Post-infectious IBS or recurrence??

[MSumner]

Hello all,
I want to say I appreciate this forum for being here, since I wouldn't know who to turn to otherwise to ask pressing questions about this. I posted on here a while back, but basically I had my first c diff infection back in October. Since then I've had 2 recurrences, happening a few weeks after finishing Vanco both times. After that, I asked to be referred to an infectious disease doctor, and she put me on Dificid, which seemed to do the trick (this was back in early February I believe.) I then started taking probiotics, Florastor twice a day every day, and Bio K+. Since the BioK+ is so expensive, I tried switching to VSL#3 to see how it works (still expensive, but a bit better.)
Everything seemed to be pretty ok until a couple weeks ago when I started having weird GI trouble again, D mixed with C, and now almost entirely C, except for this morning when I had D again (and the hemorrhoids still there from my previous infection make this all the more fun.) The thing is I can't tell if it could be IBS or yet another recurrence of the c diff coming on? :(
I've been researching post-infectious IBS, and I was wondering if anyone on here has had a similar experience and what to do about it? Should I quit taking the VSL#3? Could that just be too much? Has apple cider vinegar been beneficial to anyone with this condition? I'm so afraid of another recurrence, especially with how difficult my insurance was in approving the Dificid medication the last time. :(
Any advice would be appreciated, thank you!

[BetsyS]

Hi- sorry you're not doing well. I caught C Diff following colon surgery in Nov. I had two relapses and four rounds of Vanco including a taper.

Things too turned for me shortly after my taper ended. I nose-dived two weeks out. Daily D returned, but it wasn't as bad or as frequent. I thought I needed more probiotics so tried Apple cider and couldn't handle it. Someone suggested it could be probiotics causing it, so I backed off of those. Everything I ate seem to give me D, and I ended back on the BRAT diet. D continued, so I finally saw my ID doctor. She assured me it was IBS and my colon needed time to heal. She recommended lentils with turmeric because of their anti-inflammatory properties. I cannot believe how well they worked to calm things down! I am 2 mos past my taper, D is down to 3-4 times a week, and I have been able to add some items back to my diet. Not sure about Apple Cider, but I can handle probiotics.

I love the advice shared on this site. Everyone's experience is different, but it gives you things to try. You are not alone, so please hang in there!

[MSumner]

Hi BetsyS, thank you for your response! That sounds like quite an ordeal. :( I'm feel fortunate to have found a doctor who knew about Dificid when I did, I don't think I could've handled four rounds of Vanco! :O
To be honest, it's been challenging to know what to eat anymore, since there seems to be so much conflicting info out there. Even concerning probiotics, some say they're good, and others that they just muck things up.
Then there's the BRAT diet, low FODMAP, etc. Some of them conflict, and I'm not sure what's best? I sometimes wish I didn't have to eat food at all anymore! (Kidding, sort of.)
I wonder if the stress from this COVID-19 situation might be partly to blame for this flare up, but again, I have no idea. I'm going to have to try lentils with turmeric, I've been drinking chicken broth, and eating eggs since they seem easier to digest, but I don't think they're good to eat all the time. I tried some oatmeal last night, and that didn't go so well.
Thanks for the support!

[rere2222]

Hi,

Well I'm right there with you. I acquired this taking Calcium Supplements, so not happy about that. I had my first Jan this year, vanco didn't work, then divicid. Test after divicid said negative, but four days later it was back. My doctor said IBS also, but you can tell because of the smell, in my case anyway. I told her I thought it was back, and it is. Now I started the taper vanco....sigh.....so miserable and hard to know what to eat, when, not to eat, so much not to do. I just found this board and I am so thankful, because I have no one to talk to about this. Thanks for listening guys.

[MSumner]

Oh, I didn't know calcium supplements could cause it? Man, so many things I never knew. ouo
I feel you rere2222, it can take so long, ugh. :(

[Ali-Mar]

I also didn't know the Calcium Supplements can cause C-Diff. I contracted C Diff on Feb 5, and I don’t know why, last time I took oral antibiotics was in 2016 for H Pylori. My dental hygienist injected Arestin ( Doxycycline 50 mg) antibiotic under my gum, 25 days before contacting C -Diff. The Arestin is extend release so it releases a bit per day for 14 days, it supposed to be a localized antibiotics, so not sure if that was the reason. That said, few weeks before contracting C -Diff I started taking Calcium Supplements! Maybe that was the reason?

When infected I had over 15 WD per day for 3 days but I was tested negative for C-Diff Toxin. So I went on untreated for 5 weeks until a GI dr suggested to do the Toxin B Gene PCR that, which was positive. I started with Flagyl but after 8 days switched to Vanco. Finished 10 days Vanco on March 20, 11 days ago.

I also still have issues, such abdominal pain, cramping , tenesmus , and irregular BM etc.. I take one VLS 3 per day ( does not seem to be helping) , and eat rice, mash potato, chicken breast , boiled and banana every day.. I did a Tonxin Gene PCR test 7 days after completing the treatment , my GI doc called me today and said the test was negative and he also told the symptoms I am having are the symptoms of PI- IBS.

[beth22]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5509370/

One of the relapses I had was after taking Tums for a few days. I have not taken them since.

[Aurora]

I take tums when I have heartburn during pregnancy. It gets unbearable at night. What else is there to take?

[Ali-Mar]

I heard cucumbers help with heartburn, I will buy some next time we go out for grocery. Also heard peppermint tea helps, I ordered some on Amazon should arrive on Friday. Some suggested a banana, I tried that last night, and i thought it helped with my heartburn

[beth22]

There is,a product called IBgard that is for IBS. It is peppermint oil. There is FDgard that is for heartburn. Those are over the counter meds. Some posters have used the IBgard for IBS.

[georgina]

For heartburn i use 1teaspoon bicarbonate of soda diluted in a cup of water , i get relief in 15 minutes.

[rere2222]

MSumner wrote:
> Oh, I didn't know calcium supplements could cause it? Man, so many things I
> never knew. ouo
> I feel you rere2222, it can take so long, ugh. :(

Yes I couldn't believe it either....trying to solve one problem which created this horrible issue