GI or Infectious Diseases Doc for C-Diff

[Ali-Mar]

Thanks D1dad, great and calming info, the growling and the urge for BM was worrisome, it is very comforting to know it is the part of the recovery process. I am counting the days, today is my third day.. I read somewhere that normally relapse happens 1 week to 3 months after the treatment . Keeping my fingers crossed

[D1dad]

My symptoms were back in 24 hrs but I waited till day 3. Mine wasn’t really considered a relapse, more so the first 10 days of flagyl didn't get it all. After the next 7 I felt like hell for weeks but never relapsed.

[Ali-Mar]

Did you take anything else after the 10 days of Flagyl, since it didn’t kill it all?

[Ali-Mar]

My GI doctor suggested, I re do the test 3 days after I complete the treatment. That means I have to take the sample to his office tomorrow ( today is my 3rd day off the Vanco)

Is the test result accurate so close to finishing the treatment?

[beth22]

My ID told me that testing that soon is not accurate. He said minimum of 7 days if I remember right. I remember that in the early days, I had symptoms too and the test never showed positive until at least 2 weeks later. If he wants you to test, then do it, but ask if you can do it again if symptoms get worse. My hospital lab won't test you for a week if you have a negative test. For a positive test, they make you wait 30 days. So, if you test after 3 days and then a couple of days later, you get worse symptoms, your lab may not test and insurance may not pay. Ask what the policy is before you do it.

[D1dad]

I went to urgent care after it came back, pretty much right away. By then I had educated myself by joining here and knew I needed vanco. The urgent care doc acted as if I was asking for a lifetime supply of pain killers and wrote me another 7 day script for flagyl. I made an appointment with a gi but was half way through the second dose of flagyl so they said to finish it and see. They weren’t happy about the flagyl but acknowledged it does still work and it did.



Ali-Mar wrote:
> Did you take anything else after the 10 days of Flagyl, since it didn’t
> kill it all?

[Ali-Mar]

D1dadd, Beth et al, many thanks for all your help, the great advice/info and the motivation!!
I also didn’t have the false urge for BM or mucus before the C-Diff, so you are absolutely right it was freaking me out, until I read your post.

I had the C-Diff for 5 weeks before starting any treatment. Because my first C-Diff test was a false negative and 5 weeks later I rested, because of having symptoms such a lot of mucus and irregular BM and abdominal discomfort, this time the test was positive. I was on Flagyl for 8 days and Vanco for 10 days ( 125 m x 4 per day). I have been off the Vanco for 4 days now (today is the 5 day).

I started improving a quite a bit on the 7th day of taking Vanco, no mucus very little abdominal pain and only 2 or 3 BM , but mushy. Having said that, I always had only few BM/day event before the treatment except the frist 3 days when I was frist infected, those 3 days were nightmare, I had over 15+ WD and so much cramping.

First two days off the Vanco I had formed BM and also no mucus. However, yesterday and today only the 1st BM is formed and anything after that is mushy and I also had little mucus again today after 7 days without mucus.

I feel the Vanco was working, but I think I should have been on it for little longer than 10 days, maybe 14 days instead. I feel slowly the effect of Vanco is wearing off and C Diff is on the grow. I am hesitant to re test again so soon, as I am worry of getting a false negative again , thinking the the C-Diff infection might not be strong enough to get detected.
I have been trying to get hold of my GI doc, but because of Coronavirus he does not see patient unless it is emergency. I have left a voicemail from him the day before yesterday and one more this morning, hoping to have some telephone consulting, but I am still waiting to hear back from him

However, emotionally I am in much better state after interacting with you all on the this site and learning so much from this site

[beth22]

Some of the doctors around here are doing appointments via internet. Call the office and see if they are doing that. They charge you, but my insurance sent a note that it is covered and so did medicare.

[Ali-Mar]

I have been off the Vanco for 5 days now, and the abdominal discomfort and cramping is getting much worst, it is as intense as it was before treatment. There wasn’t so much abdominal discomfort when I was on the Vanco. I feel, the 10 days Vanco didn’t kill the bug, it was working but I think, it wasn’t long enough. What do you think, is it normally to have more abdominal discomfort after the treatment ?

My doctor called me today and he wants to re test for the C -Diff on Friday ( 7 days after finishing the Vanco), I told him, I am worry about the false negative, doing so soon the infection might not be strong enough for detection. He said normally the false negative are the 1st stool test not the follow up test

I think I will stop VSL 3 tomorrow, just to make sure it is not it, causing the abdominal pain.

i am just so tired of this infection. I can not even concentrate to watch a movie or a show ...

[Ali-Mar]

D1dadd, does the tenesmus (the constant false urge for BM) improves over time? I looked it up and seems to be IBD related ?

[Ali-Mar]

On the 6th day off the vanco, and I am still having so much abdominal discomfort, cramping and gas. It is normal? I didn’t take the VLS 3 today to make sure it is not the probiotic causing the cramping etc.

[beth22]

It takes a couple of days to get the probiotic symptoms out. Give it another day and see if that was making things worse.

[D1dad]

It did but took awhile. Even after I went it seemed like I still had to go which was how I was when I was when I was turning myself inside out when I had cdiff. Your muscles have went through the equivalent of a turd marathon. Call it ibd, ibs or whatever but what happened to your insides was never meant to happen.
Ali-Mar wrote:
> D1dadd, does the tenesmus (the constant false urge for BM) improves over
> time? I looked it up and seems to be IBD related ?

[D1dad]

I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t at least 4-6 months before I trusted a fart. I know that’s TMI or whatever, but the truth none the less. My insides felt like they were pulled outside of my body, stretched like an old rubber band and put back in. A year later all is well.

[D1dad]

My GI recomended philips colon health from the get go. I never used it though until recently and gotta say it’s been great. It’s very gentle as far as probiotics go.