Stool testing post flagyl

[chrissy72]

I will be finishing my 10 day course of Flagyl on Thursday morning. My GI specialist said they don't normally retest the stool sample for c.diff toxins post meds. They just rely on symptoms. I'm making them retest it because I have more of an atypical c.diff which does not present with diarrhea. So I want to be sure it is out of my symptom.

Why do the doctors not typically retest stool samples post meds? From what I'm reading on here, many times IBS post meds can happen. So isn't it difficult to tell if there is still c.diff in you if you have IBS symptoms. Plus I can't see taking an antibiotic for an infection that can be antibiotic resistant if you don't need one. Overuse and misuse of antibiotics is what caused some of these highly resistant strains.

How long after finishing meds should you retest your stool?

[beth22]

I just saw my ID doc yesterday and he told me to go and bring in a sample 5 days after finishing meds. My experience in the past has been that nothing showed up in any test until about 2 or 3 weeks later. If your doctor doesn't tell you to do it, I would just request it, but wait until you either have symptoms, which hopefully you won't, or a few weeks after finishing meds. Some people relapse after a few days, so if you do have symptoms, if it were me, I'd go have it tested. Better safe than sorry.

[anlockwood]

There are two reasons they don't retest after meds. The first being you can test positive because there are still lingering toxins in your system and this can occur up too 6 weeks afterwards even though you have already beaten the infection. If you treated based on this you would be treating when unnecessary and killing off your good bacteria.

The second reason is testing negative means nothing. It doesn't mean you won't relapse.

With IBS the three day rule is the best way to tell if it IBS or c diff. See under FAQ if you are not familiar with it. Many on here live by it!

Amanda