Melissa's C.Diff story

[mmatherly]

I was a healthy 23 year-old. I had a six month old baby. I got a breast infection while breast feeding and was given clindamycin. About two weeks later I got all the symptoms of C.diff, but thought I had a bug that was going around. I waited a week to go to the hospital (it took me passing out on the toilet seat to get me to go).

I thought they would give me some IV fluids, and send me on my way, but I had C.diff. My admitting blood pressure was 63/36, and I was in acute renal failure. I spent one week in ICU, then another three weeks on the floor. I had pseudomembranous colitis affecting my entire colon, and toxic megacolon. I had ascites pretty bad, and had to have a paracentesis. At one point I weighed more than I did when I was nine months pregnant…I looked like I was nine months pregnant. I developed acute pancreatitis as a reaction to the flagyl, so they switched me to vancomycin. I became septic at one point. I became lactose intolerant, and was for a short time after I got out of the hospital. I also found out that I had hypothyroidism...which slowed my metabolism, and could have potentially helped the C.diff flourish even more. I was in severe pain then entire time.

In the beginning they couldn't even tell my husband if I was going to make it. I pulled through, but then we waited to find out if they were going to take my colon.

I was a very long and painful (mentally and physically) month in the hospital. I missed my son's first Easter. I missed being normal.

I was fortunate, and got to keep my colon. They told me if I was ten years older, they would have taken it. I had wonderful doctors and nurses taking care of me. I had a lot of people praying for me. I had a wonderful family supporting me, and helping with my son. I had, and still have the best husband in the world. He was by my side through it all. I was admitted February 27, 2005, and released March 30, 2005.

Two weeks later I was back with a relapse and spent another week in the hospital. About a month after that I had another relapse, but didn't go to the hospital for it.

I had a lot of help at home for the first couple of months. I was in a lot of pain and severely weak...I lost all the weight I had gained plus some.

It took about nine to ten months before I felt mostly back to normal. I wasn't having stomach cramps everyday, and I had gained my weight back.

Now, one year later, I feel great...most of the time. I can't help but worry a little when I get a stomach cramp, but Mylanta seems to do the trick! I also worry about having to take antibiotics in the future. I have slacked off a little with the probiotics, but take them if I feel the slightest stomach upset. I am also four months pregnant! So far, so good. I just hope and pray that I stay healthy.