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 lasted approximately 5 months with 2 recurrences. I was given Flagyl twice and Vancomycin but I did recover and became functional. So grateful for this time although it did leave me with IBS symptoms which were manageable. Again VERY grateful for this time!
I developed C. diff again in the summer of 2021. It literally hit me overnight. At first I thought I could have a GI manifestation of COVID. I had been so healthy, so I didn’t go to the doctor until I developed sepsis, 12 days after symptom onset. I was hospitalized for 3 days initially. Since that time I CANNOT get over it. I’ve done Vancomycin 4 times and Dificid 2 times. I get better on antibiotics and then the C. diff recurs. During the course of my work up with GI, I was found to have an immune deficiency and thought to have Common Variable Immunodeficiency. However this diagnosis is in question, although the immune deficiency is not. I am not a candidate for FMT due to my immune deficiency. My immunologist is trying to prescribe IVIG which might get me there but insurance, as we all know, is a nightmare.
Currently hanging out on Vancomycin and hoping to get the IVIG worked out. My faith is in God and His plan for my life so I am not without hope but I sure wouldn’t mind getting rid of C. diff.
Update: I have a happy update to my story as insurance has FINALLY approved IVIG. This process took almost a full year. My immunologist swears this will make a huge difference for me so am very excited to see an end to the endless C. diff cycles.
Other Stories
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Mira
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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…
