Another relapse? I'm not sure
Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2017 9:55 am
Hi!
This is my first time posting here. I am a otherwise healthy and fit 31 year old female. I'm currently 14 weeks pregnant.
5 years ago in December 2013, I was 26 years old and 6 months pregnant with my first child. I'm an RN and at the time I was currently working (I'm a stay at home mom now). As an RN I was often exposed to Cdiff but was able to take precautions. However one day at work in dec 2013 I was still battling morning sickness and I was sick the first few hours of my shift. I noticed a coworker also running to the bathroom and I asked if she was ok. She told me she was recovering from cdiff... I used the visitors restroom the rest of the day and tried not to worry.
The very next night I woke up vomiting profusely. Every 2 hours I was vomiting and almost couldn't breathe. Only had D once though. Went to the ER and I told them about the coworker and made them test me. They told me I didn't have cdiff but I knew better. I had a high fever, was severely dehydrated, BP was dangerously low and HR was high. Took a few more hours for me to even send a sample. That was only my 2 time having D.
Test came back positive for cdiff. Treated me with 2 doses of IV flagyl before my husband noticed (he's an Nurse Practitioner) and reminded them I was pregnant. Switched me to oral Vancomycin. My stools were firm the next day. It took me 4 days in the hospital to regain strength but I went home on the Vancomycin for 10 more days and NEVER had any more problems. Emotionally and mentally I was left with a lot of trauma, but I told myself as long as I was physically healthy I was ok.
Fast forward 5 years later... I'm living life normally, I have 2 beautiful kids! Still very diligent about hand washing and still bleach my toilet after a BM. Still afraid of public toilets and I didn't return to nursing as I think I have anxiety from hospitals/fear of caring for a cdiff patient.
July of 2017, I have a UTI and I'm terrified to take antibiotics, even though it was 5 years ago. I wait as long as I can to heal it naturally but the doctors are pressuring me. I take a Macrobid for 5 days with Florastor. 2 weeks later I have D maybe 1-2 times a day for five days and then my stools returned to normal and formed. My inlaws had just had a stomach flu and I told myself it was that and I was being too paranoid.
Here's where it gets confusing, for the next month I would either have a formed stool for a few days and then have a bout of D for a day. It was very sporadic and confusing. I went to the GI and he said I had IBS. I told him of my history with cdiff and he assured me this was not that. I asked for a test anyways just to ease my mind. Lo and behold test came back POSITIVE.
I started a 14 day course of oral suspension Vanco and felt better on day 2-3. My nightmare was back . But I was trying to stay positive for my family. The OCD symptoms returned. Using gloves in the bathroom, bleaching everything. Gloves to cook. Showering after each BM. After the meds I felt great and BMs returned to normal.
10 days later... Had a loose stool. Next day had D twice and I just knew. I had to wait a few more days to see the ID doctor but she agreed to test me again. Even though I retired to my confusing pattern of one day a formed BM and the next day D a few times or just soft stool. The test came back POSITIVE again!
I consoled myself and said I had been sick for over 5 weeks with cdiff and I didn't know it, maybe 14 day treatment wasn't enough. Started on a 6 week Vanco taper. The next day after my relapse diagnosis I found out I was pregnant! I was overwhelmed yo say the least and I went into a deep depression for a few days. Thankfully a lot of prayer and turning to God helped me realize I was gonna be ok.
It's now October and I'm 4 weeks into the taper and my stools are formed but soft and have not returned to normal. Still have the rumbling in my stomach and bad gas. I still feel off. My doctor agrees to do the last 10 days of my taper with dificid.
Day 2 of dificid I feel better. Stools are formed and normal. Eating whatever I want. Feel great. Finished the dificid and felt great!
NOW HERES MY QUESTION:
I've been off the dificid for 14 days. It's Sunday today and on Thursday I felt a little weird. BMs once a day and formed and normal. Saturday I had a bit of cramping and 1 soft stool and then 1 small D. My stomach is rumbling and I have gas.
Could this be a relapse?!?! I might be jumping the gun but this feels similar to the last relapse and I want to be practical and proactive. I'm 14 weeks pregnant and have 2 young kids to care for. Mentally I can't go through this again. I've read about other pregnant posters who kept relapsing and didn't heal until they had their baby.
I'm not even sure what the next course of action is. Maybe a dificid taper?? My ID doc is at Mayo Clinic but honestly seems scared to treat me bc I'm pregnant. She will not do an FMT. Should I get a second opinion??
Thank you:)
This is my first time posting here. I am a otherwise healthy and fit 31 year old female. I'm currently 14 weeks pregnant.
5 years ago in December 2013, I was 26 years old and 6 months pregnant with my first child. I'm an RN and at the time I was currently working (I'm a stay at home mom now). As an RN I was often exposed to Cdiff but was able to take precautions. However one day at work in dec 2013 I was still battling morning sickness and I was sick the first few hours of my shift. I noticed a coworker also running to the bathroom and I asked if she was ok. She told me she was recovering from cdiff... I used the visitors restroom the rest of the day and tried not to worry.
The very next night I woke up vomiting profusely. Every 2 hours I was vomiting and almost couldn't breathe. Only had D once though. Went to the ER and I told them about the coworker and made them test me. They told me I didn't have cdiff but I knew better. I had a high fever, was severely dehydrated, BP was dangerously low and HR was high. Took a few more hours for me to even send a sample. That was only my 2 time having D.
Test came back positive for cdiff. Treated me with 2 doses of IV flagyl before my husband noticed (he's an Nurse Practitioner) and reminded them I was pregnant. Switched me to oral Vancomycin. My stools were firm the next day. It took me 4 days in the hospital to regain strength but I went home on the Vancomycin for 10 more days and NEVER had any more problems. Emotionally and mentally I was left with a lot of trauma, but I told myself as long as I was physically healthy I was ok.
Fast forward 5 years later... I'm living life normally, I have 2 beautiful kids! Still very diligent about hand washing and still bleach my toilet after a BM. Still afraid of public toilets and I didn't return to nursing as I think I have anxiety from hospitals/fear of caring for a cdiff patient.
July of 2017, I have a UTI and I'm terrified to take antibiotics, even though it was 5 years ago. I wait as long as I can to heal it naturally but the doctors are pressuring me. I take a Macrobid for 5 days with Florastor. 2 weeks later I have D maybe 1-2 times a day for five days and then my stools returned to normal and formed. My inlaws had just had a stomach flu and I told myself it was that and I was being too paranoid.
Here's where it gets confusing, for the next month I would either have a formed stool for a few days and then have a bout of D for a day. It was very sporadic and confusing. I went to the GI and he said I had IBS. I told him of my history with cdiff and he assured me this was not that. I asked for a test anyways just to ease my mind. Lo and behold test came back POSITIVE.
I started a 14 day course of oral suspension Vanco and felt better on day 2-3. My nightmare was back . But I was trying to stay positive for my family. The OCD symptoms returned. Using gloves in the bathroom, bleaching everything. Gloves to cook. Showering after each BM. After the meds I felt great and BMs returned to normal.
10 days later... Had a loose stool. Next day had D twice and I just knew. I had to wait a few more days to see the ID doctor but she agreed to test me again. Even though I retired to my confusing pattern of one day a formed BM and the next day D a few times or just soft stool. The test came back POSITIVE again!
I consoled myself and said I had been sick for over 5 weeks with cdiff and I didn't know it, maybe 14 day treatment wasn't enough. Started on a 6 week Vanco taper. The next day after my relapse diagnosis I found out I was pregnant! I was overwhelmed yo say the least and I went into a deep depression for a few days. Thankfully a lot of prayer and turning to God helped me realize I was gonna be ok.
It's now October and I'm 4 weeks into the taper and my stools are formed but soft and have not returned to normal. Still have the rumbling in my stomach and bad gas. I still feel off. My doctor agrees to do the last 10 days of my taper with dificid.
Day 2 of dificid I feel better. Stools are formed and normal. Eating whatever I want. Feel great. Finished the dificid and felt great!
NOW HERES MY QUESTION:
I've been off the dificid for 14 days. It's Sunday today and on Thursday I felt a little weird. BMs once a day and formed and normal. Saturday I had a bit of cramping and 1 soft stool and then 1 small D. My stomach is rumbling and I have gas.
Could this be a relapse?!?! I might be jumping the gun but this feels similar to the last relapse and I want to be practical and proactive. I'm 14 weeks pregnant and have 2 young kids to care for. Mentally I can't go through this again. I've read about other pregnant posters who kept relapsing and didn't heal until they had their baby.
I'm not even sure what the next course of action is. Maybe a dificid taper?? My ID doc is at Mayo Clinic but honestly seems scared to treat me bc I'm pregnant. She will not do an FMT. Should I get a second opinion??
Thank you:)