Recovery

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Gcarter
Brand New Poster
Posts: 1
Joined: Thu Nov 09, 2017 4:06 pm

Recovery

Postby Gcarter » Thu Nov 09, 2017 4:14 pm

Hi all I'm new to this site but I have just finished my second treatment for c diff. First time 10 days vanco felt great and presumed life as normal 12 days later relapse. Just finished flagyl on Sunday Nov. 5. Been fine but my stool has been formed but soft and fuzzy looking. Well today had a BM this morning around 6 with that appearance. Then around 11ish had a small BM smaller than 50 cent piece larger than quarter just a blob. However I noticed some mucas when I wiped. I'm having some off and on pain but not sure if it's normal recovery or maybe relapse or just me being over dramatic. I'm also due to start my period in the next 3-4 days. Not sure if pain is from that or not. Please help. I have been going crazy over this. I just want to be better and move on with my life. Thanks guys!

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

Re: Recovery

Postby amg » Thu Nov 09, 2017 5:32 pm

Hi and welcome to the site, though I wish you didn't have to be here. :)

There are issues during recovery for a lot of people where their gut just isn't normal, they have softer or more frequent BMs than normal for them, they don't tolerate certain foods, etc. In my daughter's case, her menstrual period definitely brought on IBS symptoms of cramping and looser stool. Sometimes, especially early on, it's hard to tell if it's another relapse, or just IBS.

Unfortunately, however, your risk of another relapse goes way up after the first relapse. The risk of the first relapse is around 20%, but after the first relapse, the risk of another relapse rises to around 65%.

As far as distinguishing a relapse from IBS - it's helpful to analyze your symptoms carefully. IBS in recovery tends to get better through the day or within a day or so, but relapses tend to progressively worsen. Try also to see if you have other symptoms that were present along with your active c diff infection that aren't usually part of IBS like fever, chills, extreme fatigue, etc.

If you do end up having another relapse, I would ask your doctor about Dificid. Dificid targets c diff more exclusively thus sparing your good gut bacteria that you need to keep c diff in check, and it has adverse effects on the c diff spores. A lot of people here have said Dificid was their ultimate cure. In my daughter's case, who relapsed twice on Flagyl and twice on Vanco, a Dificid taper cured her. That's another option for you - a longer course of Dificid with taper, to allow your gut more time to rebuild the good bacteria and prevent getting into a cycle of relapses.

Here's a paper you can refer to, if your doctor isn't familiar with Dificid or Dificid taper -

https://academic.oup.com/ofid/article/d ... r-Patients

Some doctors may want to try a Vancomycin taper first - that's what our ID doc wanted to do. But my daughter just wasn't responding very well to the Vanco during that treatment, so we pushed for Dificid. She saw an almost immediate firming up of her stool with Dificid, and she felt more normal when finishing the Dificid than she felt after either Flagyl or vanco.

Also, try to stick with a blander diet and avoid raw veggies and salad type foods for a while. Some people say dairy is difficult for them in early recovery. Everyone is different, but a bland, BRAT type diet seems helpful for a lot of people early on.

Good luck! I hope you're back to healthy fast.

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

Re: Recovery

Postby Ril » Thu Nov 09, 2017 6:01 pm

Hello Gcarter and welcome to the site. Please read the first thread on rules for posting for new members.

Hopefully this is still part of recovery. It is still too early to know but it may be just part of that. As Amg told you, PI IBS frequently occurs after c diff and has symptoms that can be confusing. We go by the 3 day rule- if you have 3 or more watery stools for 3 days that is the cause for concern. What you are describing still sounds like recovery. It can take a long time for stools to normalize, or you may find you have a “new normal”. In the meantime, stick with the bland diet and add new foods slowly and carefully. Your gut needs time to heal. Nausea, cramping, etc is common during many people’s recovery. I feared I would never feel normal again.

Read through old posts and ask for support here.

Rita

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

Re: Recovery

Postby georgina » Fri Nov 10, 2017 1:16 am

The hormonal changes that happen when it's that time of the month can definitely create some disturbance in your intestine. I always had looser stool , frequency and abdominal pain with my period even before I was diagnosed with CDiff , after I got Cdiff it was worse.


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