Just diagnosed

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poppy86
Regular Contributor
Posts: 197
Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2020 10:23 pm

Just diagnosed

Postby poppy86 » Sun Mar 29, 2020 10:38 pm

Hi all, I just joined the forum. I'm a 34-year-old female in the U.S., just diagnosed with C.Diff last Friday (2 days ago). I finished taking Clindamycin three weeks ago, and one week ago I started to have diarrhea. Within a couple days, I was going 20+ times a day and couldn't sleep. I saw my primary care doctor on Weds. She told me I just had food poisoning or a stomach bug and to drink clear fluids. I kept telling her that it seemed much worse than a stomach bug, and even mentioned the possibility of c diff, but she dismissed my worries. On Thursday I spoke to her again and asked if it could be C.Diff, but again she blew me off.

The diarrhea got worse, became bloody and full of pus. On Friday morning I begged her to refer me to a specialist, and I had a telemedicine appointment with a gastroenterologist within a few hours. He said I have a textbook case of C.Diff and immediately prescribed Vancomycin (125mg 4x daily for 10 days), which I started that night. I also had some bloodwork done and had a stool sample taken. This morning I tested positive for C.Diff toxin, and the GE called me (which surprised me, on a Sunday morning) and told me I should be feeling better within a few days on the Vanco.

So I've been taking Vancomycin for 2 days now and still don't feel much better. I've gone to the bathroom 12 times today, and I know there will be more. There is still blood and pus.

My husband has Crohn's disease, and I'm terrified he will catch the C.Diff. I've been cleaning, disinfecting, washing my hands constantly. I'm so afraid either or both of us will have to be hospitalized. This is a nightmare. I also have a toddler, and it's been incredibly difficult to care for him during this time.

How long does it typically take to feel better after starting Vancomycin? Thank you for listening.

jG43
Contributor
Posts: 70
Joined: Thu Dec 13, 2018 11:52 am

Re: Just diagnosed

Postby jG43 » Mon Mar 30, 2020 12:38 am

For me the Vanco took about 48 to 72 hours to slow everything back down. My GI told me that when the Vanco kills off the c-diff it can still release Toxins that continue to irritate the GI tract. You should be feeling better pretty soon. However your gut has been dealing with a harsh infection and will take time to heal. If you do not get relief soon they can increase the Vanco dosage or possibly switch to Dificid which is the newest drug used to combat cdiff. However Dificid can be expensive depending on your insurance. Just like you I became infected with cdiff after taking Clindamycin. I also had blood and mucus. Going this often can cause fissures and piles in addition to the the irritation of the lining of your gut. However, blood is never something to blow off. I am not a doctor but you may want to inform your doctor if it does not subside or gets worse. Eating a very bland diet will also help right now as well. Drink plenty of water You are young and the odds are in your favor that you will only need one round of Vanco to get rid of the infection. It sounds as you are doing a great job of cleaning. Try not to stress. I too was worried about infecting my wife and two kids. They were fine. Just be sure to wash your hands for at least 20 seconds after using the restroom. You will be okay you are working with your doctor and doing everything you need to to get better. I really did not start back to only going to the restroom one or two times a day until I was on Vanco for at least 6 to 7 days. I don’t want to cause you anxiety but there is a chance of relapse after you finish the Vanco. Many on this site can offer advice about diet and probiotics to take to help you recover. The users of this site suggest using a three day rule to determine if a relapse is possible. When you finish the Vanco your body will continue to fight off any dormant c-diff bacteria in your gut. Most people are able to do this and their gut bacteria goes back into balance. However sometimes the c-diff can overtake the good bacteria again and cause a relapse. The three day rule is where you wait to see if your are having 3 or more watery bms a day for three days to determine if you might be having a relapse The reasoning is that you are likely to have some temporary off
days while your gut is healing. So just because you have the occasional loose stool this does not mean that you are having a relapse. So in other words your GI may not test you again for relapse based off of one loose stool instead of a consistent pattern of daily water stools. I was diagnosed in Nov 2018 and I have been cdiff free for over a year but I still have occasional issues. There are many options to beat this infection. When I was where you were I thought I would never get better. I can tell you that you will get better and you will recover.

beth22
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 10852
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 2:23 pm

Re: Just diagnosed

Postby beth22 » Mon Mar 30, 2020 2:15 am

The toxins need to get out of your intestines and that can take a few days. If you don't feel better after 4 days, call the GI and report it. Sometimes 125mg 4 x per day is not enough. Usually it is, but we have had posters who needed to increase to 250mg 3 or 4 times per day. Hopefully, it will be better in a day or two.

Ali-Mar
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 463
Joined: Sat Mar 21, 2020 4:17 pm

Re: Just diagnosed

Postby Ali-Mar » Mon Mar 30, 2020 11:58 am

I didn’t see many improvements until the 7th day on Vanco, On the 7th day I noticed there is no more mucus. Having said that, even before the Vanco I had only 2 to 4 BM per day, and no WD..
Male 54, contracted C-Diff on Feb 5, 2020, diagnosed on March 2nd, Took Flagyl for 8 days, Vanco for 10 days, relapsed 5 weeks post-Vanco. finished Dificid Taper on June 20 relapsed two weeks later, had the FMT on July 14th, 2020

poppy86
Regular Contributor
Posts: 197
Joined: Sun Mar 29, 2020 10:23 pm

Re: Just diagnosed

Postby poppy86 » Fri Apr 03, 2020 1:42 pm

Thanks everyone for your responses. I've now been taking the Vanco for a week. I go to the bathroom fewer times a day now (about 6-7 times), and in general the symptoms are reduced. But sometimes it's still very urgent, loose, and with some mucus. The smell is still there. The doctor said it will take some time for things to get back to normal. I guess I expected by now to be closer to regular, formed poops. What has your experience been?

beth22
Long Time Contributor
Posts: 10852
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 2:23 pm

Re: Just diagnosed

Postby beth22 » Fri Apr 03, 2020 4:25 pm

If you are still eating dairy products, you might want to stop to see if it makes a difference. I could no longer tolerate yogurt when I had c diff and was on vanco. Probiotics can also give GI symptoms. Different foods cause problems for some. Maybe keep a food diary and see if anything in particular makes things worse.


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