Freaking antibiotics AGAIN! Question about C Diff testing?

I posted a couple weeks back when I had a sinus infection and had to take Amoxicillin. It really screwed things up GI-wise. 3 days after completing a 10 day dose, my sinus infection was back. Or never left completely.

I just had ear drainage cultured (have ear tubes) and it's STAPH. So back on antibiotics while I wait to hear if it's drug resistant (hope not).

Meanwhile, saw a new internist yesterday who asked if I'd ever tested positive for C Diff. Could you tell me, has everyone been tested for this? What is the test - stool culture? Started me wondering why my GI dr had never mentioned it.

This is my 9th course of antibiotics in 14 months. No wonder my colon hates me.

Carrie, could you please explain that? How does c diff relate to sinus infections? Sorry, I don't understand.

I was treated for C Diff even though tthey couldn't culture it in a stool culture. They said it's hard to culture. May be a reason it's called C Difficile. Anyway, I was treated for CDiff but didn't have it. I had UC it turns out. Gog so sick on Flagyl, all for nothing.

I haven't been tested for it (to my knowledge) and it isn't done often because it isn't that common (so far).
Once I thought I MUST have it due to bad symptoms but after reading about the most likely people to develop it (many antibiotic courses or hospitalized or after surgery) I decided it most likely wasn't that because I didn't fit the profile. And I got better.

Sorry you've got it. Get well soonest.

I used to be very prone to sinus infections due to allergies which started the cycle of antibiotics but luckily not in years.
Agree with the suggestion to up your probiotics while taking antibiotics.

Because you've been on so many antibiotics, you really do need to be tested for c.diff.

The sinus infection or staph won't cause it...and although we all have it somewhat in our colons, it's the antibiotics or another strain we've picked up that can cause it to get out of control.

Staph needs to be dealt with quickly, and the option of taking the Oil or oregano can work with it, not instead.

For your gut, if it isn't c.diff, you need to be on very good probiotics and of a high enough dosage to keep the good bacteria in command.

What UC meds are you on at this time?

q

Sorry I was busy with my boys. My sinus infections kept on getting treated with courses of antibiotics and these antibiotics took all the good flora (bacteria) out of my gut and left the bad.

Carrie

LHA112, I had the 10 days of Amoxicillin 2 weeks ago. I had the same, within 3 doses, things went downhill fast. I complained to my GI dr and he told me to take Imodium. It made all the difference for me - without it I was chained to the bathroom, cramping, frequency, etc... with Imodium (could take up to 4 tablets/day), things were better. I'd just start each morning with 2 Imodium and that would hold things over until the evening when I'd sometimes take 1 more.

I also doubled my probiotics and ate more yogurt.

Please finish the prescription. It's important not to contribute to MRSA infections.

Don't forget...antibiotics are fungal metabolites, fungal poisons. They allow yeast to proliferate, causing ill-wanted symptoms to appear, along with cleaning out the good bacteria. Chronic sinus infections are usually caused by fungus, for which antibiotics will do no good. Antifungals may be necessary.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/09/990910080344.htm

My GI never tested me for C-diff either. When I asked him about it, he discounted the possibility of C-diff. He felt it wasn't C-diff due to the appearance of the colon inflammation. However, no matter whether or not it's C-diff, the colon can still be flaring due to an imbalance of fecal flora. Fecal transplantation has been known to balance the fecal flora. Probiotics are good to use when fecal transplantation cannot be done.