C.diff and antibiotics question

[Steffi]

Hi friends,

I have a question, please. I am wondering what happens in the so called community acquired cdiff cases when people become sick without taking antibiotics and without being hospitalized - why their good gut flora does not protect them from getting sick after contracting cdiff ?

I appreciate your time to answer my questions!

Thank you,
Steffi

[beth22]

Some people do not have a good immune system. We have had some posters who were found to be lacking when IgG, etc. were tested. Others, like myself, have auto-immune diseases that might also contribute. Still others have poor diets and do not have sufficient good flora. There can be many reasons, but I don't think that there is any one particular reason. It depends on the individual's health. Also, those taking PPIs for GERD, etc. are more at risk as PPIs have been linked to c difficile.

[Steffi]

Thank you Beth22 !

[roy]

I suspect that quite a lot of community c.diff is not what was causing illness in people who were treated for it.
Drs are not supposed to test for c.diff unless theres a reason to suspect it.
Inexperianced Drs sometimes test and then put their patients illness down to what is possibly their normal gut flora and finding c.diff is entirely coincidental.
Treating those patients and especially treating them with Flagyl can cause it to go full blown and cause it to become a relapsing disease.

Hospital v community
C.diff is dangerous to sick people, sick people are in hospital.
Hospitals SHOULD be clean and if it's done properly c.diff is cleaned away and can not infect vulnerable patients.
Hospital acquired c.diff is caused ONLY because it's not been cleaned away not because it's more common in hospitals.
For an example of how common c.diff is.
Walk into 4 friends houses and on average one of their doorsteps will be contaminated with c.diff along with many other potentialy harmfull bugs!
Another fact is that your toilet seat if far less likely to harbor c.diff than the handles of a supermarket cart!

[Steffi]

Thanks a lot Roy ! I begin to understand how the bacteria works...

[roy]

Do you have symptoms of c.diff colitis?

[Steffi]

Hi Roy,

My situation is complicated because I have taken so many antibiotics - just incredible amount. Currently I do not have the classical symptoms, I have something that looks like IBS most likely...I am taking probiotic for IBS for 3 months, I will take it until 25th June, my tests are negative since December 2020, I feel I am in something like recovery period ...

[Steffi]

Sorry, forgot to mention the most important: I had active c.diff infection in the summer of 2020 with symptoms and positive c.diff test - both positive: GDH and toxin, my tests started to show negative in December 2020 and keep negative, but of course, I cannot be calm with this bacteria, when I had the active infection the doctors gave me Arilin (metronidazole) for 10 days and after that I have taken only probiotics - the current probiotic is my third one.

[Steffi]

Even if I manage to overcome my IBS symptoms (which I doubt) what a life I will have ? - waking up every morning thinking that I have spores in my gut that cannot be eradicated...and every single day of my life I will be afraid that the spores could germinate ... it is a horrible feeling...

[roy]

C.diff is a VERY common bug, NOT something to think is going to ruin your life or live in fear of.
What you read about it are the worst cases and you don't read about the vast majority for who it was just an inconvenience.

I see your posting from Bulgaria.
In your part of the world there's easy access to some very good kefir, you would probably find starter culture to brew your own at home.
Probiotics in pill form are probably far inferior to your local kefir.
Your not full of c.diff spores, your well and dont need to worry

[Steffi]

Thank you very much Roy !

The reasons for my worries are: the unpleasant intestine symptoms that I am experiencing almost constantly after the infection - almost 9 months already: very often I have sounds coming from my intestines, very often I feel like my intestines are moving - like something is moving inside and this is very frustrating, sometimes I have pain with different localization, I have almost always lot of gas during almost the whole day. Some doctors suggest colonoscopy, but I consider it very dangerous...however, without a colonoscopy how could I know the reason for my symptoms? - this is the biggest problem...I am 40 years old and during the last 10 years I was taking antibiotics for every little flu or cold or anything so probably my gut flora is very damaged, also, during the cdiff infection I had a stool test which showed "reduced gut flora" - like microbiologists said, but it was 1 year ago ...I am trying to restore my flora since October 2020 - almost 9 months already, but I still can't recover and don't feel like before the infection - this is the problem, I am with constant intestine discomfort - the sounds, the feeling that my intestines are moving like doing something inside - very strange, like something is moving inside, the pain time to time and the huge quantity of gas...I eat almost everything without sugar, honey and milk. I still avoid everything which contains sugar, avoid milk and honey since I am still afraid to include these foods into my diet. I have to mention that I have also Helicobacter Pylori ... Please, I appreciate any opinion and advise regarding what can I do in my situation ...

Thank you in advance!

[Ril]

I certainly cannot diagnose you but severe cases of IBS can make you feel that way as your intestines are in frequent spasms. There are medications that can treat that, but it is a diagnosis made by excluding all others. That is likely the reason for the colonoscopy.
Also, frequent gas can also come from lactose intolerance and although you exclude milk there is also milk sugar in many cheeses and other dairy products. The test for that is simple.

You really need a good work up rather than having us guess at possible causes….we-are not drs and cannot diagnose you.

I am so sorry for your troubles. Good luck recovering.
Rita

[Steffi]

Thank you Rita !