Washing clothes

[Ckefmly]

I actually live right across the street from a hospital. I feel like Iam being a test patient. I got on the scale this morning and Ive lost another pound ( 94 lb) . I continued to have diarrhea all day on the Flagyl up until 9 pm. My tummy is in so much pain. Back in Aug I was placed in the hospital for a week due to my liver doubling twice its size and making my stomach small where I wasn't able to eat and I dropped down to the high 70s. We found out it was a side effect from a medicine. I was placed on a feeding tube for 3 months. I feel this was the start of my tummy issues that are persistently getting worse.

[cdiffrun]

There is some debate about the use of antimotility agents like immodium during c diff. The reasoning behind that was born out of a previous study on hampsters with Shigella, another type of infectious diarrhea.

A review article on the topic basically states that if youre on an antibiotic for c diff then it should be okay to take immodium. https://academic.oup.com/cid/article/48 ... eatment-of

OP, Do you think you'll be able to wait until your GI doc appointment tomorrow or are things deteriorating?

[Ckefmly]

Iam no longer taking the Imodium. I took that a while ago when I went to the hospital the last time. I haven't taken it since then. Things are getting worse, but Iam going to wait for tomorrow's doctor's appointment. Iam not able to work so Iam at home where I can use the same toliet and run to it. When I can't make it fast enough I have the shower right there. My stomach hurts horribly. The advil isnt helping with discomfort. I have fenergen for nausea.

[Tsc1964]

Oh you poor lady. I feel for you. Do you think the dr may see you earlier or possibly do a direct admit to hospital based on your condition an previous history?

[Ckefmly]

I asked if there were any cancellations and they told me no. All of the doctors are in surgery today. My appointment isn't until tomorrow at 11am. I don't want to see myself back on the feeding tube due to weight loss. I just don't understand how you can have so much diarrhea when Iam eating and drinking very little. Where does it come from?

[cdiffrun]

C diff toxins irritate the lining of your gut. Irritated gut lining releases chemicals like serotonin which causes diarrhea as well.

From what you're telling us it sounds like If you went to the ER they would probably admit you for treatment. Do you feel dehydrated? Do you have a fever?

[amyc]

You had serious liver disease and kidney disease, and were on a feeding tube for three months recently? I really recommend you go to the hospital. Your health issues are way beyond what can be handled in an office visit. And if you are suffering fecal incontinence and have C diff you pose a risk to other office patients.

You need to see a team of specialists, not the surgeon who did your bladder sling. You really need to be in the hospital where providers can treat you and practice appropriate isolation precautions.

[georgina]

Agree , you need to go to the hospital as soon as possible , go to ER. You cannot play the "wait , watch , worry " game with those symptoms or wait until for an appointment .

[Ckefmly]

I didn't go to the hospital. This morning Iam feeling sick to my stomach. Dizzy, nausea, and light headed. Could this be dehydration? My tummy is hurting so bad. IDK, getting ready for doctor appt. We'll see what happens.

[cdiffrun]

Good luck.

Dehydration usually presents as poor skin turgor pressure, lightheadedness when standing, heart racing.

[Ckefmly]

Just got released from the hospital. I was really dehydrated. Blood work came back fine, urine came back positive for infection but they are going to wait for results to come back. They are afraid to put me on antibiotics since I got c diff from antibiotics. They are now making me take all together vanco, Flagyl, and difcid plus probotics. She thinks I could have ulcerative colitis too and that could be the cause of the c diff not going away. If all of these meds don't work then she talked about a poop transfer from a healthy donor. Yuck! Don't know about that, but she said it could be my last resort and save my life. IDK

[roy]

You need a new Dr!
NO Dr prescribes flagyl vanco and dificid together.
I have not even heard of that combination being used in patients that are close to death!
You said earlier that you did not go to hospital but now said you just got released from hospital.
I am confused.

[Ckefmly]

Yes thats right. I didn't go yesterday. I had my doctor appt today at 11. My doctor sent me over straight from the office. She was concerned about my weight ,blood pressure, and dehydration. She said if my labs came back positive then she would keep me and do a test to see if I had ulcerative colitis that could possibly explain why Iam not healing from the c diff. Those labs came back fine, except for urine which showed infection. Sending urine out for further testing because they are afraid of putting me on antibiotics. Blood pressure wouldn't go up even after being on 2 saline bags. It stayed at 106 over 46. The hospital doctor and my GI doctor descided to put me on vanco, Flagyl, difcid, and probotics. One of the doctors in the hospital asked if I had ever seen an infectious disease doctor. No, I have never seen one.

[MKW]

So sorry to hear you are going through this. I have been struggling with C Diff since August and reading posts on this board since then. You are the first person I've seen state they were prescribed Flagyl after Vanco, so that is odd. Flagyl has worse side effects for most people, and most people are more responsive to Vancomycin. Make sure to stay hydrated, and drink as much fluids as you can even though you are nauseous. It is really important!
Also, you are not supposed to take Immodium for C Diff diarrhea. Your body is trying to expel the toxins for a reason. It is my understanding you can end up with worse inflammation of the colon as a result of limiting the diarrhea with Immodium or other antidiarrheals.

As far as the laundry while going through this, others have already given you good advice. You should wash your clothes separate if at all possible, and bleach what you can like linens and undergarments. There are good instructions at this link:
https://cdifffoundation.org/cdiff-infection-homecare/

Also, those Clorox 10% bleach wipes you can get on Amazon are worth the money, and make life SO much easier. I got tired of breathing bleach fumes from using a spray bottle. And you can by a box of 100 blue nitrile gloves at Walmart for about $7. I wear the blue gloves when I use the toilet, and toss them after wiping, and use them while cleaning with bleach. This will keep you from drying out your hands from overwashing.

We all stress and worry about exposing others, and I found that once I got in a routine following the standard recommendations for cleaning I didn't worry as much.

[AllisS]

The bleach wipes are called Clorox Bleach Germicidal Wipes. Here is a link to them on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/COX30577-Clorox- ... ipes&psc=1

I would not continue with a doctor who prescribed Flagyl, Vanco, and Dificid simultaneously, as this suggests ignorance on the part of the doctor, which is the last thing you need right now. I'd insist on immediate referral to an infectious disease doctor or a GI doctor specializing in C. diff. Enlist a patient advocate if one is available. (Most large teaching hospitals have one.)