Dianne S Case History

[diannestevens]

My story,
Thank God for this web site! Over a year ago I searched the internet for information on C-diff and could'nt find very much. It has helped me tremendously to read how many other people are going through the same thing!
I am a 38 year old female. I contracted C-diff at the end of 2002 during a routine surgery. I was also put on a post operative antibiotic. Two weeks after the surgery I developed severe abdomen pain in my lower left region. Also had severe diarreaha. I was finding it hard to eat and lost over 30 lbs. In January of 2003 I developed a rash all over my body and started running low grade fevers. I knew something was not right and starting my search to find out what was wrong with me.
For over a year I was misdiagnosed. I didnt fit the profile of someone afflected with C-diff. (Remember this is only considered to be an ederly or infants disease.) I had doctors tell me it was normal for my body tempurature to change at my age. I still pursed the fact that something was wrong! Thats when I was set up with my first upper and lower GI. I was also diagnosed as having H-pylori at the time. After the procedure my husband was told that I probably had IBS.
During this time I had to make several ER trips. No results to what was wrong was found then. I decided maybe everyone was right and nothing was wrong with me so I went back to work. I spent a good 70% of my time in the bathroom. The diarreha would get so bad that it would wake me up in the middle of the night from a sound sleep. Then my fevers returned full force.
Finally in the spring of 2004 I was diagnosed with C-diff but not before I had developed a horrible UTI. For over a year I have been on Flaygl and vanco and also cullterelle. I went through three family practice physicians and three GI speacalist. I have also had several false negative tests. Do not get excited if you test negative because you can and most likely will relaspe. My GI doctor has also been on-line researching this infection. My last dose of vanco was the pulse method and that ended in June of 2005. All of my symptoms have returned but I have tested negative twice since June.I am waiting on another test and should recieve the results next week. I have been vommiting everything I put into my system for two weeks now. Also the blood and mucus have returned. The pain in my lower left abdomen has returned with pain radiating down my leg. (I have assumed this is my rectum)
I dont know about everyone else but I am very frustrated with our health care system. I have spent thousands and still owe thousands of dollars to doctors and hospitals and I am still in the same position I was in at the end of 2002. Only now I know what is wrong with me.
I also want to let everyone know that I did try to commit suicide in May of this year. I felt so alone and just plain sick and tired of being sick and tired! I wanted my life back. That did not solve anything because now I owe more money. And I have accepted the fact that my life will never be the same again.
So, to keep my mind busy I have been doing alot of research and trying to get things changed as far as this infection is concerned. The CDC is now recognizing that there are stronger strains of C-diff out now. But they have no way of knowing how many people are affected or their ages because your doctor or hospital is not required to report it. This is a contagious infection! Most of you are seeing and infectious disease speacalist. The doctors are required to report west nile virus. And C-diff has been around for a long time.
Also, why is there not more clinical trials being done? People are suffering and dying from this infection. I may not be able to help myself but years down the road it may help someone else. I would never wish this infection on my worst enemy!
Anyway, that's my story. I hope someone who has been suffering can take some comfort in knowing what I have been and am still going through.
I will update next week when I get my results.

[diannestevens]

Sept 2005
my c-diff test came back negative but that tells me nothing (as you all know) How many false negative tests have you recieved only to find out that you eventually test positive? Very tired of all of this! But I am not giving up! The handling of the specimen is very important. now they are saying it has to be there with in an hour. kept frozen through the whole process (from home, to doctor to lab) or the toxins start breaking down immediatly. Not very good odds for a positive tests unless you are so sick from the infevtion that is all that is in your colon. just very frustrated. I'll update later

[diannestevens]

Oct 15, 2005

I spent last night throwing up stomach acid and I have felt for three days now like my colon has swelled up. I havent been eating very well and I know this is taking its toll on my body. Going to wait untill it is too much to bear and then go back once again to the doctor. I am also exporing other options. Labs, doctor, treatments ect. I will update later.

[diannestevens]

I want to take the time just to thank everyone for their kind words during my family crisis. As some of you know my baby cousin was murdered in her sleep by her boyfriend with a hammer. I had to fly to California and stayed for two weeks. Travel and the stress of the whole ordeal has been very hard on me right now. I believe and so does my therapist that it has caused a flare up in my symptoms. I havent really concentrated on my illness at the moment. Just taking one day at a time. Trying to process the whole situation and the things I had to do and witness while I was with my Aunt and Uncle. I have a wonderful husband and son who are trying their best to help me get through this also. I will update after I go into the doctor again. Thank you all!

[diannestevens]

I recently went into the doctor because my toes were numb. Just found out that I am pre diabetic now. While they were testing my blood they found out that my white blood cell count is up again. My low grade fevers have also returned. I suspect as well as my doctor that I still have spores. It is very difficult for the lab to get blood from me and the process is painful and very slow. So my doctor said he would wait to re test my white blood cell count. Now I am playing a waiting game to see if any other symptoms return. From past expierence I have found that my white blood cell count elevates before I test positive again.

[diannestevens]

just wanted to update. My white blood cell count is still elevated and I still have the big D. Now my bowl movements smell again. But no real fevers or pain as of yet. So as long as I am pain free I am not too concerned at the moment. I will get retested if either one of these symptoms return.