Would I be considered severe or mild?

This forum is for discussions related to C. diff. including symptoms, doctors, medical advances, medications, If you are a new poster (joined within the last month), you can post more often for two months from your date of joining. After that time, one post per day only about "you." You can post more often to support others. Post other topics in Free Form Discussion and Chat Forum.
klw
New User
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2017 3:53 pm

Would I be considered severe or mild?

Postby klw » Thu Jun 22, 2017 4:17 pm

Hello, I have been reading through this site along with some others trying to get all the info I can about c-diff. Lots of conflicting information concerning how to determine if your symptoms are severe.

I took a round of amoxicillin for an ear infection back in May. Around May 12th I had an episode of diarrhea. Didn't equate it with the anti-biotics so I took an Immodium and it went away. Ear infection didn't clear up so had another round of amoxicillin in June. Beginning around June 2nd the diarrhea came back and didn't go away this time. Finally tested for c-diff which was positive and started on flagyl on 6/19.

So what I'm saying is I don't know if I have had c-diff since May 12th or just since June 2nd. So I had either had it for 5 weeks or just 2 1/2 weeks before starting the flagyl. Anyway, in the beginning or beginning June 2nd I had around 4 episodes of diarrhea a day with blood and pus. I have lost a total of 8 lbs in a month. My blood pressure has dropped significantly.

The diarrhea started tapering off a few days ago and as of yesterday afternoon and today the diarrhea seems to be gone. However the weakness and low blood pressure are not. The weakness is debilatating at times and today I have a terrible headache.

So again just trying to decide whether my case would be considered severe or not and how long I might expect to continue being so weak.

amyc
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 2084
Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2011 8:15 am

Re: Would I be considered severe or mild?

Postby amyc » Thu Jun 22, 2017 6:09 pm

You wouldn't be classified as severe, but why did you wait a week to start flagyl if you tested positive on 6/12?

I am glad your symptoms are better. The fact that you had D with blood and pus for a week before starting treatment is going to cause you to feel fatigued for a while. Flagyl also causes fatigue.

I wouldn't take amoxicillin for an ear infection again unless they prove it is bacterial and culture it to see if there is a narrow spectrum antibiotic that could treat it with less risk of causing C diff.

klw
New User
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2017 3:53 pm

Re: Would I be considered severe or mild?

Postby klw » Thu Jun 22, 2017 6:40 pm

Didn't test positive until 6/19 and began treatment the same day.

klw
New User
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2017 3:53 pm

Re: Would I be considered severe or mild?

Postby klw » Thu Jun 22, 2017 6:45 pm

Thank you for your reply. I Appreciate it.

amyc
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 2084
Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2011 8:15 am

Re: Would I be considered severe or mild?

Postby amyc » Thu Jun 22, 2017 11:42 pm

You're welcome ;). Flagyl can cause headaches for some people. Feel free to contact your doctor if it gets worse. Otherwise just rest as much as you can to get your strength back.

beth22
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 10852
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 2:23 pm

Re: Would I be considered severe or mild?

Postby beth22 » Fri Jun 23, 2017 1:24 am

I never took Flagyl. Was given vanco as a first treatment and I can remember having headache and fatigue too. If you get dehydrated, that can give you a headache. Make sure you drink plenty of fluids.

georgina
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 2635
Joined: Sat Sep 12, 2015 10:07 am

Re: Would I be considered severe or mild?

Postby georgina » Fri Jun 23, 2017 2:29 am

Clearly you don't have a severe case ,but it could have been worse if you would have waited longer to get the treatment. It seems that you are responding well to Flagyl GI wise since you are no longer having D ,but you need to know that Flagyl has lots of side effects , the fatigue and weakness can be one of them. For me , the course of Flagyl was worse then Cdiff itself , couldn't tolerate it more then 7 days , was vomiting everything I was putting in my mouth (couldn't even keep water down) , racing hearth , extreme anxiety, suffocating , etc. After I got switched to vanco all those nasty symptoms were gone.

klw
New User
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2017 3:53 pm

Re: Would I be considered severe or mild?

Postby klw » Fri Jun 23, 2017 9:54 am

Thanks all for responses. I didn't have headaches before taking Flagyl so that's probably it. The weakNess was happening before the Flagyl though so it must just be the cdiff. I have a juice machine. If I were going to do some juicing I wonder what would be best to use. I use to do apple celery carrot juice I I really liked it.

NanciT
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 3035
Joined: Thu Sep 18, 2014 12:01 pm

Re: Would I be considered severe or mild?

Postby NanciT » Fri Jun 23, 2017 10:28 am

KLW

Be careful with juice right now especially if things are still loose. Stick to a bland diet and let things rest while under treatment, once you have finished the medication if BM's go back to normal then start your regular diet. Sometimes it takes time for the GI system to recover, others can get back to normal rather quickly.

Hopefully once the Flagyl is complete, you will feel better. If headaches continue, give your MD a call

NanciT

klw
New User
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2017 3:53 pm

Re: Would I be considered severe or mild?

Postby klw » Sat Jun 24, 2017 9:49 am

Starting day 6 of Flagyl and day 3 of no D. Still completely utterly exhausted though. 30 minutes at a time of being on my feet is all I can manage. Urine is a bit dark and my skin doesn't pass the pinch test. I'm flooding myself with water. Even bought coconut water yesterday but don't like it very well. Wishing I had bought pineapple juice to just splash in with it. Thinking the dehydration is why I'm so weak and wiped out. On a good note headache is gone.

OCmama
Regular Contributor
Posts: 257
Joined: Sun Mar 12, 2017 10:44 pm

Re: Would I be considered severe or mild?

Postby OCmama » Sat Jun 24, 2017 9:57 am

Be careful with the coconut water and any juices, they can cause D. four months out from C. diff I tried a cold pressed juice with kale in it from Whole Foods, boy was that a mistake, I was living in the bathroom for almost a week :-/. I would stick to a BRAT diet, water and throw in some pedialyte (it doesn't have all the sugar that gatorade does).

klw
New User
Posts: 26
Joined: Thu Jun 22, 2017 3:53 pm

Re: Would I be considered severe or mild?

Postby klw » Sat Jun 24, 2017 10:57 am

Oh I thought i had read that coconut water was good for rehydrating. I'm convinced that dehydration is the culprit with the exhaustion. This isn't just fatigue. It's all my muscles screaming at me. It starts after about 30 minutes on my feet and I literally cannot stand up once it starts.


Return to “General C. diff. Discussion”



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 22 guests