Preceding the eruption of D, do “sufferers” report a common malaise or experience?

[JTLA]

Hello. I am a 68yo female diagnosed with community acquired CD on 1/7/20. Completed vanco on 1/17 and D has been resolved since 1/11. Continue to eat 3-4 small meals daily and fatigue is relentless. GI can answer few of my questions. Next step is an ID. I am grateful to this group for the collective wisdom it shares. I took ill on New Year’s Day. Approaching the holidays, I recall a swollen gland, fever blister, burning sinuses and fatigue…all attributed to holiday preparations. During this time, as the bacteria was apparently reaching toxic levels in my gut, I wonder if there were other symptoms I ignored. Preceding the eruption of D, do “sufferers” report a common malaise or experience? Thank you.

[D1dad]

The day before it all started for me, I tried to go to planet fitness after working on my sons car but ended up just setting in the massage chairs because I was so exhausted. I thought I was just worn out. I woke at around 3am with a 101 temp and went to my other sons wrestling meet, upset stomach and used the restroom 3-4 times while there but no D. When I got home I went probably 5-6 more times. When I drove myself to the Er 8 days later I was going 20-30 times, fever, pounding heart and passing loads of blood. Surprisingly my wbc count was normal and had what they classified as a “mild case” sure didn’t feel like it. Within a day or two on metro the D stopped and I began to eat as I did before and finished the meds but relapsed within 48 hrs and was back at the local urgent care. After another 7 days of the poison I call flagyl I slowly recovered. That was my deal with that demon in a nutshell.

[NanciT]

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

Have your GI check your electrolytes. Vanco can have a great affect on them, generally potassium. Mine became very low and I required a supplement. It is actually under rare side effects of Vanco. I would get this checked.

It can take time to recover and for the gut to heal, but with lab work you can confirm those numbers. Mine went down several times during treatment and also post CDIFF

Take Care and I hope you feel better soon

NanciT

[JTLA]

Thank you, D1dad and NanciT.

D1dad...it appears that fatigue was our common "pre-eruption" symptom. I am so curious as to what others report. Although I never ran a fever, my white blood count and heart rate were elevated.

NanciT...thank you for your good wishes and I will watch the potassium numbers. I had bloodwork yesterday morning. My health insurer's nurse-line also counsels that I may simply not be eating enough to ward off fatigue so I am now paying close attention to diet too.

[D1dad]

I felt like I was walking in concrete prior and for months after. I always worked out and it was a few months before I even gave it a thought. Eat as clean as possible or as your able to so you can keep your energy up. The brain fog is awful as well. There were times I couldn’t remember what I was doing and just doing my job was almost impossible.

[Ril]

Make sure you stay hydrated. Drink enough fluids. Gatorade or Powerade is good as they contain electrolytes, in either the regular form or light or zero for less sugar. Limit caffeine as that dehydrates you.

[JTLA]

Thank you, Ril for the hydration recommendation.

Thanks also D1dad for further describing your experience. For the six months preceding the "eruption," my life was out of balance. In addition to a deadening fatigue, I recall noticing in December that I was losing my hair....more than just the thinning that sometimes occurs with age. Anyway, I am 19 days post-vanco without relapse, have finally stopped losing weight (but feel I am eating quite a bit of food to maintain the status quo) and am still waiting for the results of Saturday's bloodwork. Doctors can test one's patience.

[roy]

C.diff is a normal gut bacteria that manifests as a disease if your gut flora is disturbed by something.
Usually thats by antibiotics or another condition/illness.
C.diff then overgrows and produces toxins.
The bodys reaction is to try to flush the toxin out and the result is copious D.
If you feel sick for months before developing c.diff colitis then it's much more likely the c.diff multiplied because of whatever it was that made you sick than it is that its actualy the c.diff bacteria causing long term illness.

[JTLA]

Thanks, Roy, for this additional information.