Young in Pain and Afraid

[InPain]

Hello to All,

I'm sorry to see so many in my shoes on this forum. I sincerely feel for all of you.

I'm a 30 year old nurse that picked up C Diff in the hospital. I haven't been on antibiotics and always wash my hands until they're nearly raw to be careful as to not contaminate myself or other patients.

I dealt with a patient within the past few weeks that had C Diff and didn't think much of it. I do this often, use caution and don't think twice about it.

This past week, right after Christmas, I was driving home from work and I felt like I was coming down with something. Influenza B is going around the hospital, so I thought perhaps I was coming down with this, despite wearing masks, etc.

By the time I reached my home, I had chills like I never remember having in my life. Within a few hours, I was shaking and in front of a heater set at 80 degrees.

I finally fell asleep and woke up all throughout the night with severe diarrhea in the form of water. I "went" about 10 times that night and messed my bed by morning. I drug myself into the ER the following day, as I felt like death warming over. As I said, I had severe diarrhea, decreased urine output, terribly nauseous, severe abdominal cramping that nearly made me drop to my knees, chills and fever and couldn't eat or drink anything to save my life. I given 3 bags of IV fluids as I was dehydrated, and a script for bentyl and zofran with a diagnosis of gastroenteritis.

The next two days, the symptoms got much worse, I'm sure you all can relate. I went back to the ER and was given a PCR for C Diff, another bag of IV fluids and IV Flagyl and told to go home and rest/fluids with a script for Flagyl. A C Diff culture was also done, as well as a CT scan of my abdomen, in which the scan came out normal. (I wondered how so, when I feel near death?) My blood work was fine. I assumed that I'd have an elevated WBC but apparently, one does not always have an elevated WBC with C Diff. I have seen this on occasion.

That night I received a call in the middle of the night that my PCR was positive. I was very shaken up and frightened. I called my doctor in the middle of the night and he called in a script for Vanco in which I have no idea how I made it to pick it up. He told me to discontinue the Flagyl and to start the Vanco immediately.

I've been on the Vanco for 4 days (to be taken for 10 days total) and along with the IV bag of Flagyl in the hospital and still feel like death. Is this normal?

Yesterday morning, I woke up feeling about 25% better then it hit me again last night with all of the above symptoms. Does this come in waves?

My stools are alternating between runny (sorry, too much information) and almost like they're "trying" to form. My entire GI track feels like it's acid ridden. I'm not sure if this is from the Vanco or the acid laying on my stomach going up to my throat. My stomach pain is still there, prohibiting me from eating much. I have managed to slowly eat some soup, an egg and some dry toast the past few days and it was hard to get down being so nauseous but I feel so weak and need "something" to keep what little strength I have up. I am doing better with hydration and keep Gatorade, water and Pedialyte by my side. My urine output is better. I only weigh about 125 lbs. but my abdomen is so distended that I look about 3 months pregnant. I no longer have fever or chills. At times I feel dizzy and don't know if that's from being so ill or from the Vanco. My biggest problem at the moment is this gnawing inside my abdomen, it feels like someone is twisting it around with horrible cramping sensations. Is this normal? When this happens, I try to get up and walk around the house a little which helps a bit but not a lot. I went all day today with colonic cramping but it was only gas. Tonight, it's turned watery again.

I see many people (young and elderly) recover quite quickly in the hospital and don't know if due to stress and a hectic schedule this just hit me harder or what. I spoke with HR at the hospital and was granted a 10 day leave but am wondering according to how I'm feeling now if that is possible. I truly hope I see more improvement in the coming days.

I began reading online last night and came across many horror stories of relapses, I believe about 25% relapse and continue to have problems for an indefinite period of time. I worry if my appetite will ever return as I'm already thin and can't afford to lose weight. This scares me to death because I need a job and don't want to lose my house.

If anyone could tell me if this is normal, I'd appreciate it. Perhaps, I'm expecting too much improvement from the Vanco in 4 days, along with the IV Flagyl. I spoke with a few fellow nurses and they feel that one should be feeling much better at this point and while I am in some aspects, in others I feel the same. Is this normal? There is no way I could work feeling like this. (I'm thinking aloud and not asking for medical advice, just everyone's experiences with this)

I apologize for the length of this, please forgive me but everyone keeps telling me that I'm too young for this and it frightens me.

As for probiotics, should I be taking them now while still on the Vanco or after the script is finished? I would think now would be beneficial since my "good" gut flora is essentially gone. Kefir? Activia? A refrigerated probiotic which contains more strains that have since been killed off? I'm trying to be as proactive as possible so I can recover, not have any relapses and continue to help others at work. I take pride in helping my patients and want to recover and get back to work in a reasonable amount of time, as I miss it.

I'm deathly afraid of taking any form of antibiotics in the future due a possible relapse. Is this a concern? This would be difficult because hospitals are a cesspool of germs, especially as flu season is just beginning in my area and most of the staff is on an antibiotic once a season.

Thank you all for taking the time to read this over and I welcome and responses, thoughts or advice.

I feel for all of you and take care.

[D1dad]

I’m sorry that your going through this, especially at such a young age and not have taken any antibiotics. It sounds as though your doc is up to date on current treatments, mine wasn’t and prescribed flagyl which did work after 17 days. As far as the way you feel and your wbc, I was the same way. Literally thought I might die and for the most part my bloodwork was very normal. You’ll get through this and it will be in the rear view. Days become months and months will become a year. As far as antibiotics go, I can’t comment but am deathly afraid myself for when the day comes. Where are you located? My dad is hospitalized right now with stage 4 melanoma and has pneumonia and influenza B which is running rampant around Ohio, flu shot or not. I’ve been at the hospital every day and wearing a mask and so far so good. My daughters a nurse as well and she takes way to many antibiotics imo. Just eat what you can and get plenty of rest, Gatorade and Cheerios were my best friend.

[D1dad]

Sorry. Take florastor, not the generic form. 1-2 pills twice a day a few hours before or after vanco. Any other probiotic would probably be killed off by the vanco and would be a waste. As far as feeling better at day 4....yeah right. It took me months. Cdiff is like a tornado in your intestines and the only thing that works is time. I still to this day take the rite aid version of florastor and don’t see discontinuing it. The GI that i eventually hooked up with is renowned in cdiff and highly recommend probiotics, during and for at least 2 months after. Opinions will vary around here but I took the advice of my doc and it worked out.

[Bobbie]

Young in Pain and Afraid,
Welcome to the site. Pls read the first forum about the history of the site and the rules of posting. You express yourself well.

Your case sounds typical. Many nurses have posted on this site. C diff is a weird infection that spares no one. Probiotics work for some and not others. Everything is trial and error. Remember Dificid if the Vanco is not helping. Ask your doc. - who sounds like a keeper.

Hang in there and keep posting. Best wishes for 2020.

[AngelaB]

I can sympathize with you as my very first Cdiff infection was around that age. First and second infection (about 5 years ago) both caused by antibiotics. The most recent one I had (which started at the end of last November) I was not on any antibiotics and I'm not sure what triggered it. I did two courses of Vanco and then a long taper and then a 10 day course of Dificid that I finished 5 weeks ago. I would highly recommend Florastor as well. I also had chills and every time I ate or drank anything I had to run to the bathroom. I always did well on the Vanco and felt better after a few days of it but on the Dificid I felt very inconsistent and mid-way through the 10 day course was not sure it was working. I still have my fingers crossed that I don't relapse again. Cdiff is a nasty beast! Good luck and I hope you feel better soon.

AngelaB

[NanciT]

Sorry you are going through this, I felt very sick when I had CDIFF, had alot of abdominal pain, nausea and I had vomiting. I am sure I had a very difficult strain.
I want to add that we may treat patients in the hospital but no one knows how they actually recover when they get home and if their problem continues.
Anyone working in a hospital or healthcare facility with patients is at risk. As Bobbie mentioned, we have a great deal of nurses who land on this site along with physicians.
I would suggest seeing an ID or if you already have a GI who you feels had the experience with this illness. I changed GI's a few times during the time I had CDIFF, it's key to find someone very knowledgeable.

Hopefully the Vanco will do the trick and you will get back to work. It can take time to recover and feel better, everyone is different.

As far as future antibiotics, we have a great deal of current information on the site and also a list of "safer" antibiotics. We all proceed with caution especially if we are working in any position in Healthcare.

Take Care and I hope you feel better soon

NanciT

[NanciT]

I forgot to add I used "Sea Bands' for nausea which really helped during the time I was on both Vanco and DIficid, even Post CDIFF I have used them, they are worth a try!!

NanciT

[Ril]

Another welcome and sorry you are here but glad you found us. There are a lot of nurses on this site...
I want to add that you didn’t mention the dose of vanco. It seems that you are improving but if your stools continue to be watery for several more days you should call your GI dr and ask about increasing the dose. If you are on 125 it might need to be increased to 250mg.

We all fear ever having to take antibiotics again. I have avoided them for 8 years except 1 dose during surgery but we all live with the same fear. First get through this....

Rita

[InPain]

The kindness of everyone here has brought me to tears. Thank you all for taking the time to respond to me, I appreciate it more than you know.

I intend on writing (and thanking each of you individually) but feel so weak tonight and will try to do so tomorrow.

I had my first solid stool today! I haven't eaten much but it wasn't watery, about the size of a quarter, but it was solid! I never thought I'd be so concerned about my bowel movements.

On the down side, I just am overwhelmed with this gas and burping from both ends. My main demon at the moment is my abdomen as it feels like it's been twisting inside of me. I had to sleep last night sitting up because the acid was coming up into my throat. I really wanted to take at the very least a Tums but figured it's best I don't since acid reducers aren't a good idea.

I wish that I could write more but am utterly exhausted, in pain and need to lay down.

I just wanted to thank each and ever one of you for offering your advice and extreme kindness but I will be back tomorrow to address all of you individually as I said.

You are all an exceptional group of people, thank you for your kindness and concern.

[Bobbie]

Thanks for the thanks. Always appreciated.

Cbeck with your doc re the acid reflux. Sometimes chewing gum helps. Elevate the head of your bed with pillows under the mattress. I have has acid reflux for many years.

Do continue to post. We care.

[beth22]

It took a few days for vanco to kick in for me. It does not kill the toxins, only the bacteria that produce the toxins, so whatever toxin you still have in your intestines, needs to clear first. That is what my doctor told me. We have had some posters who were not helped by 125mg dose and had to increase to 250mg capsules. Check with your doctor about that. Florastor is usually recommended. I could not tolerate it, but most can. I got tons of gas and looser stools from it. I took vsl#3 in between doses of vanco and it seemed to help. I could not tolerate activia and soon no yogurt at all as I became lactose intolerant. I ate rice krispies with rice milk. Rice is usually tolerated well. I ate baked chicken or turkey, rice, baked potatoes, toast, applesauce in the beginning. Try eating small meals more often rather than a larger meal. Hopefully you will feel better soon.

[Caligirl]

I am so so sorry that you’re going through this.
I was first diagnosed on Jan 3 of last year. Mine was HORRIBLE! I was 9 months pregnant and got c diff from the hospital after having to have a neuphrostomy tube out in because I had a kidney stone too large to pass and they couldn’t blast it since I was pregnant. Seriously it was horrible. I had a watery bowel movement every 1-2 min all night until I called my OB first thing in the morning. I heard that diarrhea can be a sign of starting labor so I thought maybe that’s it? I was so dehydrated from the diarrhea all night that I actually did go into labor, which they stopped at the hospital. Then my OB told me that I had c diff. I had never heard of it before and was terrified. We only saw the horror stories online so we took precautions to extreme measures. I used my own bathroom and used bleach wipes after every BM. I only sat on the couch if I was sitting on a sheet and my husband bleached it on sanitary cycle every night and I did not touch ANYTHING. I read statistics about c diff killing the very young and elderly. I would cry all night thinking that I was going to make my baby sick/kill her or my husband would get it. I didn’t feel like I was really getting better. But I slowly started to feel better. And honestly- I did relapse. I developed an infection during labor and needed antibiotics to protect my baby and a week later the symptoms started again. I thought that this would be how the rest of my life would be. I had to get on antidepressants and see a therapist. I thought that my whole life would revolve around C Diff. After 10 days of Vanco it went away. And now, a year after my first diagnosis, my life is totally normal. I’m in bed with my husband writing this while my almost 1 year old is asleep in her room. I thought that I would never be able to travel because of uncontrollable bowel movements and being contagious, but we actually got Disneyland season passes and my baby girl LOVES it (and so do we ;)
Your life WILL be normal again. Don’t let c diff have the power over your mental health like I let it have power over me. You will get through this. You should go and read some success stories, it helped me a lot when I was feeling in the trenches.

[AllisS]

Sorry to hear of your ordeal. C. diff is a challenging, draining illness.

Re: probiotics, I think the 1-2 doses of Florastor twice a day that another poster suggested may well be too much, given that probiotics themselves often cause GI side-effects. There is actually no compelling evidence, to date, that probiotics are even beneficial; a lot of the hope that people place in them is wishful thinking. Florastor is the sole probiotic, from what I've read, that has some data supporting its benefit -- but that was in hospitalized patients who were taking it to avoid a recurrence, if I'm not mistaken. I'd cut down on the probiotic dose, if I were you, or even eliminate it for awhile, to see if some of your symptoms subside.

Bobbie's suggestion of chewing gum for reflux symptoms is a good one; I've found it to be helpful, myself. The saliva production evidently coats the stomach.

NanciT's suggestion about seeking a consult from an infectious-disease doctor is also good. I've taken antibiotics since having C. diff (in 2012) on a couple of subsequent occasions in conjunction with surgery (hip replacement) and surgical procedures (kidney-stone lipotripsy). In each instance, I met or emailed with an ID doctor prior to the surgery/procedure to discuss the recommended antibiotic, and each time they were able to recommend a less-risky but still-considered-effective antibiotic, which the surgeons consented to as a substitute. Many antibiotics are given preventatively rather than to treat an actual infection, and there seems to be more flexibility in those instances.

Best wishes for feeling better soon.

[InPain]

Hello All,

I'm so overwhelmed at the responses, kindness and compassion shown here by all of you that I'm in tears.
First, let me say thank you to all of you for taking the time out of your busy lives to write me a message, all of the messages have truly touched my heart. I'm still a bit teary eyed but bear with me while I try to address each and every one of you angels.

~ D1dad, First let me say that I'm extremely sorry to hear that your father is hospitalized with several illnesses. It broke my heart to read that and it made me well up with tears. I've often wondered why bad things happen to such good people and will never understand. I don't know if you believe in prayer (I don't want to offend any here that have other beliefs, if so, I apologize) but he will be in my thoughts and prayers.

Yes, I am in Ohio and it seems as though there is so much going around at the moment and we're getting hit hard.
During my last day at work, prior to this diagnosis, we were overwhelmed with the amount of ill patients walking in the door. As you can imagine, there's isn't enough time to adequately clean each room in between patients which puts the patients and staff at risk. Too bad our wonderful hospitals wouldn't hire more staff to help with the harsh influenza season but apparently, it would affect their profit margins.
I feel for you being on Flagyl for 17 days with no relief, how terrible! It's helpful to know there is someone else out there that had a normal WBC. I began reading when I returned home (in pain with blurry vision due to fever) and scared myself to death with many saying that your WBC is typically through the roof. I scared myself even further reading why it would be "normal" while having C Diff and my mind was just as tornadic as my GI tract! Most of the patients that I deal with do have an elevated WBC and my mind was in overdrive. I was relieved to see that the both of us had normal WBC's which helped put my mind at rest. Thank you for that!

I'm truly happy that you've recovered and it gives me hope that better days lie ahead, although I'd never believe it now. I am going to try the Florastor which should be at my door in the morning. I appreciate the advice. In between the Vanco, I've been trying to manage 1-2 Activia a day to at least "try" to replace some of the gut flora lost.

As for antibiotics, they're far over-prescribed here (in the US) which is why we're having a problem with superbugs. I often wish that I could explain to people the difference between a virus and bacteria and how antibiotics aren't going to cure their viral colds, but no one listens. Everyone wants that magic pill that will take their cold symptoms away "tomorrow." As for myself, I'm deathly afraid going into the future with taking antibiotics. Unfortunately, I have an allergy to many commonly used antibiotics. About the only one that I can take if I have a bacterial infection is Augmentin. I'm hoping it's not on the "do not take" list.

Again, thank you for taking the time to respond to me with your experience, advice and thoughts.

Your father is in my prayers.

[InPain]

~Bobbie, Thank you for the warm welcome, it's much appreciated!

You are certainly right that C Diff spares no one!

While I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy, I was surprised to hear that many nurses and physicians have visited this site for support, thoughts and advice. It made me feel better in a sense that I wasn't the only health care worker that caught it. At work, I've always suspected that many co-workers that have been on medical leave have perhaps picked this up. No one admits it though and it's seems to be taboo to speak of it. I can't understand why, it's an awful illness! When I called HR and told them, they weren't surprised, as if they've heard this happening more so than I believed.

An email was sent out to my colleagues that I was on extended leave due to illness. I received many kind emails wishing me health. I also told each of them what illness had brought me to my knees. That's when I began hearing that "So and so" had that a few years back, etc. I'm not ashamed, I'm sick as a dog and don't care who knows. Why the secrecy? Granted having the runs to this degree isn't a lunch time topic but I don't see any shame involved in having it.

After reading quite a bit on the forum, which is very informative, I've read that while one probiotic works for one, doesn't mean it'll work for another. I plan on doing a little experimenting to see which I find the most benefit from.

Thank you for your suggestion of chewing gum and elevating my bed. Despite having TMJ issues, I tried to chew gum and it didn't help, nor did elevating my bed. I've slept the past 2 nights sitting up and still, the acid caused such a sore, raw throat. It felt like someone poured acid down my throat, esophagus and stomach. I do get acid reflux from time to time (prior to this) but this is an entire new beast. It makes me really feel for all of the GERD and LPR sufferers out there.

Thank you for writing me. I appreciate your advice, support and care. It means the world to me.

On a side note, I've already considered if this doesn't get much better within the next few days to consult my doctor for a second script, and increased dose or dificid if I get no better. Thanks, again.