Question on Spreading the Disease at Work

[LFC in Virginia]

Hello everyone - first let me say that I have had C diff for about a month now (am on 2nd round of Flagyl) and I find this support site the most helpful. Thank you all for your contributions.

My doctor (a family practitioner) consulted with a G I doc when I got diagnosed. I had been sick for about a 1 1/2 weeks before diagnosis. They both told me not to go share a bathroom with anyone while I was still having symptoms. Fortunately when I'm not tied to the bathroom I can go in to work for a couple hours when noone else is there and bring some work home. But I'm wondering what others do about work. There was about a week on my first round of Flagyl that I didn't have d and could have probably worked part time except for the concern of giving it to someone else because I work in a large office building that has many doctors offices in it (although I don't work in healthcare). At home I have only one bathroom and have to share it with my husband. So far I am cleaning it every time I use it and washing my hands often and he hasn't gotten it. I also stay away from preparing his food.

Also the reason that I am on round 2 of Flagyl is because three days after the end of round 1 I had urgent d and fever. Was this from something I ate or was this a relapse of the infection. I would assume that the fever indicates a relapse of the infection.

Thanks for your support.

[beth22]

I shared a small bathroom at work with 6 others and no one got sick. You could use paper to put on the handle to flush and to use the faucet until you have washed your hands well.

[fire7163]

Lfc:

I'm a career Firefighter/Medic who has had and dealt with C-Diff and multiple relapses. We share quarters at the station and all use the same bathroom and kitchen for 24 hrs at a time. No one has gotten C-diff from me. We just follow normal good hygiene habits and wash our hands frequently. As I've said before...we share colds, the flu and ect...but not C-diff even when I was relapsing. You are not Typhoid Mary... Roy is right on the money as usual. You have C-diff and only you can control how much of vicitim you want to be.

Fire

[Nancy1]

LFC,
Welcome to the group that no one wants to join. Be sure to read All Users Read This First, Dr. Borody's article, Dr. McDonald's article (in the FAQ section under Articles by Experts), and all areas in FAQ that interest you.

My cdiff was misdiagnosed for a month. During that time my primary care doc told me that I did not have a bacterial infection, because it had not responded to Cipro or levaquin. (Haha.) So I was not very careful about cleaning our only bathroom, which I share with my husband. And he did not get cdiff.

See the FAQ section for more info about hygiene. Hand washing is the most important thing, as everyone has said. Sing the Happy Birthday song so you are sure to wash your hands long enough! Once I knew I had cdiff, I bleached the toilet and sink every time I used them (with a solution of 9 water to 1 bleach), used only paper towels in the bathroom (and I still bleached all towels and washcloths when I washed them), and bleached the cutting board in the kitchen.

I really hope you are one of the 80% of people who recover after 1-2 rounds of Flagyl or vanco. Good luck. Let us know how it goes.

[LFC in Virginia]

Roy,

I'm taking 250 mg Flagyl 4 times a day for 10 days. That's what I did the first time as well. I also got permission from my Doc yesterday to start Florastor but my husband hasn't found it yet. I'm eating 2 yogurts per day that have probiotics. Was on the brat diet most of the time but started adding normal food gradually. The second round is already starting to make me feel better.

Thanks to all for your contributions.

[anlockwood]

The best place I have found Florastor is Walmart. You just need to call the pharmacy and tell them you need to order an OTC probiotic in. Tell them it is Florastor 250 mg / 50 capsules and they can have it next day for you during the work week. On weekends you have to wait until Monday for it to come in but make sure to order it by Sunday so it will be there by Monday.

[LFC in Virginia]

Thank you for your suggestions about the website for Flagyl dosage. I have a call into my Doc (probably won't here from him until the beginning of the week). Also thanks for the yogurt advise. I had no idea. Believe my pharmacy will have Florastor on Monday. Does anyone no if the Flagyl kill the probiotics in it?

[Nancy1]

Because Florastor is a yeast, I think that Flagyl or vanco won't kill it.

[Bobbie]

LFC in Virginia,
I had C. diff. twice -- first time for 4 yrs. 1993-l997 and again in l999. I shared a small bathroom with numerous other women. The "experts" didn't know as much as "spreading it" as they do now, but I was careful for both my sake and the sake of others. I always flushed the "john" several times before and after using it. I also sprayed it with Lysol. (I kept a can in my desk and would put it in my purse.) Lysol doesn't help fight C. diff., but a spray with bleach might help.

No one else in my family got C. diff. and my younger son had it twice many years earlier.

One important thing about washing your hands. Always turn off the faucets with a paper towel and then use the paper towel to open the bathroom door. If there isn't a wastebasket by the door, throw the paper towel on the floor. (Many restrooms now have a wastebasket by the exit door. Evidently there are other "clean freaks.") I always ask health care providers to wash their hands and am appalled at the way many docs./nurses do it -- wash for a couple of seconds and then turn off the contaminated faucet with their clean hands. Duh!

Good luck to you.

[LFC in Virginia]

Roy, thanks for suggesting I talk to the doc about Flagyl dosage for round 2. He has increased me to 500 mg every 6 hours and told me to continue for 10 more days. I would not have known that the original dosage was not right.

I am so encouraged by the support and prayers of this group. Please know that my good thoughts and prayers are with all of you during this challenge to normal life that we all are experiencing.

Bert