I had recent surgery (laparoscopic) for endometriosis. After surgery, I was told to take cefuroxime. I was given three pills. I took all three and by the second one, I knew I was very sick. I returned to my OBGyn several times and told I had “anxiety” about returning to work. I relayed my symptoms of extreme lethargy, nausea, low grade fever, and unable to keep any food down. The worst was the diarrhea. It went on forever and at the height of my illness I was having 30 or more bowel movements a day. The doctor didn’t think it was serious and I began to notice I was having pus coming from my sutures and an overall feeling of not being well.

After the third visit to my doctor’s office, he relented and gave me a stool sample. It was after this test I was diagnosed with C. diff. It was more than 10 days after surgery and many trips back and forth. I was referred to a gastroenterologist as my doctor said he didn’t treat C. diff. I went to the new doctor and well, let’s just say he wasn’t doing it for me. I had an initial reaction to Flagyl and was prescribed vancomycin which gave me a similar reaction. I ended up in the ER of my local hospital for the reaction (hives and low blood pressure) and was told by the ER doctor I needed to seek the advice of an Infectious Disease doctor.

The Infectious Disease doctor was my Angel of Mercy. He did not give up and worked with the pharmacist to have vancomycin compounded and began me on a 21 day course. It seemed to take forever and I was left with lingering anxiety and doubts about contracting C. diff again. I learned to be my own advocate and to not accept no for answer if I feel I have an issue. My last bout with it was in 2006 which caused an autoimmune reaction and left me with rheumatoid arthritis for the rest of my life. I am careful about ingesting antibiotics and kind of a germaphobe now. I wish I had never heard of Clostridium difficile.