Scared of C. Difficile ... diarrhea started AFTER antibiotics

[Njoy704]

I finished a 10 day course of amoxicillin clavulanate 4 days ago. While on the antibiotic, I didn't really experience diarrhea. Just loose stools once a day. Well, last night I woke up from abdominal cramps and had to use the bathroom. My stool was loose but not watery. And today, I've gone about 3 times and my last stool was watery. I don't have abdominal cramping or a fever. But I'm worried if this is c. Difficile or just a side effect from the antibiotic . Anyone else experience diahrrea AFTER antibiotics? It's been 8 hours since I last used the bathroom, so I wouldn't say I have severe diarrhea. And I know if my symptoms persist I'll be heading to Urgent Care since it's thanksgiving and my doctor is closed until next week. But was just wondering if anyone has experienced this. And if c. Difficile gives you constant stomach cramps and diahrrea.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Withdrawing the antibiotic, if it causing it, is usually the way they treat it and the body recovers unless it's a more severe infection. Antibiotics can cause it by killing off the good gut flora, which they always do as they don't discriminate between good & bad, and this reduces the bodies ability to protect against this type of infection. So, if withdrawing the antibiotic alone works, then it must mean the guy flora recover and the body takes care of the infection. Maybe some probiotics could help?

Could it be the original issue resurfacing that you needed the antibiotics for?

[dizzy daisy]

Used to work for infectious disease dept. This infection is usually caused in patients who have impaired immune system and have been on a range of wide spectrum antibiotics for a long period of time. Or people who are exposed to c diff spores can contact the infection but you'd have to have been in very close contract with an infected patient. The stools from C. difficile are extremely loose- non formed - in other words very watery, extremely explosive and the smell is out of this world!! It's common to have tummy upsets following a course of antibiotics so please try not to worry, c diff is not at all likely.
Xxxx

[MyNameIsTerry]

in other words very watery, extremely explosive and the smell is out of this world!!

I don't envy your old job, daisy, it must have been like a WW1 battelfield :blush::D

[dizzy daisy]

It was interesting let's just say ha ha. Xxxx

[Njoy704]

Thank you for the replies. Had a single bowel movement that was solid yesterday (yay!). But it had some mucus on it which still made my health anxiety go haywire because it made me think of antibiotic colitis . This morning it was loose. So I made an appointment to see my doctor, but he can't see me until next wednesday . Until then , my health anxiety will be on overdrive.

---------- Post added at 16:50 ---------- Previous post was at 16:46 ----------


Used to work for infectious disease dept. This infection is usually caused in patients who have impaired immune system and have been on a range of wide spectrum antibiotics for a long period of time. Or people who are exposed to c diff spores can contact the infection but you'd have to have been in very close contract with an infected patient. The stools from C. difficile are extremely loose- non formed - in other words very watery, extremely explosive and the smell is out of this world!! It's common to have tummy upsets following a course of antibiotics so please try not to worry, c diff is not at all likely.
Xxxx

So I've read from people that the lab rejects formed stools when testing for c. Difficile. Is this true? So if my doctor orders a stool test, should I turn in a loose specimen? How many specimens is usually tested per order? Last time I had to turn in a stool sample for something else, the lab told me to freeze it until I can turn it in. Does freezing kill the c. Difficile bacteria though and more likely to get a false negative?

[dizzy daisy]

they don't test formed stools that's correct. The only stools they'd test are the type that look like swamp water because that's what c diff looks like. It's also horrific smell wise. I know number 2's aren't known to smell nice. Let's just say when one of our patients had c diff you could smell it from the ward entrance it's pungent!! Xxxx

---------- Post added at 17:11 ---------- Previous post was at 17:10 ----------

Don't freeze the sample they prefer them fresh xxxx

[Njoy704]

they don't test formed stools that's correct. The only stools they'd test are the type that look like swamp water because that's what c diff looks like. It's also horrific smell wise. I know number 2's aren't known to smell nice. Let's just say when one of our patients had c diff you could smell it from the ward entrance it's pungent!! Xxxx

---------- Post added at 17:11 ---------- Previous post was at 17:10 ----------

Don't freeze the sample they prefer them fresh xxxx


Hmmmm... I can't see my doctor until next thursday now. Which means I collect my stool Friday and can't turn it in until Monday morning when the lab opens. I'm reading differing information on freezing a c. Diff specimen . I'm getting the EIA test as it's the only one available through the lab I'll be referred to. Now I'm worried I'll get a false reading :weep:

[Elen]

In the meantime some natural yoghurt may help to promote the healthy bacteria you need in your gut.

[dizzy daisy]

Yes Yakult and natural yogurt products are good following antibiotic use. Xxxx

[debs71]

My suspicion is that you would be far more unwell, even with what they call 'mild' C. difficile, than you describe to be honest.

I nursed a child with C.dif, and their stools were horrendous - like sludgy, green water and the smell was awful. The child was also very unwell indeed with a high temp.....not pleasant at all.

It sounds far more like side effects from a lengthy dose of antibiotics, but you also mention mucus in your stool......could IBS be an option/thought??

Both being unwell and stress/worry can stir that up. x

[MyNameIsTerry]

Well that's put me off the chocolate moose in the fridge :D

You've been going a lot so the mucus could just be from that. I've had piles over 20 years and if there has been too much straining or even loose activity in that area, I get mucus. Mucus is an inflammatory response and all that activity in that area is bound to have an impact.

[Njoy704]

Well that's put me off the chocolate moose in the fridge :D

You've been going a lot so the mucus could just be from that. I've had piles over 20 years and if there has been too much straining or even loose activity in that area, I get mucus. Mucus is an inflammatory response and all that activity in that area is bound to have an impact.

Is it weird that I'm now craving chocolate mousse since you mentioned it? Lol

---------- Post added at 23:37 ---------- Previous post was at 23:33 ----------


My suspicion is that you would be far more unwell, even with what they call 'mild' C. difficile, than you describe to be honest.

I nursed a child with C.dif, and their stools were horrendous - like sludgy, green water and the smell was awful. The child was also very unwell indeed with a high temp.....not pleasant at all.

It sounds far more like side effects from a lengthy dose of antibiotics, but you also mention mucus in your stool......could IBS be an option/thought??

Both being unwell and stress/worry can stir that up. x

Could be IBS. I've never been tested for it. I've read c. Diff is constant diahrrea, which I don't have. Just the fact I got these stomach issues AFTER the antibiotics and not during, is what scared me. Your experience has calmed me somewhat. I definitely don't have sludgy green water coming out.

[MyNameIsTerry]

Is it weird that I'm now craving chocolate mousse since you mentioned it? Lol



Well at least you have your appetite and thats always a good sign. :D

My mum was in hospital with pneumonia (she's mid seventies so they are cautious and she has asthma and blood pressure meds) and she was on both IV and oral antibiotics. She spent a large amount of her hospital stay on the toilet so it was lucky she had a private room with a toilet in. It was just the antibiotics as she knew.

When she came out we insisted she eat a yogurt daily and she did find it helped her.

Actimel is good too because the bacterial strain in that is know to help other strains in the body.

So, I would suggest (as Elen did) that you eat some of these things because antibiotics kill off the healthy flora. Healthy flora starts in the mouth and ends at the anus and for women it exits (:blush:) and then re-enters the vagina for health in that area. It's not just the gut where these things are and they are very important to our health. 150 trillion in the body dealing with digestion, bowel health and even brain health. There are more genes in this system that the rest of the body so they are very important and antiobiotics disturb the balance by killing them off and allowing candida albicans to multiply unchecked until balance is restored. So, giving them a bit of support will help keep you healthy and possibly prevent other conditions such as thrush which can result from healthy bacteria not being in balance. Prebiotics (soluble fibres) are helpful too since thats what they eat, so things like onions and bananas are useful.

[debs71]

I have been taking a daily probiotic capsule for many months now, and I must say I would highly recommend it.

I have IBS, bloating problems, etc. and since taking the probiotic my symptoms have calmed down significantly.

I would defininitely giving them a shot, to anyone who has gastro issues.

[MyNameIsTerry]

I have been taking a daily probiotic capsule for many months now, and I must say I would highly recommend it.

I have IBS, bloating problems, etc. and since taking the probiotic my symptoms have calmed down significantly.

I would defininitely giving them a shot, to anyone who has gastro issues.

Yeah, a member on here started me off on my own reading about probiotics, lilharry. I've seen plenty of people saying how they helped them when they had tried all the meds which did nothing for them. They will be a big helper for constipation & bowel issues if you take the strains present in the colon and it makes sense that not having enough in there is going to be an issue for people with things like IBS.

I make sure I eat a good portion of yogurt daily and bung an Actimel on top but I'm going to brewing my own water kefir soon (thanks to lilharry for some informative posts ages back when I first joined) which delivers far more than any commercial product there is. My digestion is certainly better for taking the steps I have so far.