topic Re: C-diff killed my friend! in Community Chat

C-diff killed my friend!

CBonifacio — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 22:07:15 GMT

Has anyone heard of C-diff? My friend from college, age 52 died yesterday. Her husband came home and she was died from a heart attack caused by c-diff bacteria.

She was taking antibiotics for a tooth Issue. Now she’s gone. Can someone explain this to me?

Re: C-diff killed my friend!

Icegoddess — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 22:12:48 GMT

I don't know that much about it, but 2 different ladies at my church had it recently, one younger, one elderly. They both lived. Bad stuff. I think both of them had recently had some sort of minor surgery.

Re: C-diff killed my friend!

Vivian — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 22:14:18 GMT

I have had c-diff twice. The first time was the result of a filthy hospital experience. The second was the result of antibiotic therapy during knee replacement. I know that this is a serious issue. For someone like your friend, I am mystified. Did she receive care, meds,treatment? It is awful. my condolences go out to you.

Re: C-diff killed my friend!

KingstonsMom — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 22:14:45 GMT

@CBonifacio

https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/clostridium-difficile-colitis#1

Re: C-diff killed my friend!

esmerelda — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 22:15:08 GMT

@CBonifacio Sorry for your loss. And that doesn't sound right.

Re: C-diff killed my friend!

Icegoddess — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 22:16:34 GMT

This might help

https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/c-difficile/symptoms-causes/syc-20351691

I see the use of anti-biotics is mentioned. I have noticed in the past that antibiotics mention side effects that can occur even months after using, severe diarrhea being one of them.

Re: C-diff killed my friend!

Kachina624 — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 22:17:16 GMT

@CBonifacio. We've had discussions about it here in the past. I remember googling it and finding a great deal of information, most of which I have forgotton. You might want to research it too.

Re: C-diff killed my friend!

DianeJ2 — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 22:17:23 GMT

@CBonifacio Oh no I'm so sorry about your friend. I've had friends on strong antibiotics who have had C difficile. They had to take another antibiotic to help it. Mostly they both had severe gastrointestinal symptoms. The official definition is:

"Inflammation of the colon caused by the bacteria Clostridium difficile.

Clostridium difficile colitis results from disruption of normal healthy bacteria in the colon, often from antibiotics. It can cause severe damage to the colon and even be fatal."

Re: C-diff killed my friend!

SandySparkles — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 22:24:56 GMT

I am so, so very sorry to read of the sudden loss of your friend, and am sending a prayer of solace for you, her loved ones and anyone else affected by this sorrow. I wish I had something else to say that might be of comfort.

~~~All we need is LOVE💖

Re: C-diff killed my friend!

Carol Diane — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 22:21:40 GMT

My father contracted C-diff from a stitch or 2 accidentally left in after hip surgery. He got an infection and had to be on antibiotics. It was brutal...constant diarrhea.... he was 89 and it really weakened him and presumably his heart. He never regained his strength and it was a year from you know where. He passed away and while I can't say it was from C-diff it certainly compromised his whole body.

Re: C-diff killed my friend!

CBonifacio — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 22:22:46 GMT

I’m now learning she had the diarrhea etc, but didn’t suspect anything was wrong. I think they’ll do an autopsy. For some reason the dehydration caused a heart attack.

Re: C-diff killed my friend!

RedTop — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 23:04:49 GMT

C-diff is a spore bacteria that many of us may have in our colon right now. It can live there dormant for a long time, and then something as simple as taking an antibiotic for a tooth issue, disrupts the gut bacteria and activates the spores to colonize into a big infection.

C-diff causes very unpleasant, uncontrollable, diarrhea, and everyone I know who has battled this bacteria, has known something wasn’t right, and gone to the doctor for treatment.

Vancomyacin is one of 2 antibiotics that can kill an active infection of c-diff. It is usually taken for about a month straight to get the infection controlled. A stool culture is needed to verify whether the infection is gone. Even when an active infection has been controlled, c-diff spores still remain in the colon, just waiting to colonize when something disrupts the normal gut bacteria.

I am sorry for the loss of your college friend.

Re: C-diff killed my friend!

esmerelda — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 22:30:53 GMT

@CBonifacio wrote:
I’m now learning she had the diarrhea etc, but didn’t suspect anything was wrong. I think they’ll do an autopsy. For some reason the dehydration caused a heart attack.

@CBonifacio That I would agree with more. A chain reaction where c-diff was a link in the chain. At any rate, your friend is gone suddenly...and for that I am very sorry.

Re: C-diff killed my friend!

Lilysmom — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 22:33:18 GMT

@CBonifacio , what a shock for you. I am so sorry for your loss. LM

Re: C-diff killed my friend!

MorningLover — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 22:36:56 GMT

I know someone who had this. C. diff is contagious. Microorganisms can be spread from person-to-person by touch or by direct contact with contaminated objects and surfaces (for example, clothing, cell phones, door handles). Some individuals are carriers of this bacterium but have no symptoms of infection.

Re: C-diff killed my friend!

Nonametoday — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 22:38:42 GMT

@KingstonsMom wrote:
@CBonifacio

https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/clostridium-difficile-colitis#1

@KingstonsMom When C diff enters the bloodstream, it works quickly. If it is a tooth, the infection goes rapidly to the heart and if the antibiotics were not given very early on in the illness, the infection had a great toe-hold on her and antibiotics were ineffective. It happens. It is a bad infection. My BFF had the same but from another source of entry, not the teeth. She was comatose for a long time but finally pulled through it. She was on life support for a very long time and had surgery several times during that time period.

Re: C-diff killed my friend!

Icegoddess — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 22:49:45 GMT

@RedTop that makes sense. One of the ladies that had it had it twice and both times were following abdominal surgery. She never really ever recovered from the 1st surgery or reason behind the surgery before having the same type of surgery again, blocked abdominal aorta I think. They told her if she needed that type of surgery again she would need to go elsewhere.

Re: C-diff killed my friend!

RainCityWoman — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 23:08:11 GMT

My mom, who was a dialysis patient, had it for a while when she was in the nursing home. They treated her, and she got over it. I can't imagine how it would kill you, but I suppose anything can if it is in the blood stream or if there is an interaction between it and the antibiotics used.

Re: C-diff killed my friend!

Iwantcoffee — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 23:10:18 GMT

Re: C-diff killed my friend!

Nataliesgramma — Thu, 13 Feb 2020 23:25:22 GMT

Also, once you get it...it is easier to get it a again...