Dizzy Spells - Advice?

[bluevelvyt]

Hello All,

In my last post I mentioned I am waiting on biopsy results from my Colonoscopy, still waiting, this based on my last stool sample testing neg, yet still in the br 12 hours a day with all the other symptoms, like nothing has changed.

Todays question is about dizzy spells....

After reading multiple posts here, it would appear diziness is common with c-diff.

These spells are random, sometimes when bending over and standing, sometimes lying prone, sometimes sitting up in bed.

These dizzy spells started about a month ago, and seem to be gettng closer together. The ER has already kicked me for the ususal reasons, seems they are rather to busy dealing with other patients, but thats another post.

I am worried about the possibility that c-diff has spread to my heart or brain, is that possible?

Are there any specific tests I should ask my GI for to find out if I am in the clear for heart/brain problems?

or will the biopsy from my Colonoscopy possibly be enough to show whats wrong.

As it is now, I'm a little terrified to even drive due to the randomness of the spells.

Anyway, I certainly don't expect technical medical answers, just looking for your experiences with this and any support I can get.

Thanks
Jon

[gm37]

Jon,
I am sorry that your symptoms are not improving.
If you are having that much D, are you getting dehydrated? That might cause you to be dizzy. Are you able to eat or drink Ensure or get any nutrition?
What did your doctor tell you to do if your symptoms continued? If you are still this sick, you should probably be checking with your doctor. Are you running a fever? If I were you, I would call and let him know about all of your symptoms.
I had very low blood pressure when I had c-diff. This can cause dizziness. Has yours been low?
Let us know what your doctor says. I hope he can answer all of your question.
Anne

[getwellsoon]

I also had dizzyness from time to time. It was usually when I was walking around and a wave would just hit me. It didn't last long and gradually tapered off and I rarely have it now. I think it comes from the gut, like after you eat. If something didn't agree I would feel it. Now that I"m 7 months post Dificid I don't get it hardly ever. ASk the Dr. about it though, just in case like Anne said its related to blood pressure or something else.Don't let yourself get too stressed, I don't think CDiff is affecting your heart or anything. The gut is where its probably coming from but please check with Dr. Good luck and keep us posted. Carol

[bluevelvyt]

Thanks

Little peace of mind from other sufferers goes a long way

Since my Colonoscopy was last wek, I stopped my questran just before it and for 2 days after it and by Friday, 2 days back, all my symptoms were full blown again, I started the questran yesterday again and it is helping control the D today

As for dehydration, I used to drink 4 to 5 bottles of water a day, mostly cause of Crohns, but durring the c-diff full blown symptom stage I find it hard to drink or eat anything at all, so yeah could be that.

I already informed my PCP and GI about the dizzinesss and they basicly kind of blew it off, like "make an appointment and we will evaluate", geesh, I can barley move, let alone drive down to the hospital just to be told they are going to run blood tests, almost like they want that co-pay eh :P

The GI is waiting on the C biopsy results, everything about this has just been so awful, and obviously not just for me, for all of us, it amazes me what we go through and endure somehow coming out on the other side.

I used to drink 3 ensure a day, one with VSL#3 probiotics (btw anyone kknow if it is a good idea to mix probiotics with a drinnk like ensure? always worry I am countering it's effects with the sugar in the drink) and the other two to get me through meals I might skip, but I read that sugar feeds c-diff so I have been trying to cut back on it as much as possible, not sure how much sugar is to much, but crohns doesnt allow any snacks or sugar type things anyway, so the only sugar I get is in the ensure or juice.

Thank you for responding you guys, it helps my mind rest alot hearing your advice, next month is my 1 year c-diff aniversary, scary eh, and some of you have had it somuch longer, I can't even imagine, I feel for all of you.

Thanks
Jon

[Chrisums]

At the beginning of this first relapse, I couldn't stomach any kind of sugary anything. No gatorade, no ensure or boost... so I went quite a few days drinking bare minimum water + no food or nutrition of any kind. By day 5, I was experiencing a headache from hell from quite a bit of dizziness.

Then I found my saving grace. The light in the darkness for me. Smartwater. >_> That's the brand name anyway, but it's basically gatorade without the sugar and sodium. Obviously it won't be quite as good as energy drinks, but it still rehydrates better than regular water and it sat well in my stomach. After a day of chugging as much of it as my stomach would hold, my headaches had passed and my dizziness was subsiding greatly.

Your post also sounds like you are getting pretty anxious. I can understand- 12 hours a day in the br will do that to you. Realize that anxiety can also cause dizzy spells, as well as making your stomach even worse off than it is.

Finally: Since getting this I've devoted my considerable amounts of time to researching every aspect I could find of C Diff. Case studies, medical journals, random people's geocities websites touting that oregano and colloidal silver fixed them right up AND gave them psychic powers... and in none of that did I find any information even so much as hinting that C Diff could or would spread to the brain/heart. All recorded information on C Diff that I have seen states that it remains regulated to the colon and, at worse, does massive destruction in that area. But never anywhere else.

Finally, speak with your doctor about Pepto Bismol if you aren't taking it already. Unlike Imodium and lomotil, it works in a far different manner and does not increase the severity of the C Diff infection. Top that off with the possibility that the bismuth compounds can bind the toxins of the C Diff, it makes for a pretty nice thing to have. The medical community has been poking at it for its possibilities of C Diff treatment for years, it seems (and I'm not just talking holistic doctors either). It will NOT stop your diarrhea in a case as severe as yours, but it might reduce your time in there from 12 hours to 8.

Also, discuss Saccharomyces boulardii with your doctor. Many hospitals, including the South Texas Veterans Healthcare System and University Health System include 500mg twice daily of this probiotic in their treatments for 2nd+ relapses (with the warning to take caution of its use in immunocompromised and elderly patients). The following is a direct link to their C Diff management plan (a .doc download): https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www ... fcRkricvXQ

Hope it helps!

-Chris

[bluevelvyt]

Thanks Cris

Yeah anxious about describes how I feel latley, mostly because we cant seem to beat it and it seems to get worse each time.

Thank you for all the info, I will be bringing up the things you mentioned as soon as I can get a hold of my GI again.

Thanks
Jon

[Kathy George]

C-Diff does not affect the heart or brain; it’s strictly a gastrointestinal disease. That doesn’t mean you won’t experience other issues like stomach aches, nausea, and other aches and pains resulting from medication therapy and/or actual disease. I would have to lean towards dehydration being the culprit of your dizzy spells. Hopefully, biopsy will shed some like on your ongoing issues. Take care!!!! As always, my posts are solely my opinion!!!
Kathy

[beth22]

I think the toxins can affect your heart. When I had active c diff, I had very rapid heartbeats and they would skip. I was put on a beta blocker. The skipping stopped when I was on vanco. Also, I got this tingling down my torso and arms and legs at times, like something crawling on me. I always got it with relapses. I got dizzy too. Even post c diff, when I would get D and test negative, I would get dizzy. It happened this morning followed by D. Not sure what it has to do with the gut, but it does have something to do with it - sometimes it gives me flushing too - a vasomotor reaction. So, even though C diff doesn't affect the heart directly, I think the toxins do affect it if they get into your system. But, I'm not a doctor. It's just what I encountered and I still have lingering effects.

[getwellsoon]

I had the heart symptoms just like Beth and they also went away with Vanco treatment. I know this was CDiff related. I only got these symptoms when I was very ill, with no treatment and not eating and barely drinking so some of it could have been dehydration but even after going to ER and getting fluids I still would have the heart symptoms until I got on Vanco and began treatment. When I would go off meds and relapse I would get the symptoms back but never as bad as at first before I was treated. I am 7 months post Dificid and had been feeling great and today woke up with the old nausea. I guess I ate something that upset the apple cart in my gut. Will it ever end for good? IDK but I do feel much better but am still not back to normal. Hope your GI can give you some answers on these symptoms for you and give you something to help. Keep us posted and feel better. Carol