c diff with constipation

[Mia-Mia]

I had c diff over a year ago. I go for about 5 to 6 weeks where I am ok mostly constipated. Then I get severe D and screaming cramps for 2 days or so. Then Back to normal 1 month later happens again. i got tested a couple of times when this happened and all negative. But it is so bad when it happens the pains are so bad The D is watery and last a day or so. i have tried to keep a food Diary but nothing makes sense. My stomach still does the rumbling, SO I dont know. Can C diff work this way? I hear there are so many false negatives Doc says IBS they all say IBS. I mean i am always constipated otherwise i go every 3 or 4 days. Maybe my intestines move too slow and they get back up and thats why the D starts? My colonscopy a year ago was normal

[beth22]

I have had the IBS symptoms after having c diff too. I did a hydrogen breath test which was positive for a small intestine bacterial overgrowth. You might want to read this book by Dr. Mark Pimentel that talks about this being the cause for IBS in many people. It's called "A New IBS Solution" and you could discuss it with your doctor.

Beth

[HEATHER28]

I am not a Dr but, what you are describing sounds like IBS to me. If you are concerned contact your Dr.

[klt03301]

My GI said I probably had SIBO also and wanted to prescribe antibiotics for it...I said no thanks. She did say the breath test is unreliable...too many false negatives and positives and they treat based on symptoms. SO glad I didn't take the ABs for it; it cleared on its own with a month or so and after researching the AB she wanted to give me; said it could cause...you guessed it...C Diff!

Karen

[beth22]

klt - Which AB did your doctor want you to take? I have been C diff free for about 5 months and tried 3 days of Rifaximin for the supposed SIBO, but it made me really sick, so I stopped and then about a week later tried again and once more, only could manage 3 days. However, after stopping it, my symptoms have improved. The big question in my case is - is the bacteria that is in the small intestine still residual c diff, which the doctor suspects, or another bacteria. I know that Flagyl is used to treat SIBO sometimes too and I never took it for c diff - went right to vanco as I had p. colitis with bleeding, so they didn't want to fool around as mine was considered in the "severe" category. I'm wondering if Flagyl might make me relapse.

[klt03301]

It was Rifaximin. I don't know about the residual bacteria in your small intestine being from C-Diff. When my GI suggested Rifaximin and I looked it up and found it could cause C Diff, I just decided to double my probiotics. That seemed to work for me. I take 44 billion a day with 13 different strains.

I hope you feel better soon!

Karen

[beth22]

Karen

Thanks. I guess I'll wait until my appointment with the SIBO specialist and see what he recommends with my c diff history. I've tried probiotics, but most of them don't agree with me, only VSL#3 in small doses, but I'm going to try some others that people have mentioned on the website. The symptoms don't improve with the ones I've taken and I've had all kinds of tests to rule out other causes, so my gastro thinks it is either the SIBO or residual c diff. When I was on vanco, I was able to maintain my weight pretty well and didn't have these types of symptoms, but since being off for 5 months, have lost 10 pounds and can't eat a lot of foods - my small intestine does not absorb them apparently. I'll try some different probiotics meanwhile - can't hurt.

Beth

[beth22]

I was told by two doctors that rifaximin is used as a chaser after vanco and works for some people to get rid of c diff. when vanco alone did not. It is also used alone to treat SIBO. There is also an article (will try to find and post link) that describes a study, I believe it was 8 women, who did the vanco/rifaximin chaser after having multiple c diff relapses and they all tested negative after. One woman had some c diff bacteria, but no symptoms or D.

Beth