C Diff and Appendix Cancer

[BetsyS]

Hi- New here, and glad I found this board. I've been reading posts for a few days now, and discovered I am not alone. I am a 60 yr old professional woman. My 92 yr old mother lives with me. I have GERD and have bee taking PPIs for over 20 yrs. I also have mild IBS, but haven't had too many issues the last few years. I was diagnosed 11/22 with C Diff, and am finishing up a taper on my 3rd round of Vanco. My case:

I suffered a bout of intestinal flu the end of Sept. I was still recovering when I developed severe upper abdominal cramps on Oct. 10. I had an emergency Appendectomy after 12 hrs in the ER. My WBC actually went up the day after surgery, so they put me on antibiotics, probiotics and Kefir and kept me an extra day in the hospital. I developed D despite precautions. There was a large tumor wrapped around the appendix which they confirmed as cancerous a week later. Besides a rare cancer, the tumor was a hybrid they's never seen, so they decided the best treatment course was to remove 1/3 of the colon, part of the small intestine and lymph nodes.

Surgery was scheduled for 11/18. I went through additional testing including colonoscopy, and the prep gave me D for 3 days, a reaction I'd never had before. Surgery went well, and all was right the first couple of days until I got severe cramping, nausea and WD 15-20 times a day. My WBC count was over 20 thou, and they confirmed C Diff. They kept me in the hospital an extra 4 days.The cramping was so severe they gave me pain med. I'm not sure why they released me when they did other than Thanksgiving was in a couple of days. I still had WD 10-15 times per day the following week. They extended the Vanco and referred me to an ID doctor. As I mentioned, I am on a taper for my 3 round of Vanco. I continue to take probiotics, yogurt and Kefir as my acid reflux and nausea allows.

I had my post op and met with the Oncologist yesterday. All is not bad. The cancer was contained, so no further treatment other than monitoring. Sad to say the C Diff has had more of an impact on recovery than the cancer, and will probably continue to be. I am just not where I want to be. I have had 4 "normal" stools since the end of Sept. Every three days or so I suffer D 5-7 times per day. I bloat like a blowfish, have cramping, and have low energy. Like most of you, I barely tolerate some food and have lost 20 lbs; not necessarily a bad thing in my case. Although the ID doc say's I'm not contagious, I continue to be vigilant in sanitizing everything. I am concerned because I am supposed to return to work Monday, and I'm not sure how to handle the recurring D. I work in a small office and one of my employees has severe health issues and basically no immunity. I've purchased extra bleach wipes gloves etc., but how careful do I need to be?

Again, I am so glad I found this discussion board. It has really helped to fill in the blanks! I now know why I can't handle coffee or chocolates anymore - my two favorite things! Bless you all for the support and resources you share. Thank you in advance for the insights and advice you have to offer.

[BetsyS]

I forgot to mention I had symptoms of a uti two days before the second surgery, so the surgeon administered antibiotics during surgery. She is fairly certain it triggered the C Diff. I am not so sure. My bowels did not return to normal after the bug I had the end of Sept. Pretty much D or loose stools daily. It's almost been 4 months and I am sick of it.

[beth22]

Hi and welcome to the site. In the first forum, you can find more information for new posters. I am sorry that you have had so many health issues, but it sounds as if it was a good prognosis for the cancer and hopefully you are done with that. It does take a long time for some people to recover from c difficile. If the vanco taper is not successful, I would ask your doctor about taking Dificid, a newer drug. It targets c difficile specifically and spares more good flora than vanco. Meanwhile, you might keep a food diary and see if you can find any patterns. I had to give up yogurt and dairy and vegetables were also problematic, although I can eat most cooked vegetables now. I assume you are on a bland diet. Start adding things back slowly. With part of your colon gone, it makes it harder as well. If your GI is not helpful about what you can eat (mine wasn't), maybe see a nutritionist.

[AllisS]

Your employee is highly unlikely to contract C. diff from you. The key preventive measure is thorough hand-washing after bathroom use and before preparing food or eating it. It's simply not possible to sanitize everything -- and, honestly, it's not necessary to try and do so.

[BetsyS]

Thank you for your replies. My IS doctor mentioned Deficit if D returns after my taper, so I guess it's wait and see. I like the suggestion of a good diary. I have not been too adventurous in my diet. It does seem that I handle food better some days than other. also, thank you for assurances on sanitation. She is worried, and I would feel terrible if she got it. I am going to suggest she ask her Dr. About it.

I am dreading going in to work today. After a good day yesterday, I had a couple of bouts of D last night and am still bloated this morning. I have a lot of responsibilities and stress on the job, and I'm not sure if I can handle it.