks is just about the longest streak I've had during all this, and that alone makes me happy.

For those of you struggling with C-Diff or PI-IBS out there, just keep in mind how long it takes to recover from this. I had bad stomach pains for months after, painful IBS attacks that lasted for weeks, many times I feared C-Diff was back to kill me, but now that I look back, there was a definite progression to where I am now. Recovery moved so slow it was barely detectable but from the long view back, I can see it.

Now that I've posted, I've probably jinxed myself again lol, but I did eat my ice cream birthday cake without a hitch on Sunday, so hears hoping this is a little more lasting :)

[klt03301]

That is great news, Travis!!!! I found the same thing happened with me...after my 1 year mark I started feeling so much better with longer periods of good days. Glad to hear you enjoyed that ice cream birthday cake! :-)

Karen

[Bobbie]

Congrats. Travis. I know you had a long, hard struggle with "the beast." Hooray for you.

[trob25]

Thanks again everyone :) I cannot reiterate enough how much you all helped me. Because of you guys, I went to some doctors offices armed with more information then they had (scary eh? lol) and that alone gave me an edge in deciding what was good for me and what wasn't.

[pwood62]

What an uplifting story! You really went through alot. You are a testament of what the human spirit can survive! I am so glad you are better.

[Kathy George]

Travis, What a wonderful way to celebrate your one year C-Diff Free anniversary. You have proven that there is hope for the individuals that are suffering from this beast. You have shared your challenges, your accomplishments, your failures and finally your VICTORY. We will always be thankful for the wealth of information that you have contributed to this site. Stay healthy and may God Bless!!
Kathy

[JenniferH]

Hi Travis,

I'm new here, unfortunately.
I totally understand what you mean by not taking things for granted. I'm looking at life in a completely different way. I want to laugh & live again, but this horrible disease has taken that from me. Everything seems so dark right now. I dont know how to cope. I'm only 28 years old.
I dont mean to bring this wonderful post down, its very insperational to me. And it gives me some hope. Congratulations. I hope you remain c diff free forever!!!

[Bobbie]

Way to go, Travis!

[trob25]

Thought I might update this, hopefully for the last time!!!! lol

Throughout the early part of this year, it was thought I contracted lyme disease again, I had joint pain and the rash and I tested positive. Afraid of antibiotics I was treated naturally, which partially worked, but didn't fully help me. In July 2010, D came back to a similar level of C-Diff and I was hospitalized, but it wasn't C-Diff, I was negative, colonoscopy negative and I recovered. I was misdiagnosed first with UC and put on Asacol then I was told it was possibly Crohns. A few months after that, joint pain and some D came back and it was finally discovered, by my Naturopath first, that I developed a gluten intolerance, not Celiac, but an intolerance, less severe, but still not good. This was confirmed by a blood test that looked for a genetic marker indicating gluten intolerance, it is a special and separate test from a straight up Celiac test. Apparently eating gluten while intolerant can cause lyme like symptoms and positive lyme tests and general auto-immune reactions.

Anyway, the gluten intolerance was discovered and confirmed in late Nov. early Dec. 2010 and since going gluten free everything has resolved, everything! No joint pain, no D, nothing! I feel amazing, better than I have in a long time and the best part is I now know what I can and cannot eat. While the loss of all bread products is tough to bear, I know I can eat meats and dairy without a hitch and I have been! Nothing like a gluten free brownie and a tall glass of milk, man oh man did I miss milk :)

[Mommy23]

Hopefully this will be your last update!!! So glad to read your post. I appreciate you posting as so many are left with multiple issues, trying to figure things out seems like a needle in a haystack! I have reread so many of your post and even asked my doctors to test for similar things. So, a great big thanks! May 2011 bring you a great year!

[kitkatbek]

So glad to hear you are feeling better. You deserve it. My daughter went gluten free and notice a hugeimprovement in her digestive issues and her acne resolved (she is 16) I'm not sure if you know this but there are some wonderful breads thatare gluten free, they also have bagels, muffins and pizza crust. The brand is called Udi's. hey sell it at Whole Foods as well as other supermarkets. Thier website is www.udis.com. My daughter loves there white bread and chocolate chocolate chip muffins. :)