Maria W.
On February 3, 2020, I had a left breast lumpectomy and sentinel node dissection for breast cancer. On February 8, 2020, at around 10:00 pm I suddenly got pain and an urge to run to the bathroom, that’s when diarrhea started. Within an hour I was also vomiting and feverish. I waited too long that night to have my husband take me into the emergency room. At first, I thought I had food poisoning or something until it turned red with blood. The pain was unbearable. I had taken three Imodium the day before for what I thought was my irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), which now I know was a grave error.
The ER told me I had C. diff. The likely cause, they believed was from pre-operative antibiotics given to me a few days before. I was given three bags of IV fluid and IV Vancomycin and sent home with that prescription for 125 mg four times a day for 10 days. Within 24 hours of my diagnosis, my husband was in the ER with the same thing – C. diff. He was put on Flagyl and recovered right away, and has had no lingering effects. I was able to get a little better, then things started up again. I returned to the ER, and this time the ER doctor prescribed Vancomycin 250 mg four times a day for 14 days. Still no changes, and then I saw the gastroenterologist who took me off the antibiotic and told me to take pre-biotics twice a day.
I’m now going on day 40 with no improvements. Some days are worse than others. My doctor’s office called to schedule a flexible sigmoidoscopy which is coming up soon. Prior to the C. diff and over my lifetime, I have had Salmonella, Giardiasis, and Cryptosporidium, all severe and nearly fatal cases. At this point, I am assuming my colon is so extremely damaged that my conditions will never improve. I’m worried that I will end up losing my colon.
I’m now learning which I didn’t know before, that there are many people who never get better. I feel that the medical community could do a better job with education on C. diff, as cases and the severity are increasing. I have not been able to work and may never be able to again. My paid time off is used up, and so the burden is now on my husband. I’m so blessed to have such a supportive man in my life.
Other Stories
-
Mira
In December of 2019, my husband got sick with C. diff. It was after he was prescribed antibiotics for what they thought was a case of diverticulitis. In hindsight, it’s clear he may have simply had C. diff all along. He was treated with vancomycin… -
Beth W.
My story began in 2018 when I went to see a colorectal surgeon for the incision of a thrombosed hemorrhoid. In order to ‘prevent’ an infection, the surgeon prescribed me both Amoxicillin 800mg 2x daily and Vancomycin 500mg 3x daily. Upon completio… -
Mollie Lauck
My Husband and I were expecting our first child. We were so very excited. My Pregnancy was complicated to begin with- I was considered “Advanced Maternal Age” and had Hypertension and Gestational Diabetes. Though it was a labor of love, Pregnancy … -
Ken Fredrickson
I’m 62 and generally healthy, I’ve never had an intestinal issue. I went to the ER on Jan 2, 2023 and a CT scan revealed Diverticulitis. They sent me home with a 2 week course of antibiotics. Four days after completing the antibiotics, I developed… -
Jan
I am a healthy active older woman. On March 1, 2019 I had an explosive episode of diarrhea, out of the blue, no idea what caused it. The smell was indescribable, like nothing I had ever experienced in my long life. That was the beginning of a long… -
Dr. Melissa Geraghty, Psy.D.
At the start of 2018 I was diagnosed with C. diff. I never really heard much about C. diff outside of people acquiring it in a hospital setting or people of advanced age contracting it. Oh, was I wrong. After being sick for about 8 weeks with w… -
Cassie Padilla
As a nurse for 35 years I thought I knew a lot about C. diff but as a patient I’ve discovered I knew NOTHING about C. diff. I have had 2 episodes of C. diff in my life. The first was in 2017 following (prophylactic) antibiotics after surgery. That… -
Julia
I’ve been suffering from this infection for the past few years. When I was first diagnosed, I was shocked and thought this was something that only the elderly suffered from. It’s been 3 years since my first infection, and I still suffer daily. I’v… -
Sue
I had emergency surgery for a ruptured appendix and was given SO MANY antibiotics in the hospital. I was also given Protonix for the acid reflux that resulted from all the antibiotics. Looking at the list of risk factors for C. diff, I fit every o… -
Howard
While many of us who battle C diff have quick success with the usual antibiotics, the purpose of my entry here is to emphasize the high rate of success of the Fecal Microbiota Transplant. My C diff experience was such that A) a lengthy course of V…
