Sharon's Case History

[supersmurf]

I keep hoping I'm rid of this monster and then I have some evil days again and I worry. I'm finding it theraputic to talk about this finally so I've decided to finally post in the case histories section.

My History (kind of long sorry)
I got C-diff in March of 2006 from taking Clyndamycin for a "female problem" which turned out to be nothing at all. I was a healthy 27 year old before I got this. I was given flagyl right away when the bloody diarrhea started but not properly tested for c-diff. The following Monday I was sent to see a surgeon who told me it could not possibly be c-diff and pulled me off the Flagyl right away - it was making me throw up all the time - I wish I'd stayed on it, maybe I wouldn't have been sick for so long. Four days off the shortened course of the Flagyl I was sick again and went to the ER - still not tested and given cipro - the symptoms cleared up but were back again a few days off the cipro. Finally my Dr did a stool tests and 4 days into the next RX of Cipro the test came back c-diff positive. On Vanco 1500 mg / day - 10 days. Relapsed again, same RX and dose. Dr kept trying to send me back to the same surgeon who said nothing was wrong. I refused, Dr got upset and said it was my problem if I wanted to be sick longer. Meanwhile I'd asked many times for a referral to a really good IM specialist in the area - reluctantly given, but had to wait two months. Relapsed again off the vanco, PCP said she did not know what else to do and just to wait and see the IMS. Kept getting sicker and sicker, lost 25 lbs in a few weeks ( I was only 5'5" and 135 to start with). Gave up and changed PCPs (I'd seen so many by now after freqenting the ER so much). The new DR got me in to see the IM speacialist the next week. Promptly given Questran to help with symptoms and colonoscopy ordered. 1 week later colonoscopy was done and surprise, surprise pseudomambraneous colits. I did a six week taper of Vanco and so far, knock on wood, have been c-diff free for 13.5 weeks. Still have some scary days so I am hesitant to post in the success stories section. I want to believe that these scary days are just IBS but I am wary. Evil C-diff!!!!

[supersmurf]

Still feeling kind of iffy but less so than a few days ago. I finally found a store that carried Bio-K ( I couldn't get it where I lived before) so I started taking that a few days ago and seem to be feeling more normal again.... knock on wood.

[supersmurf]

Sign, more D today. Not really often or terribly bad, but D none the less. Has to be IBS I keep telling myself. I also have a terrible headache and joint soreness, maybe its the flu?
Almost posted in the success stories section yesterday but hesitated. I must have eaten something. No mucus or blood though thank goodness. Will be 16 weeks off Vanco this Friday the 24th...... I hope the D goes away.

[supersmurf]

Well the D has smartened up again and yesterday I was almost constipated. Weird...
I also went to see the naturopath my new MD reccomended (I just moved) and she was quite different than the naturopath I saw where I used to live. She has actually treated someone my age (27) with nasty c-diff before.
I told her how icky I've been feeling on and off for a while now and how my GI symptoms have gradually been getting worse at times. It was interesting, as she was very adament in saying that it was likely not just the antibiotics that caused the c-diff. They were likely a large part of it, but she also feels that there were many other contributing factors such as my diet and emotional state. I had kind of expected this, but it was good to hear it from someone else.
Anyway to make a long story short, I'm back on my rice, fish, chicken and vegetable diet with absolutely no wheat products or sugar. She suggests that to get a full recovery from c-diff I should stay on this diet for at least a year. She's put me back on the HMF Replete (400 Billion CFU's of Acidophillus), Golden Seal (Very strong immune system stimulant) and some other naturopathic medicines to stimulate healing. I'm a little depressed about being back on this diet as I have a sweet tooth and really like bread, but not 1/10 as depressed as I would be if the c-diff were to come back.
I also asked her about the concept of spores and how they act to re-infect people and she said much the same as seems to be the consensus in the discussion boards. Your body will keep them in check as long as you don't do anything to comprimise it such as taking antibiotics and really letting your diet become poor.
She also told me that the regular MD I had gotten in to see was absolutely wonderful and normally had a three year waiting list to take on new patients. Somehow little old me managed to get in to see her ASAP....what good luck:-)
Tomorrow is 16 weeks of Vanco.....

[supersmurf]

We've been completely snowed in for the past few days - we've gotten an unheard of foot and a half of snow in the past few days here - not that much I guess if you live in a place where it snows lots, but here it is supposed to rain most of the winter and we live on a very steep side of the mountain which makes any snow very trecherous......
Anyway, the rice diet seems to be helping. Things aren't perfect yet, but the cramping is dissapearning for the most part and so has the mucous. Hmmm.... maybe I've developed a gluten allergy or something?? I'm going once a day and it is pretty much normal like it was before c-diff. I still have some odd gurguling sensations at times, which do feel rather odd, but they are not new. Perhaps they have always been there but I am noticing them now because of my "heightened colon awareness?"
I'm going to stick with this diet for now and see if things continue to improve. I want to be able to eat Christmas dinner and maybe even have a Christmas goodie or two and not have to pay for it for a week after so here's to hoping and healing.
I see the new internal medicine specialist this Friday.... I hope I can give her good news:-)

[supersmurf]

Well today is my 6 month anniversary of being off Vanco.... I'm a happy person. GI wise things still aren't perfect but they are improving. The pain is lessening and I am finally able to start eating more foods, although I have to be pretty careful still. I'm also feeling more confident that the c-diff is actually in full remission now and that it will hopefully not come back unless triggered by antibiotics, and believe me, I will have to be almost dead to ever take them again.
I haven't gained more than a pound or two back of the 25 I lost while sick. I don't want them all back, but 5 or 10 would be nice as my doctors all tell me I'm too thin.... never though I'd hear that :-)
I've been trying to find some positive in this and even though it has been hard I believe there has been something. I've improved my eating habits immensely as well as my overall perception and dedication to my health. When you are young and healthy you feel like you will always be that way, but it has been important to me to realize that this will not always be the case. I enjoy the little things more now.
Cheers,
Sharon

[supersmurf]

Hi all,

Thought I'd drop by with an update for anyone who is counting the days to being a year c-diff free. Well, today is my year off of Vanco day.

I am doing well now and have found a nutritional supplement that has almost completely eliminated my IBS problems and has allowed me to gain back some of the 25 pounds I lost with c-diff - (I've had quite a time gaining back my weight). I've been on Goji berries for almost two months now and I have gone from having to be very careful about what I ate to being able to eat pretty much anything at all with very little problems. It is an amazing product. Food has never tasted to good.

Anyway, to those who are still battling, keep your chins up this will go away. And for those recovering, just keep working at your health, it will get better in time.

All the best,
Sharon