Hello

Please limit your post to questions only. You can ask multiple questions in the post. (One post per person per day about yourself. See exception in General C. diff.Discussion.)
Golden23
New User
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2023 7:48 am

Hello

Postby Golden23 » Sat Mar 25, 2023 8:40 am

Hello,
I’m so glad I found this group!! Let me start off my saying that I had never heard about c-diff until my son (he was 6 at that time) was diagnosed with it last year in beginning of March, the doctor concluded that it was brought on by a medication that the dentist had prescribed for a tooth infection…. He case was pretty bad, and they started him on vancomycin, immediately. Thankfully to the goggle we read to take all milk products away, and do a gluten free diet and start a probiotic. The recouped quickly and we thought all this was behind us….
Fast forward to this year out of the blue he has a scary bowel movement, we rushed to the ER and the confirmed that it was back. To make matters worse I had been the one that was feeling bad a couple months before on and off. I asked my doctor to test me (she didn’t want to at first but I insisted, thankfully that I did) and I test positive for the toxin c-diff as well. Looking back I believe that I had come down with a mild case after being prescribed clindamycin back in November the same medication my son had been prescribed for his tooth. I had diarrhea on and off made worse by milk products, stomach pains, a thirst I couldn’t quench, stools off colored and smelled bad!!! I know that I will never know how I got it or who got it first. But what I will say that this time around I’m struggling with what he can eat, certain things make his stools off and I panic that it’s coming back, he’s been off of vancomycin for almost 2 weeks. I’m still doing a morning & evening probiotic and encouraging him to eat yogurt. He seems to being doing well except with his stools being a bit off every now and then.
Me on the other hand am still suffering from occasional stomach pains, (upper left under my rib pressure) and very off colored stools (not diarrhea), and gas. I’m panicked that I still have it, but my doctor will not retest, she said even if it was positive they will not retreat. I’m terrified of giving it back to my son since he gets hit harder than myself. I’ve been off vancomycin for a week now also taking probiotics and eat and drink yogurt. I’ve also tried to take prebiotics, that a huge no for us, it made me feel bad for 2 days. If you can share what to look for in our new norm. What can I do to help prevent relapses…. And the scary question is this now a for life thing for us. Our doctors do tell us much except try not to stress and keep us posted on changes. What probiotic do you recommend for your experience we are both currently on Culturelle. Aside from beaching my house what more can I do? What can we eat? Our doctors just suggested bland, while having it and normal once we are done with our medication, again a hard no, our stomachs are definitely still sensitive. I’ve debated about seeing a nutritionist to help us come up with a plan. I’m also in the process of finding gastroenterologist for my son, being that he has now had it twice. Will we ever feel safe eating out again.. last some might think it’s a silly question, but has anyone heard of dogs having this?
KJ

NanciT
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 3035
Joined: Thu Sep 18, 2014 12:01 pm

Re: Hello

Postby NanciT » Sat Mar 25, 2023 9:20 pm

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

So sorry you and your young son have gone through this. It can be difficult to get through and often it take time to feel better. It sounds like you are doing everything right with diet and probiotics. As far as your symptoms, if you do not have diarrhea return( as it was prior to diagnosis) they generally will not test. Only if that comes back....then some will test if they believe it could be a relapse.
With solid stool, they won't even run the test. GI symptoms can continue and there medications that can help, check with your GI.

Please note Clyndamycin is one of the worst offender causing CDIFF....you will read that over and over on this site. ANY future antibiotics required should be checked with you GI or Infectious disease specialist.

Hope you and your son feel better soon!

NanciT

Golden23
New User
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2023 7:48 am

Re: Hello

Postby Golden23 » Sat Mar 25, 2023 10:46 pm

NanciT,
Thank you for replying I just went back to read rules, I’m 37 mom and my son is currently 7. I’m extremely thankful that we have pushed to find both of us gastroenterologists , as I think it’s much needed for a support foundation. Tempted to meet with an infectious disease specialist as well.
KJ

beth22
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 10852
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 2:23 pm

Re: Hello

Postby beth22 » Sun Mar 26, 2023 12:40 am

There have been other children who have had c difficile and most of the time they do better than adults in recuperating. There are also pediatric GI doctors, but I don't know if there is one where you live. As Nancy said, if the diarrhea returns, then you should retest, but over treatment can result in many relapses. That is what happened to me. If you can keep this under control with diet and probiotics, that is good. I also took Pepto Bismol on off days per my GI's suggestion. I took VSL#3 probiotic.

Golden23
New User
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2023 7:48 am

Re: Hello

Postby Golden23 » Tue Mar 28, 2023 4:13 pm

Update: I’m trying the 3 day rule, that someone suggested here thank you!!! But a little freaked out today since Friday I’ve been dealing with stomach queasiness, no appetite partially because I’m scared to eat and how it will affect my stomach (eating clean very bland) nausea, headache that lasted 2 days and a very low grade fever that showed up for 2 days (99.4-99.7) no bowel movement yesterday evening though it felt like it was going to be bad if I did.
Then suddenly this morning I woke up very gassy, with the need to go. Had a movement that scared me, so I contacted my soon to be gastroenterologist (first appointment not till end of June) their NP has prescribed me more antibiotics (not sure what they are yet) and moved up my appointment to end of April (which is awesome!!) but I’m internally wondering if I should apply the 3 day rule to this… I will of course follow the doctors orders, but in y’all experience would you take antibiotics without have D. I do have a son that’s recovering who has now had it twice. The bowel movement did not include D but it did have a little M & B, color orange/yellow (don’t want to be too much TMI so thought to abbreviate) I haven’t had the need to go again.
KJ

NanciT
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 3035
Joined: Thu Sep 18, 2014 12:01 pm

Re: Hello

Postby NanciT » Tue Mar 28, 2023 9:26 pm

We don't give medical advice here , just discuss our own experiences. When I did have a "relapse' my D came back just as before...there was no question. I personally did not start on more Vancomycin until I knew it was back. Eventually that drug did not work for me and I ended up with Dificid.

Be careful especially if you don't have D. I will be honest and tell you I had CDIFF for a year and my recovery took a very long time after that. I carefully went "bland" over and over again until my gut healed. This is just my experience and its important to discuss your concerns with your doctor.

If you are questioning the medication make sure to call and speak with the NP especially if you do not have D.

I wore Sea Bands for nausea on and off throughout my treatment and after during recovery. They helped me alot

Take Care

nanciT

Golden23
New User
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2023 7:48 am

Re: Hello

Postby Golden23 » Tue Mar 28, 2023 11:05 pm

Thank you NaciT, that’s how I feel about it as well. Since I don’t have D I will discuss with the NP about the antibiotics that have been prescribed. I didn’t feel comfortable with them prescribing my son another round vancomycin (a year apart) but we agreed due to him having had black stools and testing positive for blood in stool. Thank you once again for sharing your experience, I’m lost with everything and it’s nice to speak yo someone who went through this.
KJ

beth22
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 10852
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 2:23 pm

Re: Hello

Postby beth22 » Wed Mar 29, 2023 1:03 am

I can tell you from my own experience, that I was over prescribed antibiotics. I did not have D either and the doctor scared me into treating and I had one relapse after another for months until I got a fecal transplant. If I had to do it over again, I would not have taken the vancomycin for the symptoms I had.

Golden23
New User
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2023 7:48 am

Re: Hello

Postby Golden23 » Sun Apr 02, 2023 11:18 am

Happy Sunday,
Update:
Thankfully have not had more B in my bowel movement and thankfully never had D, but soft ones. When will the color ever be normal. I’ve been reading up on several posts from their experiences and can’t thank you enough. You have no idea how much of a support this has been. We had a tiny scare with my son’s color of bowel, when I remembered that he had a blue icing cupcakes for a birthday party and a slice of pizza, the things I’ve learned how what you eat really effects your stools.
Anywho, I had one question with I’ve tried pulling up in the past posts but says there are too many with that key word. So I thought to ask, here about florastor, I’ve been trying to find a good probiotic to help as a precautionary relapse. When I realized that this probiotic had great results. I was able to find a box for my son & and one for myself. I know it’s over the counter, but is it okay to take it in place of our current daily probiotic? We are both taking Culturelle which from my understanding only has the Lactobacillus rhamnosus family. Or would it be something we should wait to discuss with our doctors?
KJ

beth22
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 10852
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 2:23 pm

Re: Hello

Postby beth22 » Tue Apr 04, 2023 12:44 am

Florastor is also one strain of yeast. I did not have good luck with it. It gave me a ton of gas and a rash. I must be sensitive to yeast I guess. I would wait and ask the doctor. There are other probiotics that have multiple strains. I took VSL#3, but there are others. It may be that the Florastor agrees with both of you. If you try it, I would take a small dose and not the whole thing to start to see how you do.

roy
Administrator
Posts: 4193
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2014 1:05 am

Re: Hello

Postby roy » Wed Apr 05, 2023 6:39 am

Florestor is the only one that's anything close to being recomended.
If you have recently had blood in your stool you should not take it.

Golden23
New User
Posts: 7
Joined: Sat Mar 25, 2023 7:48 am

Re: Hello

Postby Golden23 » Wed Apr 05, 2023 9:51 am

Roy,
Ekk!! I’ve only taken 2 after my doctor said it would be okay. Should I stop?? I had a tiny bit of B last week.
KJ


Return to “Questions about Clostridium difficile”



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 37 guests