How long does recovery take?

Please limit your post to questions only. You can ask multiple questions in the post. (One post per person per day about yourself. See exception in General C. diff.Discussion.)
Hmad422
New User
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Aug 29, 2017 9:50 pm

How long does recovery take?

Postby Hmad422 » Thu Aug 31, 2017 4:51 pm

Hi everyone!

So, I'm 31, healthy overall and never had cdiff before until this summer. This was all brought on from excessive antibiotic use in July from my dentist to treat a tooth issue. This whole ordeal has been completely stressful for me and I think it's kicked my anxiety up about 10 notches too.

I finished a 10 day course of Vanco last Thursday and then retested my stool on Monday. Called today and they told me it was negative, yet I still don't feel 100%. My stomach hasn't felt all that great, I'm still eating small portions, my stool is formed but it's not normal like it was before all this.

So my question is, how long after a negative retesting do you begin to start feeling like a normal human being again? I feel like this cdiff has taken away a lot from me in the past month and a half. Also, has anyone else felt super anxious/nervous and has had an onslaught of crazy panic attacks associated with this illness?

Thanks!

beth22
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 10852
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 2:23 pm

Re: How long does recovery take?

Postby beth22 » Thu Aug 31, 2017 5:36 pm

Hi and welcome to the site. Please read the first forum for information for new members.

It varies from person to person as to how long it takes,to return to normal. Some have a new normal. But, the anxiety, panic attacks and depression are very common. We are here to support you.

sophie
Regular Contributor
Posts: 171
Joined: Sat Mar 18, 2017 10:01 am

Re: How long does recovery take?

Postby sophie » Thu Aug 31, 2017 6:17 pm

Hi and sorry you are going through this.
I don't want to be negative but you my have tested too soon. If you have to test, and hopefully it's not necessary it should be a minimum of 10 days after you finish treatment. Doing it so soon, can give you a false result. In fact, you really shouldn't test again unless the diarrhea comes back for more than 3x a day over 3 days in a row. I hope your negative result is for sure. Good luck.

Hmad422
New User
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Aug 29, 2017 9:50 pm

Re: How long does recovery take?

Postby Hmad422 » Thu Aug 31, 2017 7:36 pm

Thanks for the replies already! Yeah I figured getting a negative 5 days after treatment was too good to be true. I have a follow up on Tuesday with the GI.

I'm so tired of waking up every day nervous that something else is gonna happen to me. Every little ache and pain I feel makes me anxious.

In addition to the anxiety, has anyone else felt a heaviness in their chest or a full feeling with this?

My primary and GI doctor (said it was "air hunger" due to deep breaths I've been taking) even the ER dr told me basically it's all in my head and that I should go to a therapist and deal with what they say is anxiety. I mean yeah, I've been having panic attacks and anxiety, but at the same time I keep thinking I'm doomed and this feeling won't stop.

And about the emergency room, I went last week with why I guess was a huge panic attack (I thought I was having a heart attack or some crazy cdiff complications) And all tests came back negative.

This has just been the most frustrating 1.5 months of my life. I just feel tired and run down all the time and I've lost weight. This is scary and its the saddest I've felt in a long time. I just wish this would stop already. Would be nice if my retest was a true negative. Guess I have to just wait and see, which is also getting tiring.

Thanks again to anyone taking the time to read this and even reply.

beth22
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 10852
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 2:23 pm

Re: How long does recovery take?

Postby beth22 » Thu Aug 31, 2017 10:44 pm

The majority of people get rid of c difficile with one or two courses of treatment. The percentages are in your favor and hopefully you are one of those people.

georgina
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 2635
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 10:07 am

Re: How long does recovery take?

Postby georgina » Fri Sep 01, 2017 12:39 am

Maybe your GI is right about seeing a therapist , treatment for anxiety will help you very much especially in early recovery. If you use the search box to read older stories you will see that most of us couldn't deal with the depression and anxiety and needed and went on antidepressants and antianxiety meds. In my case, I never had anxiety or depression or insomnia before CDiff , all those symptoms came along with Cdiff (I call it "the joys of Cdiff") tortured myself 2 months to get trough them but felt like everything was not getting better it was actually getting worse and I decided to see a psychiatrist . I can tell you that the moment I started antidepressants was the moment when I felt like I had my life back , stopped obsessing over Cdiff , stopped crying all day , panic attacks stopped , sleep improved.

Zapper
Regular Contributor
Posts: 255
Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2016 10:28 am

Re: How long does recovery take?

Postby Zapper » Fri Sep 01, 2017 8:31 am

I remember the way you feel all too well. It's very overwhelming to go from one normal to something else. I've never felt 100% recovered, although I had a much longer active infection.
I am 3+ months c diff free and doing better some days but most I still feel like my stomach/anxiety/depression is all out of sorts. I have a lot of anxiety with using public restroom/finding the time between my busy work schedule/commute/and taking care of a 10 month old.
You just have to take one day at a time and try to enjoy the little things.

I do agree that testing that early could give off a false negative. I was tested after a 2 week treatment right away to clear me for a colonoscopy and it was negative. I ended up relapsing 2 days later but that is also a different situation. My GI told me to be very optimistic if you make it past 2 months without a relapse.

Hmad422
New User
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Aug 29, 2017 9:50 pm

Re: How long does recovery take?

Postby Hmad422 » Fri Sep 01, 2017 4:35 pm

Thanks again for all the replies.

Today's a better day. Hopefully I can continue feeling this way. But yes, just have to take it one day at a time.
Anxiety is better today, well, at this moment. I try and stay positive, but sometimes I'm reminded of what I've gone through and the possibility of relapsing, false negatives in retests, etc. I just have to push away negative thoughts and continue to take care of myself to prevent this from happening again as best as I can.

I suppose I'll have to do something about my anxiety/depression if it continues. Can't really go through life feeling that terrible often. Does anyone know why that happens? It just feels like that when I was at the height of the whole cdiff ordeal my anxiety/depression automatically went through the roof. Like a switch was flipped.

georgina, I've had that exact same mindset about how I feel like I'm getting worse, not better. I've said that so many times throughout this whole thing. Sometimes, like today, I'll think I'm better or getting better, but then the next day I'm down and out. Thought I was the only one who thought that!

beth22, hopefully you're right. I just have to try and stay optimistic and remind myself this horrible illness is treatable.

Zapper, congrats on the 3+ months of being cdiff free! and thank you for the advice about taking one day at a time and trying to enjoy the little things. I'm definitely trying. :)

amg
Regular Contributor
Posts: 275
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2016 3:16 pm

Re: How long does recovery take?

Postby amg » Fri Sep 01, 2017 6:14 pm

Hi hmad,

There is a mind-gut connection that is very important to our emotional health. The gut actually produces neurotransmitters including serotonin. Serotonin levels in the brain regulate anxiety and happiness and help to balance our moods. Low levels of serotonin result in anxiety and depression. So if your gut isn't making enough due to c diff injury, then it makes sense it would cause anxiety or depression or both. I hope you feel better fast! Are you taking probiotics?

Here is an article from CalTech that explains in more detail and says the gut is responsible for making NINETY PERCENT of our serotonin:

http://www.caltech.edu/news/microbes-he ... -gut-46495

Hmad422
New User
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Aug 29, 2017 9:50 pm

Re: How long does recovery take?

Postby Hmad422 » Fri Sep 01, 2017 7:58 pm

amg, thank you for sharing this. That's really interesting and helpful information. Explains a lot. And yes I've been Taking 2 Florastor every day for the past month. Also I've been drinking kefir when I get the chance.

amg
Regular Contributor
Posts: 275
Joined: Sat Oct 01, 2016 3:16 pm

Re: How long does recovery take?

Postby amg » Sat Sep 02, 2017 12:07 pm

When you combine the lack of serotonin with a medical condition that may or may not relapse at any time, which includes diarrhea that may or may not strike at any time, and the fear of not responding well enough or quickly enough to antibiotics, and doctors who don't seem to understand the reality of it, and the number this does on one's ability to perform daily tasks like work or school or taking care of family, then you have a perfect recipe for anxiety.

Hang in there. It does get better. And the others gave you great advice.

Ril
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 1837
Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2012 2:45 pm

Re: How long does recovery take?

Postby Ril » Sat Sep 02, 2017 10:08 pm

Hmad, please don't even think about retesting unless you develop symptoms. You should not test to prove cure. As long as you don't have at least 3 days of multiple bouts of watery d you should assume you are still in recovery. You may feel just crummy and out of sorts for a short or long time regardless of how "brief" your bout of c diff was- no way to tell. I have told other posters how I frequently called my GI dr's office to ask if I would ever feel normal again.
If you need counseling or meds to help with the anxiety to get through don't hesitate. Many have done so as you have heard. Whatever helps is what you should do. Nobody understands the many ways c diff impacts your life more than those posting here. This site was my lifeline.

Best wishes,
Rita

Hmad422
New User
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Aug 29, 2017 9:50 pm

Re: How long does recovery take?

Postby Hmad422 » Mon Sep 04, 2017 6:49 pm

I appreciate these responses. They're very helpful and make me feel a bit better and a bit confident with this whole thing.

Another question for those in recovery like myself. Has anyone randomly felt woozy for a bit and then okay slowly after?

This I probably my anxiety making me overthink every little thing.

Kristin
Regular User
Posts: 50
Joined: Sat Jul 08, 2017 1:15 pm

Re: How long does recovery take?

Postby Kristin » Tue Sep 05, 2017 12:18 am

I definitely have periods where I feel nausea and sometimes weak/tingly. That may be a reaction the vanco....I'm not quite sure. I'm currently on a long vanco taper and am now down to 1 a day and am on it through mid October. I'm praying so hard this works because I'm plain tired of being on medicine. I feel the vanco makes me anxious sometimes as well. And I've NEVER had issues with anxiety before. I'm a very easy going personality and never freak about things. The only thing I can chalk it up to is the medicine.

So in a lengthy way, I answered your question that, yes, I do get nauseous from time to time. Haha!

Hmad422
New User
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Aug 29, 2017 9:50 pm

Re: How long does recovery take?

Postby Hmad422 » Tue Sep 05, 2017 12:02 pm

Kristin, I've definitely felt that way on the vanco. I feel that way now and again,but I finished my treatment almost 2 weeks ago.

On a side note, thought my bm was normal this morning. Even canceled my GI appt, which im regretting terribly. Went again to bathroom a few hours later and to my disappointment saw a bit mushy unformed stool staring back at me.

Scared I'm relapsing. Never felt 100% anyway after treatment. Even now. I don't know how much longer I can go on telling myself it's all in my head.


Return to “Questions about Clostridium difficile”



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 16 guests