My C. Diff, So Far

For posting new case histories and updates to histories only. Do not post general messages, replies or questions here.
LeoFlash
Brand New Poster
Posts: 1
Joined: Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:06 am

My C. Diff, So Far

Postby LeoFlash » Wed Mar 26, 2014 3:57 am

Late November 2013, I awoke around 4:30 in the morning to bad abdominal pain. I tried desperately to make it go away by trying to completely eliminate any gas or anything else that would come out. Tried to sleep around it, ignoring it. Didn't work. Called my regular doc's office around 8:00, and they could squeeze me in that morning. The pain had gotten worse and had moved into the lower right quadrant, and was tender both on pressure and rebound. I had diarrhea and had vomited. I was given pain meds and the office registered me into a hospital, thinking this was appendicitis. CT scan showed a lot of fluid all over my abdominal cavity. A surgeon went in and removed my appendix, plus a lot of the fluid, and I was given IV antibiotics and pain meds. But the surgeon was perplexed, as though the symptoms were right, the appendix looked fine and there was no explanation to the fluid. The appendix was sent for biopsy, with later results showing nothing. The pain began to recede, and 3 days and nights later I was released.

Less than a week later, the pain returned, again in the 4:00 hour. The diarrhea had not stopped, but I assumed it was the antibiotics I was still on (Flagyl). But it got worse, and then the vomiting again. I went to urgent care, and was admitted again. The surgeon came back and assessed me, and another CT was done. It showed there was still fluid in small pockets in my abdomen, and the surgeon was still baffled. But he felt it was not a case for more surgery, and I got another round of multiple antibiotics. The pain again receded and went away, and after 4 days I was released again.

I was scheduled for an appointment later in December with a gastroenterologist, who scheduled an endoscopy and colonoscopy for the next week (totally ruining my New Year's plans). The colonoscopy showed polyps, which were biopsied and shown to be benign. But there was thickening in the colon walls, which concerned him. And in the hospital, I had tested positive for C. Diff, which I really had no knowledge of. Another CT was scheduled. No new results. Another round of Flagyl, another follow-up C. Diff test, and it seemed to be gone.

Then, after almost 2 months of no pain, it came again. There is something about the 4:00 AM time period that makes my body rebel! I already had a follow-up scheduled for the next day at my GP, so I called and they bumped it from the afternoon to the morning. Another round of being poked and prodded in the belly, and the pain was the same as the first time - it started in the upper area of my abdomen, just above my navel, and burned some, then moved to the lower right quadrant where it intensified. And it was bad both on pressure and rebound. However, this time there was no significant diarrhea at first, and no vomiting. I was again admitted to the hospital, and a five-day stay with more IV antibiotics. The diarrhea returned, and they practically starved me for 3 days in case I needed surgery. I was finally fed, the diarrhea calmed down, and I was allowed to go home after a 5-day stay.

After I was released yet again, I was retested for C. Diff, which was positive. Another round of Flagyl ensued. I am now scheduled for another visit this Friday for the gastroenterologist, who will go over the latest C. diff test results, for which the sample was given Monday. Today, I have been having very mild pain again, and I am hoping it is only stress...

Return to “Case Histories and Updates”



Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 9 guests