Clostridium difficile - Anyone have experience with this during/after a hospital stay?

My husband is currently in the hospital because of his UC.  Third time in the hosipital, 4 weeks total over the three times so far.

The doctors just diagnosed him with Clostridium difficile and I was wondering if anyone else had gotten this and what their experience was.  They have moved him to a private room because from what I read this is contagious through fecal-oral transfer and people with lowered immune systems have a high risk of getting it.

I also thought it was interesting that on wikipedia it said that "C. difficile is the most significant cause of pseudomembranous colitis,a severe infection of the colon, often after normal gut flora is eradicated by the use of antibiotics."  He just can't seem to get away from colitis...

I swear these hospitals and doctors are just making everything worse.

Any good hospital usually runs a stool sample when the IBD patient checks in.... I have had C.diff before (in the hospital). My GI was actually happy that I had it because it meant that my UC flare wasn't as bad as it seemed.

Vanco seemed to clear it up in a few days.

--Keith

What kind of side effects did you have?

My husband is knocked out.  He has bad abdominal pain, which I read was normal, but he also has chills and can't concentrate plus a slew of other problems.  They are also doing a super taper of his prednisone and he is on 40mg when he was on 60mg last monday.  We're not sure what is from tapering so much so fast or from this new roadblock.

It has not been fun. Though the plus side is he has his own hospital room now.

I got CD when I was prescribed clindomycin by a dentist. It destroyed what was left of my UC colon and I lost 3 molars in the left! I was prescribed flagyl and it took me months to get back on my feet. Lots and lots of water and probiotics like Flora-Q and Culturelle. I wish your husband the very best.

Clindamycin and Augmentin are prime culprits in C-diff. I just happened to get it from Cipro. My nephew got it from Clindamycin, and my aunt, from Augmentin.

Mitz

Otherwise healthy individuals most often get this bug from taking antibiotics, which kill all the good germs in your gut, allowing the bad germs to proliferate and attack the lining of your colon.

Don't lay awake at night worrying about contracting this illness, be very careful about antibiotics, and it is unlikely you will ever have to deal with this illness.

That said, I do believe folks like us with colon issues are more susceptible than the average bear to getting c-diff.

Mitz

Actually, Flagyl is usually the first choice medication for folks diagnosed with C-diff.

If you had c-diff, and you didn't treat it, you would be in a major, major unrelenting flare.

You could always ask for a c-diff test, but it's doubtful you have c-diff.

Be sure to find yourself a very good probiotic and take it daily -- and perhaps increase your dose to a couple of times a day whenever you find yourself in the position of having to take an antibiotic.

Mitz