diagnosed 3-9-07 with c-diff

[scoobie]

I'm taking Flagyl 3x daily since 3-7-07. The infection started 3-04; just 2 weeks after I had a hysterectomy, but was confirmed on March 9th by a positive culture report.

I'm a type A personality usually with lots of energy and a positive outlook. I've never been so exhausted in my life. I'm very weak and my brain seems to be working in slow motion.

Can anyone tell me if they have experienced the same thing? I was told I'd have to take Flagyl for 6 weeks. Will I feel this week the entire period of time? Or just another week.

Please help me! Thanks!

[Nancy1]

scoobie,
Welcome to the group that no one wants to join. Check out the introductory material, especially Dr. Borody's article and the FAQ section.

I was certainly exhausted when I first got cdiff, and I think most of us are. You are not alone. I am curious about why you are starting off by taking Flagyl for 6 weeks. I had it for 10 days, so I can't tell you if you will feel so wiped out for 6 weeks. I was pretty queasy the whole time, with that awful metallic taste in my mouth all the time. I relapsed 3 days after finishing Flagyl (maybe you will be less likely to relapse after 6 weeks?). Then I took vancomycin, which did not make me feel so rotten, thankfully. Most people (about 80%) recover after 1-2 rounds of Flagyl or vanco. I hope you are in the lucky majority. Hugs and healing!

[diane]

Scoobie,
talk to your doctor to see if the flagly might be causing you some of these problems

[Sheila1]

Scoobie,

The severe illness made me exhausted (could barely walk across the room and back) but the Flagyl caused tremendous brain issues...slow motion, horrible anxiety attacks, etc. After I was switched to Vancomycin it took almost 2 weeks for my head to clear up. In addition the pain meds. and things given from the surgery (mine was hysterectomy also) didn't help a bit and it can take a couple weeks for some for the effects of anesthesia to completely wear off.

Some of your exhaustion may be the surgery (your body has had a huge shock, there's a good reason you're supposed to be off work 6 weeks) pamper your body, it needs it. And depending on how sick with CDiff you were, that could be some of it too; and/or the Flagyl could also be a culprit.

Definitely talk to your doctor about it.

You are fortunate to have been diagnosed so soon and put on a long enough plan of Flagyl to possibly avoid a 2nd round. Read the side-effects carefully on the Flagyl prescription and watch for signs of them.

Wishing you well real soon!

[pam2738]

Scoobie.

I was diagnosed in first week of October & like you, was put on Flagyl for 6 weeks. My brain worked ok but nothing else did. The D got under control pretty quicly but I felt awful. Very tired, weak, anxiety attacks, slight headaches, mild nausea about an hour after taking the Flagyl every day. Only thing I wanted to do was lie on the couch with the cats. Went off the Flagyl just before Thanksgivig & relapsed right after Thanksgiving. Went back on Flagyl until mid-December when my feet started getting so cold my GP told me to stop the Flagyl. That's when I started seeing the GI clinic in Madison (WI). But that's another story

Flagyl is a systemic blood, meaning it's absorbed into the bloodstream & therefore affects the entire system. Vanco is not. That's why most of us feel rotten on Flagyl & good on Vanco. Hopefully your round of Flagyl will fix things for you.

Pam

[pam2738]

Oooops. I meant "Flagyl is a systemic DRUG!"

Pam

[Christina]

I was also put on Flagyl at the beginning of my c-diff experience. Total time was 31 days. It made me very sick and very weak. Like Sheila, it also bothered my head so much so that the ER had to run a brain scan. I also could not drive while I was on it due to that fact. It took about 3 weeks for my head to finally clear. I had my Dr. promise me after that he would never prescribe that for me again, he agreed. I ended up being resistant anyway so luckily, I can't take it.
I do have to admit that even though the Vanco cleared my head and gave me a bit more energy I still spent a lot of my 17 month battle with c-diff in bed and exhausted. It took awhile for me to build my energy back up to full force but I feel a whole lot better now.

It just takes time and patience. Hang in there. It always goes away, eventually.

[Nan]

I was on Flagyl for 2 weeks during my first round of Cdiff. Like most who take it, I was miserable on it. The usual metallic taste, etc. The worst was that it made me feel like my brain was not working. I could not concentrate on the smallest tasks. Then after being on it for 14 days, I relapsed only 3 days off of it. I was then switched to Vanco, and although I am still fighting this, Vanco is sooooo much better on this old body of mine!