J's case history

[robjay155]

I've had C. Diff for about 4 months now. It all started with Clindamycin for a dental abscess. I wasn't warned about it by my dentist or my pharmacist despite the fact that I was taking a proton pump inhibitor (I'm Canadian and there's a warning on the Public Health Agency of Canada website about C. Diff and PPI's, wish I'd known before I got this).

I took Flagyl for 14 days for the first round and the symptoms cleared up. Unfortunately, a few days later I had a gallbladder attack that led me to a gallbladder surgery and a relapse of C. Diff at the same time. After a few days in the hospital, Flagyl cleared up the symptoms enough to have surgery and I went home to heal and finish 21 days of Flagyl. Two weeks later I got symptoms again and ended up with another round of Flagyl for 14 days, I was also referred to an ID doctor, who's been very helpful.

After completing the last round of Flagyl, I went 3 weeks and thought I was getting better, then, another relapse last weekend. I started Vanco last week and I'm hoping it works. It seems to control the symptoms a bit better and I feel a bit better overall. I'm hoping for the best but, I'm aware the odds are a bit dicey. I'm hoping now that I'm recovered from my surgery, my body will have more tools to fight the c. diff and I'll beat it this time.

My first two episodes were confirmed with positive tests, my third was negative and I'm awaiting results for the fourth.

I've been reading the discussions on the board and I've got a lot of good information about C. Diff and how to fight it.

[robjay155]

After 4 bouts with c difficile, it was a 14 day course of vancomycin that finally worked for me. As of today, it has been over 7 months off the vanco and my infectious disease doctor has discharged me from his case load in February. If I had another recurrence I was considering the stool transfer procedure in Duluth. Fortunately, it didn't come to that.

I took and still take a lot of probiotics including:

Culturelle
Primadophilus Reuteri
Udo's Choice Hi-Potency Bowel and Super 8
and a blend prepared by my local compounding pharmacy for their clients that includes: B. Infantis, B. Breve, B. Bifidum, B. Longum. L. Lactis, L. Acidolphilus, L. Plantarum.

I tried Florastor but was allergic to it.

My G.I. who is still treating me said that it is likely that I have a case of post infectious IBS, which causes me some hassles but so far no major issues with it. I don't really have issues with having to go a lot, but I do get some pretty bad cramping from time to time. My GI said that I can expect to have some issues related to my infection for a period of 1.5 / 2 years.

My I.D. Doctor has advised that I stay away from Clindamycin and Floroquinolones but that I should take antibiotics if necessary. I'll be very careful about taking them.

The best advice I can give to anyone (I'm not a doctor, just a patient):

1) Be careful when taking antibiotics and to make sure you tell your pharmacist and doctors about any and all medications you are taking (including otc medications like proton pump inhibitors).

2) My ID doctor also recommended that I take probiotics with any future antibiotic course.

3) If you do develop symptoms of c. difficile, don't hesitate to see a doctor and if the case is confirmed, don't delay in getting treatment, this illness can be devastating, I lost 35 pounds in 5 weeks and I got it treated quickly each time.

Although I've recovered from the C. Difficile infection, things aren't quite back to normal just yet, but at least I'm able to live my life, do my job and go out and get active. I'm hoping that things will improve as time goes on.

Best of luck to everyone suffering with this illness. Work with your doctor and educate yourself. I know a lot more than when I got the illness and going back, I'd have done a lot of things differently.

Those of us who've been through C. Diff know how horrible it is and we should all make sure that we do our best to make sure that those we know use the best practices to stay away from it. From now on, I'll be giving every doctor a hard time about every drug they give me and asking every pharmacist a lot of questions.

Thanks to everyone for their help.