cdiffdiscuss.org

I will be brief as possible.

Have been on Amoxicillin-Pot Clavul for a sinus infection. On day 8 of 10 on the antibiotic I began to get very loose stools by mid morning. By the 8 pm, I had gone 5+ times that day and had chills and a 102 fever.

The stool symptoms continued into the next morning, so I went to the Dr the next morning and she put me on Metronidazole (3 a day for 10 days) and ordered the stool sample test, which I provided.

All of this seems on point and I do seem to be improving. Stools are slightly taking shape and frequency of going has dropped to 2-3 times a day after DAY 5 of Metronidazole.

Went in for results today and it turns out they ordered the wrong test so I still have no idea if I have it.

The girl gave me the bag to take home for a new sample, but my question is, do I even bother to provide a 2nd sample if I am half way through the Metronidazole? Would the test even be worthwhile to get/valid? (I suspect she is just trying to get me to take another test to be in CYA mode since she screwed up).

Obviously I am hoping that I kick it in the first go around (assmuming I do have it), or I don't have it at all, but would a test even come back positive if I DID have it, or is trying a sample now completely useless?

Frustrated and at a loss as to what my next move should be as far as testing.

At this point I will just be finishing the 10 day course of Metronidazole and hoping for the best but wanted anyones input on the retest at this point.

Any input appreciated!

Hello Chico71 and Welcome to the Site Please read the first thread for all new posters

You are correct, if you are on Flagyl and take a test for CDIFF it can affect the results. It sounds like you are feeling better already. Hopefully you will complete the treatment and continue to improve. Most do not test after starting medication or even after they have completed it unless the diarrhea starts up again for a few days.

Hope you will feel better soon, go easy on the diet

NanciT

NanciT wrote:
> Hello Chico71 and Welcome to the Site Please read the first thread for
> all new posters
>
> You are correct, if you are on Flagyl and take a test for CDIFF it can
> affect the results. It sounds like you are feeling better already.
> Hopefully you will complete the treatment and continue to improve. Most do
> not test after starting medication or even after they have completed it
> unless the diarrhea starts up again for a few days.
>
> Hope you will feel better soon, go easy on the diet
>
> NanciT

Thank you so much for the info. Just frustrating that you do all the right things and someone fills out paperwork for the lab incorrectly. Didn't want to bother with the lab work if it was going to be "inconclusive" at best.

Disappointed that I will never DEFINITIVELY know if I was positive or not, but I think I was very suspect, especially after the abrupt 102 fever. In the end, I am where I am so I just have to stay on this path.

So I feel like everything has been done right to combat C Diff at this stage(Short of trying to get vancomycin first). So at this point I absolutely plan on finishing the rest of my prescribed Metronidazole. Also taking a 250mg Florastor in the morning, then also at night to help aid in recovery which was info that I found on this site.

Really appreciate this resource and am glad that people have this forum to turn to.

Any other advice appreciated, but again, thanks for the resource!

I agree with Nancy. There is little point to testing now. If your symptoms come back after completing the course of Flagyl, then call your doctor and ask to be tested. Unless you had some kind of virus, c difficile is a real possibility. My friend did have chills and a fever and D for a couple of days (pretty severe) and it was a virus.

Just a quick follow up looking for more insight.

I continued my 10 days of flagyl and finished it. My frequency went way down to 2-3 movements a day, but for the most part stools remained very loose. Not full blown D but just a step up. On the last day (Friday) things did firm up, so I started to become more optimistic. Was feeling better up until yesterday.

As of yet, I have not gotten full blown D again, but for some reason I went 7-8 times in the last 24 hours. (Including waking up to go twice in the middle of the night) I am seeing much more M along with stools that appear to be loosening.

I have a call in to a real GI dr but I don’t think that I would get in for a week or two.

I guess my question is, am I just stuck at this point. According to information I read here, I would not be able to take a stool test for at least a week after antibiotics, so am just stuck till then? That timeline would likely put me into later next week before I would have any info.

All I can think of is to just watch and wait at this point and if things don’t improve get a test first thing next week and if it comes out positive, demand Vanco from my dr, then hopefully during that 10 day course I would be able to transition to a real GI?

Thank you again for this resource!

Some people can test positive after a few days off meds, so you can submit a stool test if your doctor orders it, but I would also ask to have a regular culture done to see if you might have a different infection.

At this point the testing is useless , two weeks after treatment the test can come back with false results so the next line of treatment is mainly based on symptoms. If the frequent D returns along with abdominal pain and fevers (generally feeling ill) that indicates a relapse and treatment should not wait until you can produce a positive test.