UGG...UGG... THE C-DIFF BUG...

[AThurston]

My name is Alletta, I live in Indiana, I have been a long term care/rehab nurse for 30 plus years, I was exposed from a soiled c-diff bed that had been soiled & left for 2 weeks. Second the facility was cited during annual survey for not using the right disinfectant to rid the c-diff. We had many patient's that acquired in house c-diff and also those that were admitted with it. There was 2 of us myself and a kitchen employee, she is rid of it as of now. Initially I had flu like flu,strep & sinus infection sx's, Rocephin inj, Biaxin by mouth, within 24 hours I was worse, Dr. Discontinued Biaxin, started Levaquin, within 48 hours admitted to hospital C-diff, severe dehydration, Flagyl by mouth. FLorastor, I never improved on Flagyl, put on Vanc by mouth for 2 weeks, improved, after completed reoccurrence within 5 days, readmit to hospital IV Flagyl, Vanc by mouth, Florastor. March reoccurence 8 days off Vanc, same treatment, hospital admission, dehydration, low potassium. Again April reoccurrence, GI Dr did taper down of Vanc for 8 wks, return to work each time, relapse,June reoccurrence 5 days after taper down Vanc. Thru out this I continued to follow protocol Questran, Florastor, yogurt, bleach, bleach,bleach... GI dr orders Rifaximin after completing 2 weeks Vanc. July ,10 days past completion relapse horrific, fell, think passed out,911 readmit refractory c-diff w/ colitis, severe dehydration, protein malnutrition, Treatment Flagyl IV, Vanv po, same treatments, TPN required via PICC line last 2 occurrences. GI dr's baffled, stated may have to stay on Vanc indefinitely, immune system checked & it was normal. Family Dr sent me Infectious disease dr, stay on Vanc, plan fecal transplant, fecal transplant end of August x7 days via nasogastric tube with my brother's B. Kept off work 8 weeks, working out, able to eat, back to work 2 weeks, reoccurrence this time different, felt very tied exhausted at first, then bloody M stool, increased pain, thru out this for 6 or more months L lower side pain continous, never ever went away, liver enzymes elevate with reoccurrence. GI starts Dificid, 3,895.00 dollars for 20 caps. 11 days after Dificid, reoccurrence, Infectious Dis starts Vanc back, ordered stools per usual, lab work. On my 5th day of Vanc, feel horrible, L & R and pain, nausea, exhausted,nightmares of c-diff. I have no other chronic conditions, hypothyroidism is it, which med had to be increased after 20 years, I have had to go on antidepressant & anti anxiety meds, I try not to take the pain & nausea meds, just finally relent to them, physically and mentally I do not have the energy to fight it. Infectious Dis dr called today, PCR positive for c-diff. Please tell me there is light at the end of this tunnel. I'm 53 years old, feel like 80, feel as if I've lost a year of my life....... Being sent to Indiana University Hospital GI & ID this month, to stay on Vanc, probiotic, low fat diet, all the same protocol, Sigmoid results L descending colon thickened,mucosa,diverticuli.