Never was tested for toxin

[zach]

So after speaking with my lab I just realized I tested positive for C diff but was never tested for the toxin. Could the last year of my life be one big misdiagnosis

[roy]

If you never had copious watery stools and your main symptom was an itchy anus then a misdiagnosis is quite possible.

[zach]

My symptoms were diarrhea MANY times a day, bad cramping, burping and awful acid reflux fatigue and brain fog

[roy]

You can probably trust the diagnosis then.
Misdiagnosis happens if the patient does not have diarrhea but has a positive test.
C. Diff is only a disease if it over grows and causes diarrhea.
Unfortunately many Dr's will just look at the test result and want to treat even when symptoms (or lack of symptoms) do not point to disease.

[zach]

So if i'm being treated with dificid and I dont have c diff could it potentially reinfect me with it?

[Jodiekee]

Omg. I love Roy’s posts. Lololol

[zach]

i’m not sure if that’s a jab at me, i’m incredibly self conscious about even posting on here

[roy]

Nobody's taking a jab at you.
It's unlikely Dificid would cause C. Diff.
Theres a period after treatment where your gut has to recover.
C.diff treatment knocks back the infection but the true "cure" happens after you finish meds and the good flora regrows.
If the good flora regrows faster than C. Diff it deals with any remaining bad flora.
Best way of treating seems to be with the least amount of meds that do the job efficiently.
Taking extra courses of meds when they are not needed just puts back the start of recovery until you come off them.
Anything other than watery D 3x a day for 3 or more days is normal recovery and probably worth toughing out.
Of course if it gets worse see your Dr for advice.

[georgina]

Dificid targets ONLY clostridia species , doesn't touch any other bacteria.

[Ishmael]

Thanks to both Zach and Roy. Zach, I am three weeks out from my last dose of a 7-week vanco pulse taper, which followed a standard course of vanco (after which I tested positive again two weeks later). It took quite some time for me to fully understand that my intestines will require lengthy coddling (and, I am a little embarrassed to note, to strictly act on that understanding). The pharmaceuticals cannot accomplish everything for us. My diarrhea has ceased but if I eat something challenging to my still-damaged system, there are immediate consequences on the Bristol Stool scale. A daily record of exactly what you eat and what comes out may be helpful. I believe (hope) that my active infection has been obliterated, but healing to the intestinal lining involves (I now believe) careful attention to potential irritants. I am so far having good results from spending about a week on a nearly BRAT diet, adding daily kefir and plenty of water. I was a daily wine drinker and have totally stopped that and plan not to try a glass for many months (my internist says it may be 6-12 months before I am "out of the woods.") I add foods slowly and remember what I have consumed. On my doctor's advice I discontinued probiotic supplementation...that does seem to help many but, according to one Israeli study--albeit a small one--actually retarded microbiome repopulation in some patients.

[LHutz]

If you had significant amounts of diarrhea and it stopped after starting the dificid, than the diagnosis was very likely correct because dificid is very limited in what bacteria it targets. It is designed to target c. diff and leave as much of your other gut flora in tact as possible.