I’m back again, with questions :(

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Megan881
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Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2018 3:15 pm

I’m back again, with questions :(

Postby Megan881 » Tue Dec 11, 2018 9:31 pm

Hi all,

I’m sad to say I am back again, six years later with recurrent c diff. Last time I posted I was under a different user name and I wish I could find my old posts to look back on. I think my user name was studentnurse?

Anyway, six years ago I was a student nurse who contracted c diff from unnecessary antibiotics and I was sick for over a year. Multiple failed attempts of tapers of vanc and flagyl. I went from 125 to 89 pounds and developed horrible anxiety (my first symptom). What finally worked was difficid. It took almost a year after that to gain a healthy weight and get back to normal life. Surprisingly most of my anxiety went away when the diff did.

Fast forward six years... I’ve finished NP school and got married and had my beautiful baby boy 3 months ago. I ended up in a stat c section and was given antibiotics. I didn’t think it was a big deal, being c diff free for 6 years and not using an antibiotic in that time period.

Around 2 months post partum, the anxiety started. The same fears I had when I was sick with c diff the first time. Scared I was going to die and not be able to see my beautiful son grow. Diarrhea started as well, nausea, no appetite and then pounds fell off in a couple weeks. I went into my PCPs office and thank God she decided to do a stool culture because I told her the only time I felt this way was when I had c diff. It came back positive.

She gave me a round of vanc and then followed with macrobid for a UTI. I got in with my GI who said let’s wait and see if the diarrhea comes back before treating further. I still have no appetite but the nausea is gone and I have bms that are too solid to be tested according to my GI they have to be liquid. (??). I am still anxious but it is less. For some reason, I just don’t feel like it’s gone.

My questions... any suggestions on what to do from here? I made an appointment in Houston with a GI who does FMT so that’s an option if I have 2 positive cultures in one year. Difficid again?? I guess I’m feeling hopeless and reaching out to you all as I did before for some hope.

I’m terrified about the future. I’m terrified this will kill me. It’s ruined the last month I had off work to be with my baby boy and I was told to stop breastfeeding when I started the antibiotics so that was difficult as well.

Thank you for this wonderful community of support,
Megan

NanciT
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Joined: Thu Sep 18, 2014 12:01 pm

Re: I’m back again, with questions :(

Postby NanciT » Tue Dec 11, 2018 10:46 pm

Megan

Try not to let panic take over. If the D is gone, how are your symptoms? You mentioned post Vanco you went on Macrobid, are those symptoms gone? Vanco can cause bladder irritation and many are often let with post IBS. If you recall when you had this 6 years ago, recovery can take time.
It sounds like things are improving and unless I had the D return, I would work with the GI on your symptoms. Be careful not to overtreat due to fear. The anxiety can be terrible, possibly get some help with that.

Congrats on your new little one!!!

NanciT

Megan881
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Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2018 3:15 pm

Re: I’m back again, with questions :(

Postby Megan881 » Tue Dec 11, 2018 10:54 pm

Hi naciT,
Thank you for your reply. I didn’t realize I had a UTI, when I sent the stool culture my pcp also sent a ua and culture and it was positive for UTI. I started the vanc for the c diff right away but waited on the macrobid until I could get into my GI and talk about it with him. He told me to go ahead and take it and let’s just wait to see what the c diff does or doesn’t do. I definitely had a long recovery the first Time Around, currently I’m just feeling some anxiety throughout the day and lack of appetite. No nausea, panic attacks, or d. I’ve been able to force myself to eat and I’ve maintained the same weight for two weeks now. I want to gain some weight back but that isn’t Happening.

I worry that symptoms will eventually show up, after the c section antibiotics it took two months. Any suggestions of what to do in the mean time? I started probiotics, Keifer, and kombucha. I’m pretty much only able to tolerate the brat diet.

beth22
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Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 2:23 pm

Re: I’m back again, with questions :(

Postby beth22 » Wed Dec 12, 2018 2:16 am

I would wait and see and try to add food back slowly into your diet. If you do relapse, I would take Dificid.

NanciT
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 3035
Joined: Thu Sep 18, 2014 12:01 pm

Re: I’m back again, with questions :(

Postby NanciT » Wed Dec 12, 2018 10:54 am

I agree with Beth. Give it time. The anxiety seems the worst for those of us who have had it a long time, or in your case have it return 6 yrs later.
I like to think you have battled once through it, and hopefully one course which you have already done...will be it. These meds can be very irritating to the gut, hand in there and see what happens.

Go easy on the diet, take your probiotics and give yourself the time to recover.

If by chance you did have all symptoms return, I would take Dificid ( 30 day taper listed on the site)

NanciT

Megan881
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Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2018 3:15 pm

Re: I’m back again, with questions :(

Postby Megan881 » Wed Dec 12, 2018 11:02 am

Thank you for the responses. I’ve never heard of a dificid 30 day taper??.... I will continue to pray and wait it out. What do you all think of the FMT option??

roy
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Re: I’m back again, with questions :(

Postby roy » Wed Dec 12, 2018 12:51 pm


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

Re: I’m back again, with questions :(

Postby beth22 » Thu Dec 13, 2018 1:54 am

I had more than one FMT and it is an option, but I would still try Dificid first if you have to. You may not need any treatment. Hopefully, that is the case.

Megan881
New User
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Dec 11, 2018 3:15 pm

Re: I’m back again, with questions :(

Postby Megan881 » Sat Dec 29, 2018 1:17 pm

Thank you all for your responses. It was good for me to look back at my old posts for reference.

I’ve been doing okay, still no appetite but solid BMs until today. Still waiting to do another stool test.

My friend told me her patients that take vanc have a hard time getting there appetite back. I’m wondering if it’s more related to the vanc rather than c diff itself?

Does anyone have any advice on what’s been most helpful in dealing with the anxiety that comes with c diff? It seems that when I don’t have c diff my anxiety is almost nonexistent but when i do have c diff it’s crippling.


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