clostridium dificile infection - Bowel Disorders Message Board

momofsix · 12-27-2003, 02:12 PM

Has anyone ever had this infection? If so, have you had any subsequent problems after initially clearing it up? I had it about 6 weeks ago, but am feeling unwell, with moderate stomache upset and am wondering if this could be connected.

Linda

Harry · 12-28-2003, 08:46 AM

I think the reason your post has not been anwsered is not many people know what kind of infection you're talking about -- I don't???

Please explain what it is and how it affects you??

Thanks---Harry

butterflytrans · 12-28-2003, 12:40 PM

C. difficile infection is an intestinal infection with the bug Clostridium difficile which normally comes after someone has been on antibiotics (i.e. it happens in the hospital a lot). It has to be treated with some very strong antibiotics (i.e. either metronidazole or vancomycin). C. difficile gives you bad diarrhea, makes you feel like cra@#!!, is very contagious and can lead to a very serious complication known as toxic megacolon...i.e. part of your colon becomes inflamed, and it inflates to well beyond its normal calibre. It can lead to perforations and catastrophic infections.

momofsix · 12-28-2003, 12:42 PM

It is an infection you usually get from taking antibiotics. It's a toxin that overgrows when the good bacteria is destroyed by the antibiotic. It can range from mild to life-threatening (should the toxin damage your colon to the point of perforation). Symptoms are large amounts of watery diarrhia, cramps, fever, etc. I can't remember ever feeling that sick before. The treatment is another antibiotic to kill the offending bacteria, but recurrences are apparently common.

MNangel · 12-29-2003, 08:57 PM

I got C Difficile in early October when I was hospitalized for diverticulitis. Didn't know I had diverticulosis. I was on Flagyl and Levaquin, two strong antibiotics, and I caught C. Diff in the hospital. It is a horrible diarrhea. Everything goes right through you. You stomach is always in an up-roar. I was exhausted. I always felt that my intestines were being scraped inside, but I think that may have been the antibiotics. You NEED to stay hydrated. It is treated with Flagyl. It is hard to get rid of because it is a "spore". The antibiotics kill the open spores, but not the ones that are not opened. That's why it is hard to get rid of. It is hard to replace the good flora of bacteria in your system while on antibiotics. I finished my first round of antibiotics and it returned in 5 days. I finished my second round of Flagyl and it returned in 3 days. I am now on Vancomyicin on a pulse-dosing regimen. It is staggered over 6-7 weeks, on and off, to hopefully get rid of it. The hard part is that it can recur within 30 days or so after it is cleared up.

If you think you are still NOT feeling well, you may want to have another stool sample to make sure you do not have a recurrence of C. Difficile. I'm hoping this round of meds will work for me. Good luck and keep us posted. I'm doing lots of praying that this will get cleared up soon. I need to be clear for at least 6 weeks or more before I face LAP Colon Resection surgery. How long did you have c diff?