Tested positive for C diff post treatment without diahrea

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dallase1
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Tested positive for C diff post treatment without diahrea

Postby dallase1 » Mon Jan 08, 2018 9:09 pm

Hello,
I had a PCR DNA stool test done three weeks after a course of Flagyl. I was beginning to feel better then I began to have nausea and extreme fatigue. I then had my stool test come back positive. However, I don't have diahrea. My doctor prescribed a 14 day course of Vancomycin. Would you recommend I go ahead and take the medicine with my positive Stool test and extreme fatigue/nausea even without diahrea? Is it common to have these symptoms and test positive for C diff without D?

beth22
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Re: Tested positive for C diff post treatment without diahrea

Postby beth22 » Mon Jan 08, 2018 9:55 pm

Most doctors do not treat with antibiotics unless you have D. You can test positive after treatment even if you don't have an active infection.

Mindy
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Re: Tested positive for C diff post treatment without diahrea

Postby Mindy » Mon Jan 08, 2018 10:34 pm

I really didn't have diarrhea the first bout, but nausea, cramps, just mucus with some blood. I would not even go everyday, but boy was I sick. Lost 35 pounds in 10 weeks. When I relapsed, then diarrhea, no mucus or blood. Hospitalized 4 times before fmt.

FrankS
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Re: Tested positive for C diff post treatment without diahrea

Postby FrankS » Tue Jan 09, 2018 1:14 am

I got a lot if inflammation in the colon though I didn't have numerous D trips. Does your stool flow to match the shape of the container? If so, it is D.

georgina
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Re: Tested positive for C diff post treatment without diahrea

Postby georgina » Tue Jan 09, 2018 1:32 am

Dallase
As Beth said , in the absence of D treatment is not recommended. Also , testing is not recommended if D is not present. See CDI -testing.

denizz
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Re: Tested positive for C diff post treatment without diahrea

Postby denizz » Tue Jan 09, 2018 1:36 am

pcr may show positive results after a long time of infection because it is a very sensitive test ..first u must have symptoms (typical or atypical ) than if u have a positive test ( prefered two step testing ) than u need a treatment ..i would always question treatment depending on testing ...

MKW
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Re: Tested positive for C diff post treatment without diahrea

Postby MKW » Tue Jan 09, 2018 12:21 pm

Testing will forever confuse me. I know one can test PCR positive due to being colonized but be a symptomatic and not need treatment. Aren’t positive pcr tests followed by a toxin test? This is what was done by the lab utilized for my testing. Did they do a toxin test also?
I have noticed over time on this board that there are randomly some people that never experience the frequent watery D symptom that most of us do that is the major symptom of c Diff. This I’m sure makes it way harder to decide what to do by doctors and patients.

roy
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Re: Tested positive for C diff post treatment without diahrea

Postby roy » Tue Jan 09, 2018 12:56 pm

Even if a toxin test is positive the guidelines say don't treat without
frequent watery D symptoms.
Someone can be immune to toxins (that's how a vaccine will work) and immune people do not need treating.
In fact treating might destroy the immunity and cause c.diff to become a full on relapsing disease.
Diagnosis requires symptoms to match the positive test, without both it's not a disease.

beth22
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Re: Tested positive for C diff post treatment without diahrea

Postby beth22 » Wed Jan 10, 2018 12:56 am

If you have symptoms other than D that are caused by the c difficile, then treatment may be indicated. For example, I did not have much D at first, but a LOT of M and also bleeding. My doctors thought I needed to treat. I wish that I had tried probiotics first, but that was back in 2008 and I didn't know much about them or about c difficile. If you have persistent symptoms, not just mild ones, then treatment may be indicated, even if it is not WD. But, it doesn't sound as if you have many symptoms from what you describe and in that case, your body alone would most likely kick out the remainder of the infection and you might not test positive anymore. Every case is different. You have to discuss your own circumstances with your doctor. You can have fatigue after any infection - flu is a common example. It might not be a bad idea to have your vitamin levels checked. C diff tends to leave many of us with low levels of different vitamins and minerals. I had low vitamin D and A and others have had B12, B6, iron, etc. That can also cause fatigue.

dallase1
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Re: Tested positive for C diff post treatment without diahrea

Postby dallase1 » Wed Jan 10, 2018 3:00 pm

Hello. Thanks for posting this. I was tested positive for C diff a couple months ago but never had uncontrollable D. I just had nausea and severe stomach pain after eating. I was put on Flagyl but felt horrible with nausea three weeks later and the stool test came back as positive for the toxin DNA. I didnt have diahrea but the prescribed Vancomycin. In your opinion is it wise to go ahead and take the medicine since I tested positive and still have nausea and lots of cramps?
Thanks..

beth22
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Re: Tested positive for C diff post treatment without diahrea

Postby beth22 » Thu Jan 11, 2018 12:36 am

I would ask for an EIA test as a follow up to the pcr. Many Hospitals now test all pcr positives with EIA to see if it is an active infection. I have been positive on pcr, but negative on EIA and don't treat.

georgina
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Re: Tested positive for C diff post treatment without diahrea

Postby georgina » Thu Jan 11, 2018 1:17 am

I responded to that in your PM inbox.


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