Long term IBS-D now with C-Diff

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.
lorac52
New User
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2018 6:20 pm

Long term IBS-D now with C-Diff

Postby lorac52 » Thu Feb 08, 2018 1:28 pm

Hello, I am a new poster and hope I am doing this correctly-if not please correct me. I am a 65 yo female who has dealt with IBS-D since a teenager. Last week I was diagnosed with C-Diff . I have been on Flagyl since last Friday ( nearing 1 week) and my last dose will be tomorrow. I am concerned because my symptoms at first seemed to improve slightly but this morning I feel like i might be backtracking. No liquid stools but more frothy, mush which sent me to the doc in the first place ( I hope this is not too graphic- I have read the rules). All of my labs were within normal limits and except for the cdiff my stool cultures were ok. I did have a borderline stool calprotevtin. I’m concerned because I know how this can go bad quickly. If anyone out there has had both IBSD and C- diff how did you ever know which was which and if you were indeed getting better?? This illness has gotten to my head and I’m feeling anxious. I also have a niggling little pain in my right lower quadrant - nothing serious just irritating- anyone ever had this? I have called my GI doctor also, but sometimes it just helps to know what veteran sufferers have gone through and experienced. Thanks in advance for any insights.

MKW
Regular Contributor
Posts: 392
Joined: Mon Sep 26, 2016 9:49 am

Re: Long term IBS-D now with C-Diff

Postby MKW » Sat Feb 10, 2018 7:39 pm

Hi lorac52, I did not have IBS-D preceeding my ordeal with C Diff (three recurrences and finally successful FMT). However, I now have PI-IBS which involves D sometimes. I was just recently diagnosed as having SIBO. But I wonder, now... how can you tell the difference between and IBS attack and onset of C Diff. For me it a wait and see when it happens. IBS will resolve if I don't eat. C Diff just keeps getting worse. If I had IBS-D it would be really confusing. I have no words of wisdom for you except most of us feel very "ill" and general malaise, even have fevers with C Diff onset. C Diff is progressive, whereas IBS symptoms are not.
Flagyl is very hard on most people. I did not have "normal" BM's on Flagyl. You could end up and have a more sensitive GI following this treatment for some time. Looks like your post was 2 days ago, which means you have stopped the Flagyl by now. It is important at this point for you to take beneficial probiotics if you can tolerate them, and eat a diet that will help your good bacteria reflourish. Most people are cured with a round or two of medicine. But... some of us end up unlucky in the recurrence cycle, like me. Just stay on top of your symptoms and if you think you are having any C Diff symptoms report it to your doctor. I say hope for the best and prepare for the worst with this. You are at some risk for this coming back up to two months from now. Try to inform yourself as much as possible about C Diff so you can be prepared for now, and in your future if you take other antibiotics again. This board has a lot of valuable information on everything from symptoms, testing. treatment options, and home care, etc.

lorac52
New User
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2018 6:20 pm

Re: Long term IBS-D now with C-Diff

Postby lorac52 » Thu Feb 15, 2018 1:28 pm

Thank you for responding. I am so surprised how much this messes with my head. I am currently on day 7 of oral Vanco 125 every 6 hours x 14 days and tolerating it well I think. Still having to go in the mornings 2-4 times. starting out softly formed to the mush stage. I think what messes with our heads is that we expect it to just "go away" so that like today when I went 1 additional time and felt more "queasy" the Panic button of "Its not working" looms large. Not to mention the weird gassy pains here and there.
Anyway, thanks again for responding. I have read many posts and even books on the subject and what I have trouble finding info on is the many ways you can present while on ATB therapy and still be heading in the right direction. The nausea this morning threw me, but not sure why, because many times with my IBS-D I would have queasy mornings.
I guess I'll just try to use good judgement - I know what my output looked like when it screamed "this isn't the usual" and sent me packing to the doctor so I will try to remain calm until or if that happens again.
Just one more note- I have asked my doctors PA re the use of probiotics a couple of times and I am told to just "sit tight" for awhile. Everyone else seems to be on Florstor or something. Not sure why not and the office is difficult to get answers. I was scheduled for Colonoscopy as part of my complete GI workup in mid March and then they found the c-diff. So, Not sure what they will do now.
I will ask today as I am expecting a call back today after office hours.

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

Re: Long term IBS-D now with C-Diff

Postby NanciT » Thu Feb 15, 2018 3:07 pm

Sorry you are going through this, hopefully once you finish the Vanco things will improve. If you continue to have Nausea( Vanco can cause this) I used Sea Bands which really helped.

As far as the Probiotic, one thing you will find on the site is many of us have had several opinions from GI's during treatment especially if we had relapse. I mentioned this because I have no idea why the PA would not be certain about Probiotics.
Thankfully you are on the Vanco
Wishing you the best
NanciT

roy
Administrator
Posts: 4193
Joined: Sat Aug 02, 2014 1:05 am

Re: Long term IBS-D now with C-Diff

Postby roy » Thu Feb 15, 2018 4:18 pm

Why did your Dr put you onto vanco directly after you finished flagyl?
A test is not supposed to be done to see if its gone because it's so inaccurate (you can test positive for a long while after treatment).

lorac52
New User
Posts: 8
Joined: Thu Feb 01, 2018 6:20 pm

Re: Long term IBS-D now with C-Diff

Postby lorac52 » Sat Feb 17, 2018 9:55 am

Hi Roy,
I wasn’t retested, I had a few more days to go on Flagyl but just couldn’t tolerate the effects of the drug any longer and on the day I contacted my GI my D reverted back to the same as it had been prior to testing positive with the PCR.
So he told me that usually they prescribe the vanco for “serious cases” but since I could not finish out the Flagyl and my symptoms returned he put me on vanco 125mg 4xdaily for two weeks. I have one more week to go and I will tough it out but for some reason the last couple of days ive felt a bit jittery- not sure if it’s just anxiety over this whole thing, my not eating enough, or the med. I’m determined to tough it out though because things are definitely looking better in the bathroom.


Return to “General C. diff. Discussion”



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 20 guests