1st time cdiff

[light]

Hello, I'm 56 yo female.

I've been on flagyl for 14 days now, and the exhaustion is worse than before. Will that improve when I'm done (I have 3 more days)? Metallic taste is ever-present. I'm also on cefuroxime axetil for a UTI, but today is my last day for that. I still have quite a bit of bloating and discomfort, but no diarrhea. But the exhaustion is daunting; feels a lead blanket like they put on you for an x-ray is covering me. I feel a bit better, get dressed and run an errand, and then I feel undone and borderline nauseated from exhaustion. I'm normally in excellent health, good weight, exercise. Just wondering what to expect, and if the exhaustion is more from the cfiff or the flagyl (or having a UTI too!) I have an appt with a urologist in 2 weeks to see if i have colonization or kidney issues, since this is my third UTI of an uncommon bacteria. Thanks for any insight!

Here's a brief history:
UTI started 2/28, put on bactrim
3/1, switched to cefdinir because the culture showed P.mirabilis, which bactrim wasn't targeting
3/10, last day of cefdinir, loose stools started, then 3/12, full diarrhea. stupidly didn't go to doctor because it got better next day
3/17, diarrhea came back, but doctor's closed Friday evening, so I went on 3/20. diarrhea had gone away again by then, but doctor ordered stool sample (and I wasn't feeling too bad)
3/22 results came back with cfiff, put on 10 days of flagyl. I had mild weakness and exhaustion at this point
3/25, UTI again, no extra meds until the culture came back
3/30, culture came back - P.mirabilis again, so put on 7 days of cefuroxime (and, at my request, an additional 5 days of flagyl so I wouldn't be on cefuroxime without flagyl)

[Ril]

Hello light and welcome to the site. Please read the first thread on rules for posting for new members.
Sorry you are having so many problems. You are experiencing common side effects of Flagyl, a harsh drug that is difficult for many to take, as well as fatigue common with c diff. It is hard to know which or both is the primary cause.

Unfortunately you also continue taking the antibiotic for your UTI which is a cephalosporin, a high offender for c diff. It is not clear if you actually saw a GI or your PCP. Although you had a positive c diff test that doesn't always mean you have an active c diff infection that needs treating.Often test results are treated rather than symptoms- it sounds as though you had diarrhea off and on rather than full blown c diff symptoms. But now that you were treated if it were me I would definitely make an appointment to see a GI going forward. Also, it was a good move on your part to ask for additional Flagyl while taking more antibiotics but the question is whether you absolutely needed any antibiotic while you have or have just been treated for c diff. It is good that you will see a urologist rather than continually take antibiotics.

Once you have been treated for c diff with a drug like Flagyl the " good bacteria" in your gut has been diminished and needs to be restored. It would be good for you to start taking some probiotics when you finish the Flagyl.

You will get better. 70-80% of people get cured after the first 1-2 rounds of meds. And the tiredness will go away. Should you need another round of meds, and you may not, you can request vancomycin or Difficid. I would not take another round of Flagyl however it is routinely prescribed first.

Good luck,
Rita

[georgina]

Sorry you are dealing with Cdiff. Flagyl is the first line of treatment , although not FDA approved for Cdiff , but is prescribed because it's a cheap drug. I felt poisoned while I was on it , 6 days of pure hell , non stop nausea and vomiting , couldn't eat or drink , very tired like I was hit by a truck , lots of anxiety , couldn't breath , very harsh drug with lots of side effects . By the 7th day I had to be switched to Vanco and it was like a night and day difference. Your extreme tiredness can be due to Flagyl or it can be due to Cdiff itself, at this point you cannot know witch one of them causes the fatigue but it will get better.

[light]

Thank you for the replies. It's helpful to know that it might be the flagyl that's at least contributing to the symptoms. 2 more days left. :) I am taking a probiotic 2x/day (not at the same time as antibiotics), and will continue taking that for sure.

I did have extreme, watery diarrhea (when I should have gone to the doctor but didn't), but it got better after a couple days with just bloating and discomfort for a coupe days. Then when it came back - not as extreme, but still, that's when I did go to the doctor. So it's possible that the c.diff was resolving itself, but that's water under the bridge. It was my PMP who prescribed the flagyl, but I've been communicating with my niece, who is a gastroenterologist. She's the one who told me that if I was being put on another antibiotic for UTI the flagyl needed to be extended (I thought it too; why my PMP didn't think of that is disappointing to me).

So I'm not under the care of a GI doc directly, but will be seeing a urologist. I guess I'm hoping that I'll be lucky and not have a reoccurrence of c.diff. I guess what concerns me about that approach is that if it comes back, I'll be a "new patient" which can take time to get an appointment. So should I set up an appt with a GI doc now?

[NanciT]

Hello Light

As Ril mentioned you are taking an antibiotic for the UTI along with Flagyl for CDIFF. It's difficult to say where you will be when these are complete.

I would see a GI, the urologist will usually stick with their specialty. Hopefully once you have finished the medications you will improve but until you have done that, no one can know how their recovery will be. A GI consult would be good to get lined up in case of anything, if all is well you can always cancel it!

Feel better soon

NanciT

[light]

Thank you, that's good advice; it can indeed always be cancelled.

[Ril]

I'm glad you are going to make the GI appointment. I think it's wise to consult with a GI in case the GU dr wants to prescribe antibiotics again. You will then have an "expert" to consult even if you (fingers crossed) have no recurrence of c diff.