cdiffdiscuss.org

Hi all! I want to thank the moderators here for helping me when I had c Diff with multiple relapses just over 3 years ago while pregnant with my daughter.

I just had my son in January and ended up with horrible mastitis that wouldn’t go away. This is the first time that I’ve taken antibiotics since having c Diff. My dr. Prescribed me keflex, and it didn’t help at all, so she switched me to penecillin, which also didn’t help. It was so bad I ended up in the ER to make sure I didn’t have an abscess and all of the doctors that I spoke with said that I needed to be admitted for IV antibiotics.
They put me on IV Vanco right away and I had a horrible reaction (lips swelled up like crazy, itching, etc.) so they stopped it after about 5 minutes and said that my only other option since I’m breastfeeding is Clindamycin. I begged for anything else, but they said this was the only option. I ended up staying at the hospital for 4 days for IV Clindamycin and then sent home with a 7 day prescription for oral clindamycin. After the 7 days it still wasn’t gone so I needed another 7 days.
After having c Diff, being on antibiotics for 4 weeks, most of which was Clindamycin, is basically my worst nightmare. As soon as I thought that I might need antibiotics I ordered florastor. I’ve made sure to take the antibiotics exactly 6 hours apart, and am takijgb2 Florastor twice a day, 2 hours after my morning and my afternoon antibiotic dose. My last dose of Clindamycin was last Monday (so about 10 days ago). How long until im considered safe? I don’t regret taking the antibiotics because I really needed it, but am just desperate to get past the point of risk for c Diff.

Congratulations on your baby!!!! If breastfeeding isn’t hard enough right?! I breastfed my daughter for 2 years- hot compresses, pumping a lot on a schedule helped a lot. It’s sooooo much work I know, exhausting. When I talked to my specialist here in California, he told me that there is no clear line. He said just to have more and more confidence as time passes.10 days is really good! I would just try and keep busy. (Easy said than done!) some people who Get c diff have no problems taking antibiotics in the future!

Everyone is different. I got symptoms right away, 24 hours with my initial CDIFF in 2014/2015 and also in 2020 when in the hospital on IV antibiotics. It was FAR more severe after getting out of the hospital within 24 hours. Although I was on Vanco in the hospital and DIficid when I got home my symptoms were severe right away.

You are doing all the right things, that is all we can do. Many have been on antibiotics post CDIFF and done well.

Congrats on the new little one.....enjoy the time and hopefully there will be no issues at all!!


NanciT

Good news is that the majority of C. Diff comes on during or shortly after the offending antibiotic.
As each day passes your flora recovers now.
Bad news is that it takes at least 3 months for the gut flora to fully recover after clinda so avoiding C. Diff is important.
Handwashing often and extra care during daiper changes is your best defence.
Better still your husband does the smelly ones:-)
DO NOT be tempted to test unless you get classic symptoms.
Theres a high chance the test would come back positive but that does not mean it's a disease.
No symptoms means your body's doing its job and dealing with it.

Congratulations on the new baby.
Keep taking the Florastor twice/day for the full 3 months is the best advice I would give you. You can switch to generic. I have done that when I had to get antibiotic for surgery. It might be overkill but it can’t hurts! (3 months is the outside limit for for getting cdiff although you usually would get symptoms sooner.)
Best of luck,
Rita

Thank you guys for the encouragement!
I think I would just be shocked if I was able to get away with almost 3 weeks of Clinda without a relapse. My first infection came from only 1 dose of IV antibiotic while in the hospital when I was pregnant.

Question about probiotics- I am still taking 4 Florastor a day (2 twice a day) and am occasionally throwing in 1 of a “regular” probiotic now that I’m not actively taking the antibiotic. Is it common for probiotics to drastically increase your bowel movements? I am going significantly more than I used to and with more urgency. The consistency is fine and I know it isn’t a c Diff infection, I’m just wondering if it is because of the probiotics or if it is because my gut is torn up from 4 weeks of antibiotics.

So far I’m 12 days out from Clinda! Each day that passes the worry is getting less and less.

YES!!!! With me, I couldn’t take probiotics at all bc I was having loose stool and going a lot more! For many, probiotics cause this! You got this!!!! You are doing great and keep positive!!!!!!

Yes, probiotics can definitely give looser stools. I react that way too.

Probiotics that i've tried in the past gave me a bit of discomfort: more frequency , more gas and bloating .Not all probiotics agree with me ,i have tried many brands until i found something that truly helps : Megasporebiotics , started in 2019 and still taking it to this day , but not at the recommended dosage . Usually you take it two times per day , but once per day is more then enough for me.

Another yes on the probiotics and that is a lot of Florastor.
I take 1 in the morning and 1 in the evening and 1 Align probiotic in the morning.