My c-diff is not related to antibotic use

[sickasadog]

Would like to hear from people who did not contact this through antibiotics but rather through working with sick people who had c-diff like I did. Can not believe how sick I still am.

[labgirl]

I came down with C diff without being on antibiotics and have no idea how I got it. I visit many physician office labs every month (through my job) but none of our labs run tests for C diff or even open containers with stool samples in them. This was the sickest I have ever been in my life- was out of work for 2 weeks but should have been longer. It took months before I even began to start feeling better. Hopefully you will be one of the ones that is cured by one or 2 rounds of antibiotics. I have had C diff for 17 months now and am getting ready to try home fecal infusions in the near future. I'm sure as anyone on this site can tell you, C diff effects you not only physically but emotionally too. You will eventually get better- just hang in there!

[Bobbie]

sickasadog,
Welcome to the site. Read the first forum ALL USERS READ THIS FIRST & its subtopics. They will guide you in using the site & answer some of the most frequent questions. Read Dr. Borody’s & Dr. McDonald’s articles and some of the topics in FAQ – especially Hygiene, Nutrition, & Testing.

Let's hope you are one of the lucky ones who recover with one to two rounds of Flagyl or Vanco. Several others on the site besides labgirl contracted C. diff. w/o antibiotics playing a part.

Since you are familar with C. diff. please help educate your fellow workers. Do you work in a hospital or nursing home? Many of our posters have never heard of C. diff. until they (or a family member) acquire it. The public needs to know about this disease so if you have any media sources, please contact them & let them know about your case.

Hope you are better soon.

[MaryT]

I don't know how I got cdiff; i hadn't taken antibiotics for probably 6 years prior to getting sick. I originally thought I got it on vacation to Dominican Republic as I started to feel sick while there on holiday and actually got sick the day I got home. That was 5 years ago. I was sick for 14 months okay for 2 years and had a lot of problems the past two years. I have wondered since then if I may have gotten it visiting my brother in hospital the day before I went to Dominican. I have been treating with xifaxan for almost a year but I had one GI who feels I have low level cdiff and my celiac GI specialist who feels it is IBS. Neither one can tell me definitively. I'm disgusted with the whole situation at this point and feel rotten most days and worry about my job, but really don't know what the right thing to do is.