Hi, 3 months ago I went to Brazil (traveled through Amazon as well as Rio). After a few days in the Amazon I had a lot of problems with my stomach. When I returned to the US I took 3 days of Cipro, got better, then when the stomach pains returned I took 10 days of levaquin and 3 days of Flagyl (only 3 days bc my doctor received my blood test and felt that I didn't have a parasite).
My stomach problems continued (pain in upper abdomimen, unlimited gas, upset stomach) and I went to a GI, did two stool samples and an endoscopy... all of which turned up normal. The GI put me on Nexium to help with the gas. I have been on Nexium now for 3 weeks and feel better, although still having the tightness in my stomach.
I decided to have my stool tested one more time this week at a specific travel doctor to make sure that I didn't have a parasite and I just turned up having C diff.
I'm curious to understand if I got this from the 10 days of levaquin (keep in mind that would be 2 falsely read stool samples between the levaquin and now), or the 3 weeks of Nexium, or something I could have picked up in Brazil. I am 26 and in good health (prior to all my stomach problems).
Is C Diff typically hard to diagnosis that two doctors could have missed it in 2 different stool samples?
Do I continue to take the Nexium? It seemed to be helping whatever my problem was/is/
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I got cdiff after taking one Cipro pill and 4 levaquin pills. My doc thought it was not possible to get it after taking such a small amount of antibiotics. Ha. There are many false negative test results for cdiff. You should wait 10 - 14 days after taking antibiotics before being tested. I only tested positive once in my 8 months of cdiff.
Is Nexium a PPI? If so, these can contribute to cdiff, because they lower the stomach acidity. Some of us need them anyhow. Good luck. Let us know how it goes.
I got cdiff after taking one Cipro pill and 4 levaquin pills. My doc thought it was not possible to get it after taking such a small amount of antibiotics. Ha. There are many false negative test results for cdiff. You should wait 10 - 14 days after taking antibiotics before being tested. I only tested positive once in my 8 months of cdiff.
Is Nexium a PPI? If so, these can contribute to cdiff, because they lower the stomach acidity. Some of us need them anyhow. Good luck. Let us know how it goes.
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Nexium is a PPI. My GI said it was better to take an OTC for acid reflux if a person only has it occasionally. So I've stopped taking Nexium (which I was taking at the time I picked up c diff and which the GI says could have killed enough stomach acid to let the c diff get through and infect me) and now I take an OTC Prilosec or something like that maybe once a week.
Of course, your own GI may have his/her opinion about Nexium and should be consulted. It was prescribed, after all.
abby
Of course, your own GI may have his/her opinion about Nexium and should be consulted. It was prescribed, after all.
abby
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