How contagious am I? Am I less contagious now on the Vanco?

[lenyc333]

I was wondering if anyone knows how contagious you are with c.diff? And are you more or less contagious during different times of treatment? I have been on Vanco for a week and a half. Am I less contagious at this point, or does the treatment not make you less contagious?? I am finally feeling better but afraid to go near family and friends still. I have been staying away for some time now. So basically I want to know if I should be less concerned about giving it to someone else?? Also, should I still stay away from my boyfriend? I am afraid to kiss him and more even though my symptoms are mostly gone. I have read on here that people live with their families while having c.diff and dont transmit it. But my doctors told me to stay away just in case. Should I continue to do so?? I am definitely feeling very lonely at this point:(

[cindym]

To make you feel better I have been dealing with cdiff for over 6 years and constantly been around family and friends and NO ONE has gotten it. I practice good hygiene and always double flush the toilet and definitely keep it clean with bleach. I also keep bleach tablets in the tank. I was told by an infectious disease doctor that there is no need for concern if you practice good hygiene and cleanliness and that I do! If you let it......the paranoia can drive you crazy. Relax and just maintain a clean house and good hygiene and try to get well. You need the support of family and friends.

[Nancy1]

I'm so glad that you are feeling better. My understanding is that once your D is controlled (by vanco or Flagyl), you are less contagious. If you wash your hands well, singing the Happy Birthday song, you should not give cdiff to anyone else. I don't think you need to stay away, just in case. I would only stay away from someone who was on antibiotics.

I had misdiagnosed cdiff for a month, and my doc said it was not a bacterial infection, since it had not responded to Cipro or levaquin (hohoho). So I was not very careful about hygiene during that time. We only have one bathroom, and my husband didn't get it.

[Karien]

It is my understanding that antibiotics kill the live bug inside the intestines. Whenever the CDiff bacteria feels threatened i.e. being killed by antibiotics or, on the way out like when you go to the bathroom, it forms spores. So while on antibiotics the spores are more prevalent.
Good hygiene during the time that you are on antibiotics is important. I keep the lid on the toilet closed as well while flushing, just in case :-).

But unless there is someone in your closest environment who is weak to start with or on antibiotics, someone whose immune system is not strong, I don't think the spores will do damage. A lot of people are carriers of CDiff and don't have any side effects at all.

[fire7163]

As I've said before I live and work in very close quarters with the rest of the crew and have been battling C-diff for years, We work, sweat, bleed, eat, shower, and sleeep in the same areas...and nobody else has contracted C-diff. I just follow normal hygiene habits, and we do wash our hands often. C-diff is tough enough to deal with without letting it isolate you from the rest of your life. As I said none of my crew or family have gotten this over the last couple of years. You have a internal disease spread by fecal contact. I just use some common sense and normal hygiene, but at no time do I isolate myself from my life and friends. I firmly believe that we've got to deal with this disease, but not let it control our lives...You are infected but not Typhoid Mary.Remember C-diff is in the dirt and a lot of folks carry it and don't even know it. Use common sense, but get out and enjoy your life, each day you don't is one you'll never get back.

[lenyc333]

Fire....its funny that you say that cause my mother called me typhoid mary the other day. My whole family feels i should stay away. I have a niece and nephew in the NICU as they were born very early. One is coming home soon, but i will continue to stay away from them cause their immune systems are not fully developed. I have not even seen them yet cause of my c.diff. this makes me very sad cause i have a very close family and we are together a lot. i fully support my sister who just had the babies, and agree that i should stay away from them and the babies.

but as for the rest of my family....i guess i can be around them?? i have been afraid to go to my other sisters house who has two girls....9 and 6. and i am pretty much staying away from my parents too. as for my social life....i dont have one. and it is really starting to get to me. i guess i am feeling a little sorry for myself, and just sick of being sick.

[fire7163]

The newborns I would avoid just to be safe, as for the rest of the family and BF...I'd gone on as if nothing had happened. You are as much of a victim as you let yourself be. IF you want to feel better.. try planting a big one on your BF, I've got a hunch it'll do amazing things for both of you. If they are concerned educate them on how it's contracted and spread.

Stay Safe

[Nancy1]

My daughter-in-law had a baby by C-section while I had cdiff. My ID doc told me to wait for 4 months before seeing her or my new grandson. You might check with your doc about how long you should wait to see your new niece and nephew. My guess is that you can be around the rest of your family without a problem.

[lenyc333]

I am definitely staying away from the newborns....no question! The doctors in the NICU told my sister that i should stay away until two weeks after i am off the Vanco and have two negative stool tests....and of course dont get sick again. i think i am going to stick with what they said. they deal with very sick babies on a daily basis, so i assume they know what they are talking about.

i think they rest of my family and friends are afraid. no one wants to get sick, and i would feel so awful if i got someone sick. i dont know what to do?? i just feel like i am taking such a risk if i see them.

[jenkelly15]

Yeah you probably should listen to your doctor and avoid the newborns for awhile. However, I got c-diff after delivering my son because they gave me IV antibitocs for a fever and I didn't have a choice obviously and was the main care taker of him throughout my whole time with c-diff. Plus, for a couple weeks I didn't know I had c-diff, so wasn't overly careful about bleaching toilets and stuff. Of course I was washing my hands like crazy having a newborn, but THANK GOD my son is now 5 months and never caught c-diff from me. Good luck to you and hopefully you will be rid of this awful illness when you get off the vanco.

[jaspore]

I would like to an answer also............
Are we contagious and to what extent? I asked my GI doc...and she looked like a monkey scratching her head. She only said, she'd never heard of it being spread anywhere but in a hospital.
Then again, she's also the doc who thought my third reoccurence was anxiety?
Then I ask myself....how does it spread in the hospital?
Personally , I have no doubt that this could very well be spread in our homes to our loved ones, in department store lavoratories, etc...........
the spores can live for weeks.
Keep bleach in your lavoratories at home, wash hands, and pray pray pray!
IF more men were plagued with this, we'd be getting more answers!
Sorry....it's just that I'm very frustrated that I had never heard of this before. Frustrated that I was given Clindamycin when my dr knew I already had IBS.... Other countries acknowledge and take preventative measures before surgeries, etc. Probiotics.............
Couldn't the use of the cephalosporins at least be modified?