C Diff, Vanco, or Something Else?

[ShannonS]

I introduced myself on my other thread, but I’m a 35 year old female. I’m on day 6 of 14 of taking Vanco, so almost half way through. I do have a few more questions and forgive me if they have been answered, I’ve tried to do research.

I understand being tired because a lot is being taken out of you between the C Diff and medicines, but I have developed flat out exhaustion, like exhaustion where I can hardly drag myself to the bathroom. Plus I have developed insomnia in the last few days. I’m exhausted but I can’t sleep. I was wondering if others were going through or went through that? And if so some tips to combat it please?
I still have a racing heart feeling this far into the Vanco. It hits whenever it wants to and can last minutes or hours. Even in the hospital, my heart rate was all over the place. I think the highest it got was 137-139. They did a EKG in the hospital and everything came back normal. Is it even the Vanco or is it the active C Diff or something else like anxiety? I don’t feel anxious all the time like I use to. I try to stay calm.
Also when I use the restroom now, most of time when I go number 1, a little BM will come out mostly looking like number 4 or 5 on the Bristol chart, but only in small amounts. I’m down to having D once a day mostly in the mornings and it’s a big mush pile. I was wondering if anyone has or had dealt with that? Is that the Vanco or C Diff?
Lastly I’ve been trying to eat a bland diet, but I will get full so fast, but 30 minutes later, I will be hungry, like my stomach growling hungry again. I read it’s because while you have C Diff, you have problems keeping nutrients in you. They tend go right through you. I have been within the last couple of days feeling a little nauseous again, it hits all of a sudden, but I will pass a huge amount of gas, and it the nausea goes away. That is strange to me.

I know it’s a lot I’m asking, but I am experiencing a little anxiety over this even though I try to stay calm. I have been feeling better little by little. I’m not asking for medical advice, just if anyone has experienced any of this and what helped them. Thanks for any info you can provide.

[georgina]

Hi Shannon
Sorry you are dealing with Cdiff . I can relate with the terrible anxiety that came with Cdiff and also the insomnia . I have experienced a very bad case of insomnia myself and needed psychiatric treatment to sort it out.
It seems like Vanco is working since the frequency went down . I personally had formed stools while on Vanco with a few exceptions when i had a D but it might have been diet related. However ,there are a lot of posters here that never seen anything formed while they were on the Vanco course.

[sammyp]

I'm so sorry you're dealing with CDiff.

I can definitely relate to rapid heart rate. I had it during active infection, while on Vanco (and I was on it for 12 weeks), and a month or so post treatment. I'm finally 14 weeks in recovery and only experiencing it once in awhile. I can also say that even if you think you're calm, your body and brain may still be experiencing anxiety. As someone who dealt with anxiety long before CDiff and now has it even worse post-CDiff, it can come out of nowhere even when you don't feel anxious. I would have panic attacks for no reason at all, moreso while dealing with CDiff.

Even this far into treatment, I still have trouble with appetite. I feel hungry, try to eat, get very full, and then feel hungry again and the process starts all over again. I try small meals and snacks now. That seems to help a bit. I do feel like it's slowly improving as time goes on but it's slow going.

Many people have loose or mushy BMs while on Vanco. Mine were solid but it's different for everyone and I'm sure someone with the opposite experience will chime in.

Lastly, as hard as it is, you must have patience. Rest when you're tired. If you have insomnia, sleep during the day if you have to, anytime you can. Your body needs rest. Talk to a doc about a sleep aid if you need to. Sleep is restorative and necessary. CDiff is a massive infection. It takes most people time to heal. You will likely experience residual symptoms long past treatment (hopefully not, some people are lucky like that but most people do usually). Time is your best friend.

[beth22]

I would just like to add that many people, myself included, had vitamin and/or mineral deficiencies because of c difficile. I would ask your doctor to check your iron, B12, B6, vitamins D and A to see if you are deficient. I was deficient in D and A and a little low on B12. Your potassium might be low too. That has happened to some when taking vanco. Blood tests will tell you if you are low on any of these. Some deficiencies can also cause the rapid heart rate.