Wellness

[Gracies Mom]

I acquired C.Diff two years ago after taking Levaquin for a skin infection---the C.Diff started TWO MONTHS after I stopped the antibiotic!! I felt horrible and had to force myself to stay hydrated--my GI doctor had me take a drug called Alinia--needed to take it twice to clear up the C.Diff--I was sick for two months (I also have cancer, so my immune system is not the best).

Last month I had to take Cipro for a UTI--but I also took a probiotic during and two weeks after finishing the Cipro--so far so good--hopefully I won't come down with C.Diff again.

And yes, it is very CONTAGIOUS---I used one bathroom all the time and had my husband used a different one--I kept using bleach on the toilet and sink--we were extremely careful--and my husband didn't catch it.

If you think you are getting dehydrated---see your doctor or go to the ER---it is very easy to become that way and once you are, you need to be hospitalized for IV hydration---your kidneys could be compromised if you are dehydrated and that's a whole other serious problem!

Good luck and feel better!!!!

[SaRina]

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@Shiloh09 wrote:

Thank you all! I am waiting for results of tests which may take several days. Doctor told me to take a dose of Imodium after gathering the sample. This has slowed things down, but still don't feel quite right...hard to pinpoint. I pray that it is not this super bug. Fortunately my blood work was within normal limits. Drinking a lot of H2O, Kefir and yogurt....not sure about which probiotic to take, but after test results come back, I will seek a referral for nutrionist. THANKS AGAIN.

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@Shiloh09, I had a life-threatening case many years ago, also the result of taking an antibiotic.

Regarding the Imodium,  I am not your doctor..... However, I am surprised s/he prescribed Imodium. Perhaps s/he suggested just one dose to see if yours was a simple case of diarrhea, but the last thing you want to do with a C.diff. infection is "slow things down", keeping the bacterial toxins in your gut.  I would question your doctor about that. Also, talk to your pharmacist about that.

In addition to the diarrhea, you may experience a "cranky" feeling in your stomach and also bubbling.

Many people are able to recover from C.diff. infections with their own body's defenses. Others require antibiotic treatment -- either metronidazole (Flagyl) or vancomycin (Vancocin), or a combination to eradicate the bacteria. There are at least a couple of other newer drugs that have shown great success, so I'd ask my doctor about those if you test positive. One is fidaxomicin (Dificid).

If you have an infection, it is critically important for you to be taking a good probiotic now and probably for the rest of your life. People who have gotten C.diff. infections are more prone for repeat occurrences than the general population. I have been taking Culturelle, which contains Lactobacillus GG, which has been shown to be highly effective against C.diff. Florastor is probably good too, but my research pointed me to Culturelle.

Yes, it is infectious. Use soap and water to sanitize. Do not share dishes, towels (keep towels separate in the bathroom). Launder your clothes, sheets separately at the hottest temperature.

I urge everyone to do your research whenever you are prescribed a drug. I also urge everyone never to take an antibiotic unless there is absolutely no alternative. Too many people do not understand that when the population, at large, takes too many antibiotics, that's exactly how these antibiotic-resistant bacteria develop. Scientists are now in a race to develop newer treatments to eradicate these super-bugs. If only people would stop taking antibiotics irresponsibly, we wouldn't be in this dire situation.

There is actually a pecking order of antibiotics that are safer to take.

Safe and Unsafe Antibiotics:

LIKELY TO CAUSE C. DIFFICILE:
Clindamycin 
Keflex 
Ceftin 
Ceclor 
All other cephalosporins 
Amoxicillin 
Augmentin

MIDDLE OF THE ROAD:
Cipro 
Levoflex (also Levaquin) 
Tequin 
Avelox 
Bactrim 
Erythromycin
Biaxin 
Zithromax

SAFE TO TAKE:
Macrodantin (Macrobid) 
Sulfa 
Aminoglycoside 
Flagyl (metronidiazole) 
Oral and IV Vancomycin

As someone else said, this is not an infection to fool with. You can lose your life. 

[Tissyanne]

Hand sanitiziers DO NOT kill C-Diff germs. You must wash with soap and water. 

[Vivian]

In 2008, I had surgery to remove my thyroid because of cancer. I stayed at the hospital for one night. The ward where I stayed was filthy. This was a teaching hospital that obviously did not adhere to professional sanitary practices. When I went to the bathroom, I was appalled, but what could I do? When I was diagnosed with C-dff, I wasn't surprised. Fortunately, I was cured quickly. Ironically, I did not contract C-diff due to antibiotic therapy. I had been on NO antibiotics. Rather, I contracted the bug because of the hospital's awful practices. I am probably going to have knee replacement this year. I have a choice of hospitals. I will definitely NOT return to that previous hospital.

[SaRina]

@Vivian Florimond, most C.diff. infections occur in health care facilities (termed nocosomial infections) such as hospitals, rehab facilities, nursing homes, because of poor health care practices, and inadequate personal hygiene. The bacteria can be found on thermometers, stethoscopes, medical equipment, on linens, bed rails, everything. C.diff. spores can live on surfaces for months and so they are easy to ingest if you touch an infected surface. 

Whenever you see a healthcare professional, if you do not see them putting on gloves in front of you before they come into contact with you, you need to ask them to wash their hands. Doctors, nurses, technicians are rushed and can be lazy when it comes to patient-to-patient hygiene. We need to be vigilant.

[Financialgrl]

BF has had it - has Alzheimer's and is in a memory care unit.  One of the problems about that - C-Diff spreads more quickly in these close quarters type facilities.  Has his own room and once diagnosed he was given meds and quarantined in his room - which is very hard for someone with no memory to understand.  All meals were brought to him and he was not allowed to return to the social rooms until cleared by a physician.  

[CelticCrafter]

@Vivian - that's how my sister contracted it - either through a hospital stay or from a colonoscopy.

When she was admitted to the hospital for it, I had asked that they humor me and check for it.  No one would listen until 2 weeks later and then all he!! broke loose putting her into quarantine and trying to get it cleared up...

[adelle38]

The best thing you can do is wait for test results and closely consult with your doctor. If I were you I'd contact the doctor now and ask for a recommendation on a probiotic. My doctor recommends Align. Others recommend Culturelle or Florastor.

[Q4u]

I was on some serious antibiotics for about a year on and off and my doctor was amazed that I didn't develop problems because of it.  Unknown to him, I was eating yogurt every day, and when we finally discussed this (I love yogurt and eat it a lot), he said to keep it up, that the active cultures in the yogurt need to be replaced in the gut daily when on antibiotics (which is what a probiotic does)j..... and yogurt is so tasty!

[Snoopp]

@Shiloh09 Take vsl3...doctor recommended this to someone with cdiff in our family.  It is strong.  A good pharmacy or health food store may stock it or can order it. Keep refrigerated.