I feel for you! My C-Diff brought out my Crohn's disease. I never knew I had it and I had no signs what so ever before my C-diff!!Emily, I'm so sorry you had to go through that!! Having C.Diff and Crohn's sure makes things more complicated. I went to see a new gastroenterologist yesterday and am feeling a bit better about things. He wants to see if I test negative for the C.Diff and if I do, then that means I'm having a Crohn's flare. It's definitely a process of elimination (no pun intended). Hope you're feeling better!!
The life cycle of C. difficile begins in the spore form. These spores are easily transmitted as they are resistant to heat, acid, and antibiotics. The spores can remain viable for months outside of the human body. In the hospital, they can be found on bedding, furniture, medical equipment, as well as on the skin and jewelry of caregivers.8 Once ingested, the spores pass through the upper digestive tract into the intestines where they can germinate and colonize the colon. A study showed that 21% of patients receiving antibiotics and admitted to a general medical ward were colonized by this bacterium.9 Healthy individuals are usually protected from CDI by the normal bacterial flora of the gut, which resists C. difficile’s colonization and growth. Disruption of the normal microflora by antibiotics allows C. difficile to proliferate, produce toxins, and cause disease.10 C. difficile induces diarrhea and colitis through the release of two protein exotoxins, toxin A and toxin B. Greater than 60% of the population has serum and colonic antibody responses to these toxins.11,12 Low or absent concentrations of serum IgG antibody against C. difficile toxins has been shown to confer a greater risk of CDI among hospitalized patients who become colonized by this bacterium.13 Toxigenic C. difficile can be identified in more than 95% of pseudomembranous colitis cases and in 15%–25% of antibiotic-associated diarrhea cases.14,15
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The role of probiotics in the prevention of C. difficile remains unclear.60,61 There are many studies in the literature regarding probiotics in the prevention of antibiotic-associated diarrhea, but fewer studies looking at probiotics in the prevention of CDI. In 2004, Plummer et al reported a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial examining the role of probiotics (Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium) in the prevention of CDI.62 In this study, 150 consecutive patients receiving antibiotic therapy were randomized to receiving the probiotic or placebo. The results showed that, on the basis of developing diarrhea, only 2.9% of stool samples in the probiotic group were positive for C. difficile-associated toxins versus 7.25% in the placebo-controlled group. Despite this finding, the total number of patients who tested positive for C. difficile was actually higher in the probiotic group (n = 11) than in the placebo group (n = 9), so the effect of the probiotic in this study is uncertain. S. boulardii does not appear to be effective in primary prevention of CDI.33,63 At this time, there is insufficient evidence to support the widespread use of probiotics for the primary prevention of CDI. Larger randomized control trials are needed to support its use.
Thank You for your response. I will wait a couple of weeks and then if I still feel uncomfortable about not being re-tested I can always call my Gastroenterologist and ask him to re-test me. I was not really having any crazy symptoms before I got tested with the C-diff on March 31st, just the diarrhea (?). But I have had diarrhea for many years.Ann, you will know when the C-Diff is gone. Stools are a different color, smell changes, pain is gone, and you can leave the bathroom. Hang in there! Took me, a while and lots of meds, but it's gone. I did give another sample.
My PCP gave me Flagyl and I had diarrhea every day that I was on it.....six days ! My new Gastroenterologist prescribed me Vancomycin. The Vancomycin had to be Authorized by my Health Insurance Company before they would let the Pharmacy fill my Vancomycin prescription. PLUS, it was very expensive for me, even though my Insurance Company paid 67 percent of the cost. I paid 33 percent of the cost.......$405.22....for a two week supply ( four pills a day for fourteen days ). I had to take it, so I paid the price.Glad I found this support group I have had Cdiff 3 years ago whilst in hospital , it cleared up quickly, I recently (may) had some antibiotics because of my excema becoming infected which I turn brough C-diff back into my life was hospitalized in June with it, now July and had a few courses of metronidazole and have had 2 negative stool samples , my only problems is , the minute I finish a course of antibiotics the symptoms start again (explosive D - too the point that I'm having accidents , nausea, fever) my doctor isn't being massively helpful , there is another antiobiotic that they can try but he said it's very strong so not yet. I've been off work for 3 weeks now (I work in healthcare so their very strict about working with this condition) am very fed up now , I just want to be well again
Do you mean the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota or Arizona ? Insurance companies suck. I know that my Insurance Company helps me a lot ( there was a time when I had NO health insurance ) but the cost the patient has to pay now-a-days is getting higher and higher. Not to mention that stupid "coverage gap" for my prescription medications ! Take Care and keep sharing with us. I would like to know more about FMT too.My father is in the hospital and c diff test came back positive. He has had 3 bouts of c diff already and I am pushing for the fecal transplant. He is scared and depressed and the doctors are going to release him tomorrow. The GI's that he is seeing do not perform the fecal transplant and the Mayo clinic will not take Bluecross Blueshield. He is having horrible cramps and having too many accidents. He is now 115 lbs and is gagging on food. What can I do??
Thank you for your input.I have never been retested for C-Diff. I would think that they are very sure of the efficacy of medications for this, otherwise they would ask everyone back to be retested. No point in half treating a patient.
It is most probably clostridium difficile.Does the c-diff make your bowel movements smell really bad ? Or does the vancomycin make it smell bad ? Or is my new probiotic making my bm's smell real bad ?
Flagyl caused numbness in my hands.Ref: Flagyl nausea
**Please consult with your doctor before taking any medications **
Flagyl is known to cause nausea. I was prescribed Metoclopramide 10 mg (trade name: Metonia) to deal with the nausea by the surgeon who performed the bowel resection. This has worked for me.
My GI specialist said Gravol is safe for me to use and should combat the nausea with my current Flagyl. I haven't taken Gravol yet, but I will post once I do.
I am allergic to flagyl. Have you tried probiotic? I have been told to double up when I am on antibiotics.Hey everyone! Just wanted to share my experience with C-diff and Crohn's!
I actually got C-Diff from taking an antibiotic that was given to me for a skin lesson I was suffering from. This antibiotic was far too strong for my body and I ended up getting C-diff from that. I ended up in the hospital and was put on Flagyl, was then sent home after a week. Turns out- Im allergic to Flagyl! Came back to the hospital after 1 day, was put on another drug to get rid of the C-diff.. Was sent home after another week. Came back 2 days later because I was still experiencing horrible symptoms. It was the 3rd hospitalization that they put me on the IV antibiotics. When i got my 3rd negative C-Diff stool test, they did a colonoscopy and endoscopy on me and that was when I was diagnosed with severe Crohn's!
November was sure 1 heck of a month!
Emily, 17, Ontario, Canada
Currently taking 150mg of Imuran, daily