I came down with C. diff at the end of the COVID pandemic in 2021. A dentist prescribed Clindamycin as prophylaxis prior to a minor dental procedure. I wasn’t aware it was C. diff at first, my primary care physician diagnosed me with C. diff after numerous tests. I was first misdiagnosed with a stomach virus and was prescribed antibiotics, which made the problem even worse. Then after a stool test, the C. diff was detected along with toxins A & B. He prescribed vancomycin (yet another antibiotic). After a 10 day course of that I was ok for about two weeks. When I  developed symptoms again, severe diarrhea constantly, it was with me 24 hours a day 7 day a week.

For the next two years, I went through 7 relapses and tried various other therapies – Dificid, Zinplava and still more vancomycin. I was generally OK for about two weeks following cessation of the medications. Zinplava being notable exception, we managed almost 10 weeks. After every medication I had high hopes for a resolution, only to crash once again. It takes a toll. I suffer from PTSD from my service in Vietnam and PTSD was compounded further by C. diff.

I finally got an appointment with a specialist at NYU Langone and he prescribed a medication called Vowst. It did the trick. That was almost exactly a year ago. I’ve been symptom free since. C. diff is an absolutely devastating disease. I was unable to leave the house, or sleep comfortably. I was trapped in my home for the entirety of the disease.