dormancy

[kimma2]

Hi
Wondering how long c diff can be present in your system before it rears its ugly head?? I have had d. off and on for over a year (thought it was IBS and stress) then I had the attack...terrible stomach pains and some mucous and blood in the stool. So my question is did I have c diff this whole time ignorning the symptoms or was my body attempting to fight this off and the attack I had brought it on full bore? I am so stressing that I have permanently damaged my colon and cannot get that thought out of my head...why didn't I go in sooner?? Does everyone have the blood and mucous and feeling like they are going to die? Any wisdom would be appreciated.

[Bobbie]

kimma2,
Don't beat yourself up. Concentrate on getting rid of C. diff. You are doing the best you can. I'm sure you hadn't heard of C. diff. prior to having it -- so few have. Stress affects many people's GI tracts so it would be natural to assume it was stress or IBS.

Don't believe you've ever mentioned if you took antibiotics prior to having C. diff. or were in a hospital or other institutional setting -- both can lead to C. diff.

In over 8 yrs. of posting on this site, there have been almost nil cases of permanent damage to the colon.

Some ask their docs. for meds. to help get through the worst of this: anti-depressants, anti-anxiety meds., anti-spasmodics. You might ask your doc. about these. A little blood & some mucus are normal. If the blood is excessive (or dark red) contact your doc. (Pls. don't worry about these "maybe's.")

Pls. read the articles in FAQ on how to surivive C. diff. Afraid we can't answer some of your questions. You will have to "tough it out" -- as the rest of us did.

[kimma2]

Thanks Bobbi,

I appreciate the positive comments, this stuff can get you so down. Your right I'd never heard of c-diff prior to finding out I had it.

Regarding the antibiotics...yes, I took three rounds of them back of March/April of '07 and I did feel like crap in July of 07, went to the Dr. who recommended seeing a GI but by the time they called me...3 weeks later I felt better...thats what I mean, it came and went. I didn't lose any weight and while feeling stressed (I have a 17 year old son who has decided he doesn't have to follow rules, ours or the law, we've been to court etc etc) I just shrugged the d. off as extreme stress. It would come and go, nothing like the episode that sent me to the dr, violent d. so watery and extreme abdominal pain. So that is why I wonder if I've had it for a long time or if my body was fighting it off and finally just couldn't do it anymore?? I know no one can tell me the answer but any others who've had a similar experience or to hear someone else's story is helpful.

I am so grateful to hear that the have been almost "nil" cases on this discussion board of permanent damange.

The past few weeks have been hell and I have found the postings on this boad to be so very helpful, informative and realistic it has been a blessing to me. Thank you Bobbie, Roy and the others who faithfully post and provide encouragement to those of us "newbies".

[rnee1974]

The doctors believe it was dormant in me for a couple of months and on Mothers day went out for chinese food where 3 of us got food poisoning but I was the only one to never get better.Good Luck!