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Posted 3/26/2019 7:23 PM (GMT 0)
Is there anything anybody recommends for abdominal cramping?
I'm having horrible cramping with this C diff infection. It's been a week now with these cramps(I just started antibiotics 2 days ago). They are SO bad - worse than any UC flare I've had because they are constant (where with a flare once I have a BM they go away for awhile). I can't sleep, it's hard to move. I'm not sure how much longer I can take the pain, it's enough to make somebody go completely crazy.

My GI said I can't take painkillers or that will slow the colon and keep the bad bacteria from leaving the body, possibly allowing it to grow more inside me. I tried Levsin - doesn't seem to do much. TUMS, Gasx - don't help much. I'm not sure I can take another week of this pain which is about the time I have a left (or a little more) of the antibiotics.
Posted 3/26/2019 7:44 PM (GMT 0)
Ask for antispasmodics....dicyclomine can be taken 4x daily. I use 20mg, but you might need more. Ginger tea. If you have nausea, Gravol as well. It will help take the edge off. Tylenol could help with the pain.

q
Posted 3/26/2019 8:50 PM (GMT 0)
Hmm, Levsin actually is an antispasmodic (my GI gave me that long ago). A lot of people don't seem to know what it is. The generic of it is Hyoscyamine and I can take 1-2 tablets every 4 hrs. It doesn't seem to do much though. It normally helps with my UC but doesn't seem to help much with this. I suppose I could try taking 2 of them instead of 1. I have no nausea luckily.
Posted 3/26/2019 9:06 PM (GMT 0)
Ugh, my GI said I shouldn't take an antispasmodic any more than 1 every 4 hours (if I even take any at all) because it relaxes the colon and can keep the bacteria in the colon longer. So pretty much can't take anything that may affect the colon in any way! Need to let the bad bacteria get out of there.
Posted 3/26/2019 10:51 PM (GMT 0)
One every 4 hours is fine....what strength?
Can you call and ask for dicyclomine?

Are you taking fibre supplements? That will help keep things moving and flush out those nasties in there.

q
Posted 3/27/2019 2:56 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with Q, dicyclomine is great! I don't remember what my dose was, but I still take one once in a while for cramps and it helps.
Posted 3/27/2019 3:10 PM (GMT 0)
Well it seems my GI doesn't really want me taking anything. He doesn't want anything to slow down my colon or I won't get rid of all the bacteria that is in me. sad
I took Tylenol last night just to try something. At least I slept about 4 1/2 hours before cramping woke me up and I had to go to the bathroom. I hate taking Tylenol all day as it's not good for the liver, but I may have to just take it on and off to help the pain somewhat.

Day 3 of the antibiotic. I sure hope it helps soon....
The cramps almost had me in tears last night - feels like my insides are being eaten from the inside out. A UC flare up is less pain than this, at least with that the cramps are only when you have a BM. Not constant. And at least with that the evil Prednisone usually makes me feel better in about a day.
Posted 3/27/2019 5:01 PM (GMT 0)
That sounds terrible! I wonder if a warm heating pad would help? I sure hope you can find some relief!
Posted 3/27/2019 5:37 PM (GMT 0)
Beachgal....I have liver disease and take Tylenol. As long as you don't go over the limit stated on the bottle.
Pain vs whatever...pain wins.

Dicyclomine in huge doses could definitely slow down the colon, but it has never for me. Lomotil...different action.

Your doc is a bit inconsiderate in that aspect. Buscopan is available otc...fyi.

q
Posted 3/27/2019 5:46 PM (GMT 0)
I think my doc is being extra cautious as he said C diff can be hard to get rid of. He's at Mayo and they tend to do more research than you can imagine, so I suppose he has studies that show that taking these drugs can make the bacteria stay in your system longer. I definitely want the infection to get out of me. Last night I got a little excited as I had a little more of a formed BM (mostly diarrhea though). But today it's back to all watery diarrhea. I'm trying a liquid diet today just to give my insides a rest, and that seems to be helping a bit.
Posted 3/27/2019 7:02 PM (GMT 0)
That's good. Hoping you feel better daily.
keep us updated for sure....tylenol for discomfort won't alter your healing.
q
Posted 6/7/2019 5:39 PM (GMT 0)
They didn't give you painkillers when you had c diff.?!?!?!!? Omg!!!!! I would have died. I was hospitalized when I had c diff and I was on hydrocodone and IV dialaudid and sent home with hydrocodone pills as well. Maybe yours wasn't as bad as mine, but that is not cool they did not give you pain meds. I finally have a GI now who will give me Tramadol for UC flares, too. I get severe pain as my most debilitating UC symptom, so it is a huge relief that he is willing to treat my pain in a flare and not treat me like a drug seeker! Antispasmodics don't do crap for me (Bentyl, Levsin, Donnatol -- nothing; they are like taking a sugar pill). I think your GI didn't know what he was talking about -- sorry, but everyone in hospitals with c diff gets pain meds! I used to live in northeast Iowa and went to Mayo once to get a second opinion not too long after I had been diagnosed with UC; I wasn't impressed and never went back. I'm not saying they aren't a great hospital, but the GI I saw spent like 2 seconds with me, didn't answer any questions and the whole experience was very frustrating. They should have treated your pain.
Posted 6/7/2019 5:51 PM (GMT 0)
My GI told me that painkillers can cause constipation and that would prevent me from getting rid of the c diff bacteria (since it leaves the body via going to the bathroom). They said I would have a better chance of getting rid of it.
It was by far the worst pain I've ever had in my life - worse than any horrible UC flare I've had where I've been doubled over on the toilet in pain from going to the bathroom and throwing up at the same time into a garbage can from UC. This STILL was worse than that. I never want to have that pain again. I had marks all over my abdomen from having a heating pad on me 24/7 for 2 weeks.
Posted 6/7/2019 8:12 PM (GMT 0)
I used morphine during my UC flare. It did not cause constipation in my case, in fact I still had frequency though not as bad. Nothing else touched the cramping pain for me.
Posted 6/8/2019 12:43 AM (GMT 0)
Yeah, I see what he's saying with the constipation, but I still can't believe they didn't give you pain meds. Yeah, c diff pain was horrendous for me as well. Not trying to stalk your threads, by the way, lol. I just looked at your profile yesterday and happen to have an interest in the infectious colitis stuff since I suffered bad with it several years ago.
Posted 6/8/2019 12:45 AM (GMT 0)
Mark -- you're lucky someone gave you morphine! My last UC flare was the first time a doctor ever agreed to give me pain meds, other than when I was hospitalized. I got a very small script for hydrocodone and a larger script for Tramadol (doesn't work as well as hydrocodone, but I'll take what I can get, lol). It does cut down on the bathroom trips for me but most of those trips are just blood and mucous when I'm that sick anyway.
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