Surgery and c-dif

[Dianna1252]

I recently had a very large polyp removed from my rectum, a rectovaginal fistula repair, and chunks of my butt literally scooped out where infection was trapped. At any rate I became incontinent immediately after and may have c-dif. I am presently on my second series of Flagyl and seem to be making "some" improvements although I see that this is a very difficult bacteria to get rid of. Just wondering if anyone else has had any similiar experiences with c-dif?

 

[beth]

I've had C-Diff. A week of Metronidazol killed it off - so maybe I had it easy.

 

[Dianna1252]

Thanks Beth...you were fortunate, and I appreciate your reply....

 

[AgB621]

I had C. Diff (at least we're pretty sure that's what it was) and my gastroenterologist believes it's what activated my Crohn's in the first place. I was on vancomycin for 7 weeks, but that might have been overkill. Good luck, C. Diff is nothing short of horrible, I hope you get to feeling better soon!

 

[kello82]

yup i had c-diff back in october of '98 (i sound like an elder talking of war days or something lol!)
it was thought to have come on because i was on like 3 courses of antibiotics shortly before that for bronchitis...ear infection...bronchitis... it never ended!
was in the hospy for a week, no eat or drink, and on iv flagyl. recovered from the c-diff, but never fully returned to normal and was tested and finally dx with crohns the following january.

THEN this past november, i had cdiff symptoms- nausea, PAIN after eating, diharrea 99483 times a day. stool culture came back neg, but GI put me on vancomycin anyways and i started feeling better.
so who knows what the deal was!

from what i remember the cdiff does take a long time to go away. you feel better so slowly, its almost hard to even notice.

are you feeling any better?

 

[AgB621]

kello - I've heard you need three negative stool cultures before you can rule out C. Diff so it sounds likely to me that you had it again. I had two negative cultures so we never knew for sure it was what I had but because it had started after antibiotics for me too, we just assumed. C. Diff is a tricky diagnosis to pin down.

 

[kello82]

huh.
thats interesting AgB no one has EVER told me that before!
but im with you, its like if you have all the symptoms and the treatment takes care of it then are you gonna believe the test over what is actually happeneing?
i dont think so lol

 

[Dianna1252]

still at it

I am on my third script for Flagyl....not as horrible as the symptoms of c-diff, however.... put the pill in a ward of peanut butter and swallow...ugh.

I am going to a specialist at Boston Medical Center to see what I get from them. My surgeon hasn't done stool cultures and says I will come out of this. Can he know that for sure.....I don't think so...

I know it can take months for some folks and even at that I hope I get through it.

In all my years this has been the worst experience to date as my fellow sufferers can attest.

Thanks to all who have responded. I feel better on the Flagyl but once I try to come off I am back at square one. UGH, UGH, UGH!!!!

Be well all.....I'm trying.........

 

[kello82]

do you have to put it in the PB bc of the nasty taste?
the name brand flagyl has a coating that makes it soooo much easier to swallow. you can ask your doc to specify a NOT GENERIC script for you and then the pharmacy will give you name brand. only problem is that its pretty expensive i think....but depending on your insurance, it might be ok. for me, my prescriptions become free after i hit a certain deductible which i ALWAYS hit well before the year is up.
also, im taking 375 mg 3 times a day(for abcess, not c-diff), and they are in capsules. i think they are generic too. just something to ask about i guess.

good luck

 

[Dianna1252]

Thanks

Thanks Kello.....good point about capsules with less metallic taste. Yes put in p/b to kill that awful aftertaste. I don't know why they don't give us the option. As much as I don't want to pay more than I have to, I'd be willing to pay the difference for a better aftertaste.

I hope your abcess clears. I've been plaqued with them also. Very painful so I hope the antibiotics work.

Best wishes. Keep us posted.

Dianna

 

[kello82]

my abcess is actually doing pretty well, still draining a tad, but ive been fever free for a while now. and no new fistulas formed. the doc is just keeping me on the antibiotcs for maintenence for now i suppose.

thank you for the concern though