Debby's Case History

[Guest]

I have been posting to General Discussions for some time since Janaury 2004. <BR>I know I have had C-Diff on and off for a year now. Started with stomach gurling, churning problems the summer of 2003. GP gave me everything for the stomach and even went so far as to try and give me anti anxiety medication (which I would not take). By September I transferred myself to the GI specialist in the same clinic. She wanted to do a colonospny and at that point I didn't care. I almost thought that this was a cure. Immediately following I felt better with some Previcid and made it to the end of December when cramping started again. I somehow believe that the "cleansing" of my colon probably cleared out some of the C-Diff. I went back to the GI at the clinic in January 2004 and she was the first to ask for a stool culture. A week later she called back and said I had an infection and prescribed Flagyl. Never mentioned what the infection was. Three days of Flagyl and I had had it. Switched to Vanco. After two weeks of this she indicated that I would be fine even through I was not feeling fine. Was told women's bowel habit change as they get older. (I was 52). I was getting no where here so I e mailed the local University hospital and a department head got me into the GI department there. First the GI Dr. thought the initial C-Diff positive test was a red herring and suspected that I had IBS. But he tested and seemed surprised that I was positive for C-Diff. I was put on Vanco and did pretty well until April. We then cocktailed a 2 125mg Vanco every other day with Bentyl every day. I did pretty well during the summer and took Vanco and the Bentyl in a tapering dose to the point I was down to 1 every three, then four, then 5 days and actually went 8 days before the last signs of trouble. Wham!!! Nurse informed me I should not even be on the Vanco and if I wanted to test again I could I went another eight days without Vanco and tested. Positive. GI put me on 250mgs 3 times a day. First six days went pretty well, but the last three have been miserable. I will state that I have never had normal bowel movements in the last year (with the excpetion of a # that I could count on both hands) during the last year. I just heard back from my GI Dr. at the University hospital. He is going to confer with an infectious disease specialist there and has scheduled an appointment for me Monday August 30th. I'll post any information that I get from that appointment. I was reluctant to post a case history because I really didn't want to become a case. But I am and I feel that this site has given me knowledge and a place to vent. I am beat down by this. I was otherwise a healthly person all of my life and cannot believe that my system has failed me so in getting over this. I have no idea how I got this but know I have to get over it somehow. I'll keep you posted.

[Guest]

Relapse Again -- Eight weeks of what I considered great progress. Tested positive again today for C-Diff. University GI department unaware of anyone that has had C-Diff this long. They are sending me to the infectious disease Dr. They'll arrange an appointment on Monday. I thought I had this beat, but the end of my taper of Rifaximin from the end of August was almost two weeks ago. I started to notice the rumbling, gurgling this week. When I called and asked for a refill, GI Dr. said no - infection cannot come back that soon. Retest. Actually was feeling so well, that I did not go until I was up all last night with the gurgling, rumbling, pulsing of my intestines. Took a culture in this morning and they called to say Positive. I am heartbroken and numb. I know I've been dealing with this for a year and a half now although I was not diagnosed until January of this year. I've always considered myself a healthly active person. I'm beyond crying now only scared that I will never get rid of this. Relapse, relapse, relapse with months of relief inbetween. Once off the Vanco or Rifaximin, I relapse. Anyone else had success with an infectious disease Dr? I'll keep you posted and keep me in your thoughts.