C Diff and E Coli at the same time…

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.
Avalon18
Regular User
Posts: 30
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2020 11:33 pm

C Diff and E Coli at the same time…

Postby Avalon18 » Fri Dec 17, 2021 4:35 pm

My stool samples have just come back from the lab, and I test positive for both C Diff and E Coli. I will be picking up a prescription for both Cipro and Vancomycin soon. Has anyone else here had both at the same time?

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

Re: C Diff and E Coli at the same time…

Postby roy » Fri Dec 17, 2021 4:49 pm

Almost everyone would test positive for E Coli!
It's a normal gut inhabitant.
Get an expert involved.
Cipro is highly likely to cause C.Diff to worsen if you have tested positive.
It sounds like your Dr is treating the test result and not taking symptoms into account.

Avalon18
Regular User
Posts: 30
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2020 11:33 pm

Re: C Diff and E Coli at the same time…

Postby Avalon18 » Fri Dec 17, 2021 5:02 pm

The diagnosis and prescription was from my gastroenterologist. I was surprised by the diagnosis and prescription, unless the e coli was an unusual variety found in contaminated food. The gastroenterologist’s office is very non-responsive - it is like pulling teeth to get any information at all. I am guessing is that the e coli type was not normal flora, or that there was a much higher than normal volume, but I don’t know yet.

Cipro is usually bad for C Diff, so I am wary, but not sure what else to do.

Avalon18
Regular User
Posts: 30
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2020 11:33 pm

Re: C Diff and E Coli at the same time…

Postby Avalon18 » Fri Dec 17, 2021 5:07 pm

In the area where I live, it is exceptionally difficult to get good gastroenterology care. Almost every independent practice has been swallowed up by a huge mega-practice, and care resembles a factory assembly line. This is in South Florida, USA.

I wish I could see the lab results myself, but the practice holds them close to the vest. I’d like to find a new doctor, but it’s very difficult due to the huge reach of the mega-practice.

The only thing I can think of is an ID doctor, but it will take time as a new patient.

Avalon18
Regular User
Posts: 30
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2020 11:33 pm

Re: C Diff and E Coli at the same time…

Postby Avalon18 » Fri Dec 17, 2021 10:22 pm

I called my gastroenterologist’s night duty number, and a different GI definitely concurred with Roy and said not to take the Cipro. I hadn’t taken the Cipro after looking at a lot of online references that said not to treat E coli with antibiotics…. There was apparently a positive test for C Diff, but I don’t know how sensitive the test was or whether it tested for toxin or not.

I have pain and gas, with constipation. No D. But my last case of C Diff had a lot of pain with 6-7 BM a day, with occasional D. I don’t feel I can trust the doctor who prescribed the Cipro.

I’m a bit lost now, as clearly I don’t have good medical advice and will have to wait until next week to try to make an appointment with a different doctor. And of course many offices are closed because of the coming holiday.

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

Re: C Diff and E Coli at the same time…

Postby roy » Sat Dec 18, 2021 5:37 am

A good Dr might tell you to wait before starting treatment.
An even better Dr knows Cipro would probably cause asymptomatic c. Diff to become a full blown relapsing infection!
It's highly likely symptoms like you describe will resolve on their own.
A positive C.Diff test does not mean you have c.Diff as a disease.

D1dad
Regular Contributor
Posts: 319
Joined: Tue Mar 12, 2019 8:34 pm

Re: C Diff and E Coli at the same time…

Postby D1dad » Sat Dec 18, 2021 7:48 am

Roy’s right. I wish my cdiff was just gas and bloating and if it was, I never would have sought treatment. I know that cdiff can manifest in many different ways but when you have full blown cdiff you won’t even need a test. You’ll look at the former shell of yourself in the mirror and say “I have cdiff”
also if you have to take something, ask your doc about bactrim. When I had to take it for a few days due to a cut that went very south I remember reading all the things bactrim treats and if memory serves ecoli was one. I holstered that info for future ammo against the world of western medicine. You may very well have an ecoli infection which would be a Christmas present of a diagnosis compared to cdiff.

Avalon18
Regular User
Posts: 30
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2020 11:33 pm

Re: C Diff and E Coli at the same time…

Postby Avalon18 » Sat Dec 18, 2021 2:16 pm

I spoke again with the night duty doctor, and he said not to take the Vancomycin unless I had diarrhea. He said I was possibly colonized by C Diff, but that it shouldn’t be treated as an active infection. The night duty doctor is better than the others in the practice who don’t know what they’re doing.

I’m going to try and obtain a copy of the stool test report to take to another doctor.

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

Re: C Diff and E Coli at the same time…

Postby beth22 » Sun Dec 19, 2021 2:07 am

You have the right to have a copy of your lab test results. Ask the office to email them to you as an attachment if you don't have a fax machine. If you had the type of E coli that is dangerous, I would think that you would have more than just gas and certainly not constipation. People with certain strains of e coli can get very, very sick quickly. Did you test because you had D before or because of the gas and bloating? I had C with c diff too and I wish that I had not treated. It made me have one relapse after another. Try and get those results sent to you on Monday and then talk to another doctor. If things get worse and you wind up treating, ask if there is another antibiotic to treat E coli. I think there is. Cipro has a black box warning on it. It is what gave me c diff in the first place.

DCboiler
New User
Posts: 10
Joined: Mon Oct 19, 2020 2:21 pm

Re: C Diff and E Coli at the same time…

Postby DCboiler » Sun Dec 19, 2021 12:37 pm

I had both at the same time when I was dealing with my C diff infection. Was put on Vanco for the C diff, nothing for the E coli. Tested positive for E coli for about a month before finally testing negative. I was pretty scared at the time because I read that AB cannot cure Ecoli and could even make it worse, but it eventually resolved on its own.

Avalon18
Regular User
Posts: 30
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2020 11:33 pm

Re: C Diff and E Coli at the same time…

Postby Avalon18 » Mon Dec 20, 2021 12:12 pm

I got a copy of the lab tests this morning after getting contradictory information from the office staff at the mega-practice on Friday. I test positive for C Diff toxin, and for Enteropathogenic E Coli. There was also an antigen quick check that tested positive for C Diff. It sounds like an active case of C Diff, despite no D. I have a call into the practice, but I don't know whether I'll get a meaningful response.

jackie24
Regular User
Posts: 48
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2021 2:01 pm

Re: C Diff and E Coli at the same time…

Postby jackie24 » Mon Dec 20, 2021 5:58 pm

My Gastro tested me and I was positive for the PCR and the Antigen but negative for toxins. He gave me a Vancomycin taper and sent me a certified letter stating that his office was not giving me anymore antibiotics! I wish I would not have started on the taper because now I am really sick with stomach pain, headache, can’t sleep at night, and morning mushy stools. Thinking of going to the ER now. Don’t treat unless you are having symptoms because you don’t want the consequences like I have got!

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

Re: C Diff and E Coli at the same time…

Postby roy » Mon Dec 20, 2021 6:28 pm

Guidelines are clear!
Regardless of test results c. Diff only requires treatment if it causes classic symptoms of D.
Asymptomatic, even if toxin is detected, is regarded as normal.
Trying to treat to get a negative result can cause harm.
The disease is the symptoms, It's called "host response" and if you, the host, does not react to even a bucket full of toxin there's no disease!
Treat the patient, not the test!

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

Re: C Diff and E Coli at the same time…

Postby beth22 » Tue Dec 21, 2021 2:13 am

When I first had c diff, I also had constipation, but intermittent bouts of D. I then got a lot of M and the GI I saw ran the test and it came back positive for c diff. I was mostly C at that time. He scared me into taking 250mg of vanco 4 x per day, although I think I cut it to 3, but the harm was done. I had relapse after relapse and wound up having FMT as my only cure. If you are not having D or serious symptoms, I would not treat. That is what I was told by an ID and also the GI that replaced the first one. It caused me nothing but misery. In hindsight, I would have tried probiotics, maybe Pepto Bismol and held off on the treatment. Get another opinion before you take the vanco. Of course, if things get worse, that is different.

Avalon18
Regular User
Posts: 30
Joined: Fri Dec 11, 2020 11:33 pm

Re: C Diff and E Coli at the same time…

Postby Avalon18 » Thu Dec 23, 2021 1:57 pm

Well, I also consulted an ID doctor and a relative who is a professor of medicine also weighed in. The PCR toxin test is positive for C Diff, not just the antigen, which they felt was important. They seemed to think that the Vancomycin was OK in my case. I did not mention it in detail, but I had many hours of nonstop abdominal pain, similar to gas pain, but persistent and not relieved by BMs. No D on a consistent basis. I decided to start the Vancomycin despite misgivings. The pain is gone now. I’m taking Florastor now.

I take a PPI, and that might be responsible for jumpstarting the C Diff again. I don’t think I would do Zinplava again.


Return to “General C. diff. Discussion”



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot], kar98421 and 26 guests