C Diff Hell

Jeff · 08-11-2005, 03:58 PM

I hope I never go to the hospital for a UTI ever again. I found out that C Diff is much more commonly acquired in hospitals than anywhere else.

My doc ordered me lab tests but started me on Metronidazole right away, based on my description alone. If you've had a C Diff infection you know what I'm talking about. It is the ugliest, nastiest thing that can happen. Because I can hang at home, get work done and get in and out of the shower whenever I want.... then I can survive. Otherwise I would go nuts.

Transmission Factors - An important characteristic of C. difficile-associated diarrhea and colitis is its high prevalence among hospitalized patients. Thus, C. difficile contributes significantly to hospital length of stay, and may be associated in some elderly adults with chronic diarrhea, and occasionally other serious or potentially life-threatening consequences. One study demonstrated that 20% of patients admitted to a hospital for various reasons were either positive for C. difficile on admission or acquired the microorganism during hospitalization. Interestingly, only one-third of these patients developed diarrhea while the remainder were asymptomatic carriers serving as a reservoir of C. difficile infection. The organism and its spores were also demonstrated in the hospital environment, including toilets, telephones, stethoscopes, and hands of healthcare personnel.

http://www.aboutibs.org/Publications/CDifficile.html

BeeBee · 08-11-2005, 04:07 PM

Add to that an intolerance for Flagyl and you have yourself a real party.

Jeff · 08-11-2005, 04:50 PM

BeeBee - Yeah, a real party alright, except with Flagyl I can't have one beer or even cough syrup. I think Vancomycin can be used too. Hmmm......

Jeff · 08-11-2005, 05:03 PM

If you showered ten times today then you might have C Diff.

If you often don't bother getting out of the shower then you might have c Diff.

If you've counted the tiles in your shower then you might have C Diff.

If you no longer bother getting dressed then you might have C Diff.

If you're shopping for depends in designer colors then you might have C Diff.

If, when you're really hungry and you look at a beautiful meal, you just pause and finally shake your head "no" then you might have C Diff.

If there's a long line forming outside your bathroom then you might have C Diff.

If your waste looks like something from the movie "Alien" then you might have C Diff.

If you cannot tolerate even bananas, applesauce, rice and toast then you might have C. Diff.

If you've worn a groove in the carpet leading to the bathroom then you might have C Diff.

If you moved a TV into the restroom then you might have C Diff.

If you just lost fifteen pounds without even trying at all then you just might have C Diff!

Curt Leatherbee · 08-11-2005, 05:45 PM

15 lbs wow, you were thin before, you must be like a rail now. Maybe they should start a tv infomercial called "the C-diff Diet" "Crap away the pounds"

hopefully you'll get feeling better soon.

tegdirb · 08-11-2005, 06:10 PM

Ughhh...having this was probably one of the worst experiences since SCI

I got it from antibiotics I was originally taking for a UTI. Had to go to the ER and was an inpatient for three days. Jeff, I hope you get well soon, I know how bad it sucks.

jplw · 08-11-2005, 06:20 PM

Best of luck with this one Jeff. A good friend of mine had that nasty stuff while we were in rehab together. It extended his stay 2 or 3 weeks and he was a smelly joy to be around. He beat it and so will you. You might have to get one of those plastic bags that make it so you can be on your computer in the shower.

Jeff · 08-11-2005, 07:27 PM

Curt - Thanks. I think my body is getting protein from my muscles. Ouch.

bridget - I got it the same way. Getting antibiotics in the ER. Hope I never go back. It's nice to hear from someone who understands.

jlpw - Thanks for the support. I will beat it indeed!

ancientgimp · 03-20-2011, 08:35 AM

When my wife had C Diff (also due to antibiotics for pneumonia) flagyl wouldn't touch it. Vanco was more effective. They were trying to taper her off vanco by slowly reducing the dose over time. We had a consult with another doc who had just attended a seminar on C Diff. He recommended not tapering but to stop taking vanco for several days, then resuming, stopping, then resuming, etc. The idea was to let the spores start developing, kill them off, let them try again, kill them off, etc. My wife has now been symptom free one year after following his guidelines.

smokey · 03-20-2011, 04:47 PM

Jeff, No shit. I got C. Diff in Dec. while in the hospital. I ended up with a toxic megacolon, went septic, they ripped out my entire large colon and now I have an ileostomy. I lost maybe 25lbs. They really fucked me up good. Filthy bastards.

08-11-2005, 03:58 PM	#1
Jeff Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: North Brunswick, NJ, USA Posts: 6,858	C Diff Hell I hope I never go to the hospital for a UTI ever again. I found out that C Diff is much more commonly acquired in hospitals than anywhere else. My doc ordered me lab tests but started me on Metronidazole right away, based on my description alone. If you've had a C Diff infection you know what I'm talking about. It is the ugliest, nastiest thing that can happen. Because I can hang at home, get work done and get in and out of the shower whenever I want.... then I can survive. Otherwise I would go nuts. Transmission Factors - An important characteristic of C. difficile-associated diarrhea and colitis is its high prevalence among hospitalized patients. Thus, C. difficile contributes significantly to hospital length of stay, and may be associated in some elderly adults with chronic diarrhea, and occasionally other serious or potentially life-threatening consequences. One study demonstrated that 20% of patients admitted to a hospital for various reasons were either positive for C. difficile on admission or acquired the microorganism during hospitalization. Interestingly, only one-third of these patients developed diarrhea while the remainder were asymptomatic carriers serving as a reservoir of C. difficile infection. The organism and its spores were also demonstrated in the hospital environment, including toilets, telephones, stethoscopes, and hands of healthcare personnel. http://www.aboutibs.org/Publications/CDifficile.html __________________ ~See you at the CareCure-used-to-be-paralyzed Reunion ~

08-11-2005, 04:07 PM	#2
BeeBee Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Washington, D.C. Posts: 991	Add to that an intolerance for Flagyl and you have yourself a real party. __________________ BeeBee

08-11-2005, 04:50 PM	#3
Jeff Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: North Brunswick, NJ, USA Posts: 6,858	BeeBee - Yeah, a real party alright, except with Flagyl I can't have one beer or even cough syrup. I think Vancomycin can be used too. Hmmm...... __________________ ~See you at the CareCure-used-to-be-paralyzed Reunion ~

08-11-2005, 05:03 PM	#4
Jeff Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: North Brunswick, NJ, USA Posts: 6,858	If you showered ten times today then you might have C Diff. If you often don't bother getting out of the shower then you might have c Diff. If you've counted the tiles in your shower then you might have C Diff. If you no longer bother getting dressed then you might have C Diff. If you're shopping for depends in designer colors then you might have C Diff. If, when you're really hungry and you look at a beautiful meal, you just pause and finally shake your head "no" then you might have C Diff. If there's a long line forming outside your bathroom then you might have C Diff. If your waste looks like something from the movie "Alien" then you might have C Diff. If you cannot tolerate even bananas, applesauce, rice and toast then you might have C. Diff. If you've worn a groove in the carpet leading to the bathroom then you might have C Diff. If you moved a TV into the restroom then you might have C Diff. If you just lost fifteen pounds without even trying at all then you just might have C Diff! __________________ ~See you at the CareCure-used-to-be-paralyzed Reunion ~

08-11-2005, 05:45 PM	#5
Curt Leatherbee Moderator Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Florida Posts: 9,338	Sorry to hear Jeff that Sucks 15 lbs wow, you were thin before, you must be like a rail now. Maybe they should start a tv infomercial called "the C-diff Diet" "Crap away the pounds" hopefully you'll get feeling better soon.

08-11-2005, 06:10 PM	#6
tegdirb Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Posts: 1,123	Ughhh...having this was probably one of the worst experiences since SCI I got it from antibiotics I was originally taking for a UTI. Had to go to the ER and was an inpatient for three days. Jeff, I hope you get well soon, I know how bad it sucks.

08-11-2005, 06:20 PM	#7
jplw Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: NW Indiana Posts: 993	Best of luck with this one Jeff. A good friend of mine had that nasty stuff while we were in rehab together. It extended his stay 2 or 3 weeks and he was a smelly joy to be around. He beat it and so will you. You might have to get one of those plastic bags that make it so you can be on your computer in the shower. __________________ jOE www.nwiscig.blogspot.com

08-11-2005, 07:27 PM	#8
Jeff Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: North Brunswick, NJ, USA Posts: 6,858	Curt - Thanks. I think my body is getting protein from my muscles. Ouch. bridget - I got it the same way. Getting antibiotics in the ER. Hope I never go back. It's nice to hear from someone who understands. jlpw - Thanks for the support. I will beat it indeed! __________________ ~See you at the CareCure-used-to-be-paralyzed Reunion ~

03-20-2011, 08:35 AM	#9
ancientgimp Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Michigan Posts: 3,055	When my wife had C Diff (also due to antibiotics for pneumonia) flagyl wouldn't touch it. Vanco was more effective. They were trying to taper her off vanco by slowly reducing the dose over time. We had a consult with another doc who had just attended a seminar on C Diff. He recommended not tapering but to stop taking vanco for several days, then resuming, stopping, then resuming, etc. The idea was to let the spores start developing, kill them off, let them try again, kill them off, etc. My wife has now been symptom free one year after following his guidelines.

03-20-2011, 04:47 PM	#10
smokey Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Massachusetts, USA Posts: 1,865	Jeff, No shit. I got C. Diff in Dec. while in the hospital. I ended up with a toxic megacolon, went septic, they ripped out my entire large colon and now I have an ileostomy. I lost maybe 25lbs. They really fucked me up good. Filthy bastards.

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