Just diagnosed with c-diff infection

After 3 peaceful years of remission, I started having symptoms again recently. As usual, the Gastro ordered a c-diff test, and it came back positive today.

I am now taking vancomycin 125 mg every 6 hours for two weeks.

I'm trying to figure out the ramifications of throwing c-diff into the U.C. mix. With my screwed up immune system, I can't imaging this is going to be an easy ride. Antibiotics got me into this U.C. mess in the first place.

The only thing I will definitely do is load up on pre and probiotics, especially near the end of the vanco. Anyone else had to deal with this?

Yep, that's exactly what I'm currently dealing with.. except I went 8 weeks without a proper diagnosis because steroids masked the symptoms that my doc initially assumed to just be a flare without any tests to rule out infection.

8 weeks of unchecked C-diff growing in me sure was a great bomb to have go off when the steroids were tapered down.. I've never been so sick in my entire life. For the first few days the only thing I could un-curl myself from the fetal position for was to have diarrhea every hour.

I've been on vanco 250mg qid for over a week now and it's been under control. My plan going forward is to take probiotics and see if that can help ward off any future infections.

My problem is two-fold though, not only for having UC predispose me to future infections with C Diff, but the fact that I work as a nurse and get exposed to this wonderful bacteria now and again.

It's making me strongly consider changing up my career and doing something where I'm no longer working in hospitals.

It was so much like a U.C. flare that I got suckered for several weeks. Also the high doses of mesalamine meds I take masked it a lot.

The smell though... ugh.

I'm basically doing the IBD AID Diet now, limiting carbs and lots of probiotics and prebiotics (raw honey, plain yogurt, aged cheese, etc.). I am also taking pro/pre biotic tabs like florastor.

I live in Scottsdale and Mayo does fecal transplant here, so I do have a fall back if the Vanco doesn't clear it up.

I do worry that I may end up with a U.C. flare from this... and then what?

Over the past few years after coming down with C-Diff in a hospital I have had it 4 times.
The usual Vanco worked up to a point but did not stop a re-occurance

I started in an FMT program at our Macmaster hospital last year and have been clear ever since .
The success rate of completely clearing C-diff with FMT is around 95%

I've never had C. dif (that was diagnosed--who knows) but I always refuse Cipro for anything because I suspect it is connected to my UC appearing. Vanco never a problem and no other anti-b's ever a problem.
If you've taken Cipro with no issues then your decision but just read yet another news article about a woman (non-UC) with complete physical breakdown due to Cipro.

I just got over C. Diff after about two weeks of Flagyl. Mine was caused by taking antibiotics from my dentist. I had no idea that could cause me trouble. :-( I'm feeling better aside of the lingering fatigue and my BM's are still weird. I guess it can take a while before things get back to being whatever is normal for you. My doc recommended 50 bill Probiotics daily and told me to start taking them immediately along with the Flagyl. I'm still taking them. I thought I was having another Flare; the symptoms are so similar. Make sure you clean everything with bleach; door handles, faucets, counter tops, and your whole bathroom. I cleaned the toilet every time I had a BM. I figured better safe than sorry. I didn't want to catch it again and more than anything I hoped my family wouldn't catch it. Though I did find out that people with healthy immune systems won't have as much of an issue? I don't know. I'm just glad it's over. Best of luck to you.

I didn't start having any reduction in symptoms until days 4-5 of the vanco, but the frequency didn't calm down until around days 6-7. I only have a few days left on my course out of 14 and I'm finally back down to 1-2 BM's a day.

Quick update.

Vanco made my symptoms worse, but it was just because it morphed from c-diff symptoms to a U.C. flare. A follow up stool test shows the c-diff is eradicated, but inflammation remains, so I started Pred on Monday and already feel better after only 3 doses.

Annoying that the spores continue to shed for up to 6 weeks even once the infection clears, so still have to bleach everything.

The other weird thing is I am having a bad reaction to florastor. Within minutes of taking it I get severe stomach cramps, nausea, and I puke my guts out violently. What a shame since florastor is known to be a huge c-diff antagonist. Oh well, if it's not one thing, it's another.

Post Edited (C_G_K) : 4/11/2018 11:37:03 PM (GMT-6)

CGK

Maybe we have similar gut flora because I had similar Florastor reactions, had to stop it pretty fast due to bad reactions like yours. Now I remember that my vanco was by IV for a skin infection but also think I've had oral vanco in the past, really not 100% on that part.

Hope you get back on even keel soon.


Ima