They say I have CDIFF but I don't have diarrhea?

[bombbomb]

I'm kinda confused. I'm reading these horror storys of explosive diarrhea for days, weeks, months. I went in because I've had this intermittent severe abdominal pain. My stools are pretty loose but not even close to watery explosive diarrhea. I argued a bit with the nurse but she was insistent.

If I don't have explosive diarrhea how infectous am I?

[amyc]

You have an infectious disease no matter how severe your symptoms are. Not every person with C diff will have classic symptoms, especially early in the course of the disease. C diff is less infectious than norovirus or the flu, so you don't need to panic that you're going to infect everybody around you.

[bombbomb]

Oh I'm not denying that I have it I just was confused about what Im dealing with here. She just kept saying that I needed to "be in isolation" and that she'd "mail the packet". I got the info packet today and it has all this isolation info in it and talks mostly about being in hospital, nurse precautions, and leaving the hospital.

I'm just trying to understand what Im dealing with. Im definitely gonna take the meds. Lots of talk of death on the internet. Pretty scary. I dont feel like death is near?

[linnyg]

I suffered for almost 6 months with c diff, and probably only had D 2 weeks total during that time. Some people present differently.

[amyc]

Most of us have shared homes with our families during C diff, and very few have had others catch it from us, so you don't have to put yourself into strict quarantine or anything. Regular Lysol or Clorox wipes and other mild cleaners won't kill C diff, so you can order the Clorox healthcare bleach wipes from Amazon. They also make a spray cleaner. I recommend wearing disposable gloves when you clean because the bleach solution can be really hard on your hands. Wash your laundry separate from family members' things on the hot setting.

You don't sound like you're near death, so don't worry about that. It's very likely you will take your meds, recover, and move on with your life.

[MKW]

Hi, posters before me gave you good advice. As far as you needing to be in isolation that is only in a healthcare setting... the lack of knowledge of medical professionals concerning an infection that CDC statistics in 2011 put at "453,000 cases per year, with 29,300 associated deaths" that I read about on this board never ceases to amaze me.
I struggled with 4 episodes of C Diff since the beginning of August 2016, and had an FMT done in March and have been OK since. In the beginning, I was terrified of the "spores" and infecting my family. The main things to understand are C Diff is caught hand to mouth. And it is only killed by bleach - 10% or greater solution on surface for 10+ minutes. So all you really need to do is use a 10% bleach solution to clean your toilet after a BM, I wear blue Nitrile gloves ($7 for a 100 at Walmart) that I just toss in the trashcan after, and do your laundry separate. Keep in mind when you flush it can create spray into the air, so it helps to shut the lid. Don't keep toothbrushes on the counter near the toilet for example. You can purchase 10% Clorox bleach wipes on Amazon (not available in any store I have seen), and they are very worth the money due to convenience.

[sophie]

Hi everyone! I'm confused..i thought a person could test positive but, as in this case, not have full blow c-diff (WD). I've been told be 1 ID and 2 GI's that even though you test positive unless you have the WD all the time, you are testing as a carrier or recovering and shedding C-Diff. Can someone explain???

[Bobbie]

You said it all, NKW.

Bombbomb, a minority of cases doesn't have diarrhea. Lucky them.

[amyc]

Sophie, that's a question for your medical team. If they believe your symptoms plus your test results warrant treating, they will treat you. It's the job of your doctors to diagnose you, because they have the education and experience to do so. They also have your full medical history and a relationship with you. Doctors are obviously not perfect, but your medical team is in a much better place to tell you if you are suffering from a relapse or post infectious IBS.

[sophie]

Thanks Amyc,
I just went by other posts I've read on this site. Just confused why it would be C-Diff that required treatment without the D. I want to be sure
I understand if there are other issues that need to be taken into account. Just trying to understand. Thanks.

[Ril]

Bbomb, welcome to the site. Please read the first thread on rules for posting.
And please make sure you see a GI or ID dr that understands c diff.

And Sophie, you are correct that some people are carriers or their bodies fight off c diff on their own yet test positive but don't require treatment. That is why you should be treated based on symptoms and your complete clinical picture by a knowledgeable dr, not just by test results alone.

Both, if you indeed do have active c diff that requires treatment what the others have told you is correct regarding transmission. It is rare for others in the household to catch c diff. There is a lot of good information on this site about cleaning and transmission in the CDI section. Rarely do healthy people die from complications of c diff. The majority of people, 70-80%, get well after 1-2 courses of meds. I did,

Rita

[bombbomb]

Thank you everyone for your replys. I think the only reason I don't have diarrhea (yet) is that it was caught very early. The last 24 hrs have been interesting.

[notheidi]

I've experienced it both ways, with copius D and with minimal D; 2 separate bouts.

Both had severe intermittent abdominal pain, cramping, nausea, and vomiting.