Scared to travel

[roy]

Pepto will not mask c.diff D so if your stomachs settling down you should be ok.
Go have fun with the kids!
Remember NO Imodium or related drug (loperamide) should be used if you have c.diff though so if a nurse suggests trying it, dont!

[slplkaye]

Thank you so much for all your help!

[slplkaye]

Well, the diarrhea came back with a vengeance and I am currently sitting in some weird urgent care in Orlando bawling my eyes out. I’m sure they won’t do any testing and I just want to go home! I feel like I’ve ruined my family’s vacation already.

[amg]

Oh, sweetie, I'm so sorry. I hope by now you have a plan. And are feeling better. These things happen to all families. I can't tell you how many Thanksgivings and Christmases were "ruined" by a child vomiting. But that's life and you will get through this. And your family will love you anyway! It's rotten timing, I know, but at least you were able to enjoy some of your vacation feeling ok, and I'm sure your family has had a great time.

The main thing is you get what you need to feel better, and that means a prescription asap if this is a relapse. Hang in there. Sending prayers and good thoughts your way.

[slplkaye]

Should I go ahead and start treating without a positive test?

[beth22]

Did you only take the one dose of Pepto? If so, I would take some more. I have used Pepto a lot. It even helped me when I had a mild case of c difficile and had tested positive. It will not mask c diff as Roy said. It has some antimicrobial properties, so if you picked up some other kind of bug, it might help too.

[slplkaye]

I took the pepto once Sunday night and then twice yesterday (once at breakfast and once at lunch). I actually had 2 formed bowel movements yesterday. The diarrhea hit around 9 last night. I was an anxious person before c diff, and this has just pushed me into overdrive. Flying and being away from home tend to make very anxious. I normally have a couple of bouts of diarrhea every time I travel, but just knowing that it could be a relapse has me worried sick. I’ve been up all night.

[slplkaye]

Well, now I have mucus in my stool. I really want this to be post infectious IBS or just something I ate, but it’s starting to look like I’m relapsing. I am condisdering going to an ER for testing, but would it even be worth it? Wouldn’t it take a couple of days for results?

[MKW]

Hi, you are stuck in the uncertainty limbo of PI-IBS vs. C Diff symptoms on vacation. My personal opinion, and I am just a fellow sufferer not a medical professional etc, is if the ER can give you a quick result ( at my local hospital lab they can get results within a few hours they say), and you can afford it, then just go have them test you. Just for the mental peace to know one way or another. But it is my understanding if the sample does not take the shape of the container due to being soft or liquid they will refuse to test it. You should be able to call the hospital lab directly and ask how long it takes to get a result there. ... and just another tip whether this is a relapse or not... when you get home find a hospital lab that your doctor could order testing from instead of shipping off the sample to some lab where it takes days to get results. Twice I had to go ahead and start meds due to symptoms without test results. It was ridiculous, my doctor never even suggested using a hospital so we could know for sure. I didn’t even know it was an option until I started seeing the GI doc out of town who did my FMT. Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. ... I hope that you are ok, and it still sounds like this could not be a relapse. But I am sure you are unbelievably worried. If testing can help with that you should do it.

[slplkaye]

I’ve only had one small, loose BM this morning. I had trouble finding a pharmacy that had vanco. They had to order it and it will be here tomorrow. I have no abdominal pain and have been feeling ok since I woke up this morning. I really want to be tested before I take the vanco. I called and spoke to the charge nurse at the ER and she said it would take 2 days to get results back. That would be the day before we fly home. If my symptoms continue to improve, I’m going to try to make it home to be tested.

[amg]

Symptoms don't usually continue to improve if it's a relapse, though it's possible it could be a relapse that your own immune system is handling. Either way, that's GOOD! But given that you usually get diarrhea when you travel (due to stress), and given that it's been waxing and waning, and that your diet hasn't been what you're used to, there are a lot of reasons this could be just PI-IBS. Mucus can be seen in IBS. If you're not having fever or constitutional symptoms like chills/extreme fatigue etc. those are other clues it might not be a relapse.

It's very true that c diff, or any serious intestinal illness, can cause anxiety to increase. This is because our gut produces a significant amount of our neurotransmitters such as serotonin. This production is interrupted with damage to the intestine. Lack of serotonin can cause anxiety and depression. There truly is a biological brain-gut connection!!

Hang in there. You will be home soon.

[slplkaye]

Well, I made it home! I continued taking pepto and Florastor and had formed (extremely soft) for the remainder of my vacation. I had to go 4-5 times a day, which is abnormal for me. I am also having urgency when I need to have a BM. The urge even woke me up today at 2 a.m. There is no holding it! Since getting home yesterday, I stopped taking the pepto. My stool continues to become looser and is almost yellow again. I am scared to eat and scared to leave the house because I’m afraid that I’m still contagious and relapsing. I don’t want to have to use a public restroom! Would pepto mask a relapse for multiple days? Could this just be IBS? Prior to c diff, I had a bowel movement every day to every other day. Is this just my new normal?

[NanciT]

It's difficult to say, the Post IBS can be terrible. If it is waking you at night and has continued 5-6 days I would put a call into the GI. Not sure what you were eating and any vacation can put your GI in a upset. See how you do today. It can't hurt to follow up with your GI

I just read through this, sorry the vacation was so difficult, really had to feel poorly while traveling.

Let us know how you do

NanciT

[slplkaye]

I’m much better today!! I think it was all the traveling and weird food. My PCP said there is no need to be referred to a GI, but I think I’ll go ahead and make my own appointment tomorrow just to be on the safe side.

[beth22]

I think it would be a good idea to see a GI. I had some issues after my vacation in the summer, but I have been testing positive on PCR for over a year, so my case is different. Hope you continue to improve. If it is IBS, hopefully the GI can give you something to control the symptoms.