Worried about C Diff with antibiotics

[ErinKC]

I've been doing pretty well this week, but I'm on day 4 of antibiotics for an ear/sinus infection. I rarely take antibiotics, but when I do I never have gastro issues. I'm taking a daily probiotic in between the doses but today my stools are very loose and I've gone 4 times. Of course, since I have health anxiety, I'm getting worried about C diff.

[nomorepanic]

I have never heard of anyone getting c diff from antibiotics. Diarrhea however is completely normal and I get it every time.

[ErinKC]

Thanks, Nicola. I know it's uncommon in healthy young adults. I just got nervous since I've never gotten diarrhea from antibiotics in my life. I called my doctor and left a message. I think I'm also extra worried since I got this from a drop in clinic vs. my regular doctor. So, hopefully she'll give me a call back and I can run it by her.

[StephA]

I’ve had C Diff three times, and you’ll know it if you have it. Don’t worry just yet. If the diarrhea increases in frequency, and you have mucus and blood with it see a doc. I’m not saying it to scare you, but it can and does happen in folks who haven’t been in the hospital or nursing home setting. C Diff spores are everywhere in the environment! This is why I HATE when doctor’s give out antibiotics “just in case”! C Diff is confusing to lots of folks. I never heard of it until I had it the first time! How you get it is you have the spores in your gut, and antibiotics kill off all your good gut bacteria and the spores take over causing C Diff infection. That is IF you have spores. A small percentage of folks have them naturally in their gut. . Other’s aquire them in a hospital (even if you just visit someone there), or like I said, even in a community setting. This is why it’s SO important to wash your hands properly before and after handling food, before you eat and after using the bathroom. Hand sanitizer does not kill C Diff spores either. This is why hand washing is so important. Anyway, don’t WORRY! Just monitor. You may try some probiotics. Just a tidbit for anyone reading this: MOST respiratory infections, such as sinus, sore throat, bronchitis are viral. Only reason I mentioned that is because the infectious disease doc who treated my C Diff said most antibiotics given out are for respiratory things and they aren’t needed. So just FYI.

[ErinKC]

Did you get it from just regular antibiotic use? Or were you in the hospital? I'm hoping my doctor calls back soon because I thinking perhaps I should stop taking the antibiotics, but I don't want to without her OK.

[Magic]

Its very common for certain antibiotics to give you loose stools.
Perhaps if you are worried perhaps a different antibiotic will help:hugs:

[BikerMatt]

If you're taking an antibiotic ending in cyin eg erythromycin, clyndamycin or clarithromycin they are renowned for giving you tummy troubles.

I know this because i'm allergic to penicillin and that means i have to take one of the cyin's

It's really not a worry and if you had Cdiff you would know it.

[ErinKC]

Thanks, everyone. I'm on a cephalosporin, which I guess is one of the ones with a higher instance of C. diff. I can't remember every taking this one - but I've only been on antibiotics a handful of times in my adult life. I took amoxicillin last year for strep throat and had no problems with my stomach.

I guess I'm working myself up extra because I was prescribed this at the walk in clinic rather than my doctor, who I think is more conservative with antibiotics. My anxiety has been pretty bad in the last few months and I'd been to my doctor a few times and felt embarrassed to call her again. Plus, I'd been in her office a year or so earlier for similar problems. My left is is my achilles heal, it's always getting full of fluid, but generally clears with allergy meds. She always tells me to use Flonase, but spraying stuff up my nose makes me anxious so I never do it.

So, I also didn't go to her because I knew she'd tell me that and I wouldn't want to listen. Now, I'm on antibiotics and my anxiety keeps making me think terrible thoughts like that I'll get C diff, which is potentially deadly, and I could pass it to my 4 year old, which would be even worse, and it'll all be because of my stupid anxiety. Because I (a) can't tell when a problem is serious or not, and (b) inappropriately use my doctor so that when I do have a problem I'm to ashamed to go, (c) didn't treat the problem the way she initially suggested with the flonase because of my anxiety.... So, I'm just in quite a spiral.

I'm supposed to bring my daughter to swimming lessons tonight, go to a yoga class, and then volunteer with her class on Friday and all I keep thinking of are all the opportunities to pick up C diff now that I'm more vulnerable to it!

I did email a new therapist down the road from me and I'm waiting to hear back from her about her availability. I'd been seeing someone about 30 minutes away with little availability so I'm hoping this person can fit me in as a regular client and I can go more often because I'm just so sick of it.

Also, if my doctor calls me back (I left a message with the receptionist) I'm also going to tell her I want to make an appointment to discuss anxiety meds.

---------- Post added at 15:38 ---------- Previous post was at 15:37 ----------

I had also been waiting on taking the antibiotic today until I heard from my doctor, but since she hasn't called me back and I was supposed to take 2 hours ago I just finally went ahead and took it.

[travelgirl77]

Hi! I was also recently really, really scared of taking antibiotics for an infected tooth because I worried about C.Diff. I went ahead and bought FloraStor which is super pricey but is the one probiotic that does not get annihilated by antibiotics. I was on it for about 9-10 days and even though my stools were a little looser I ended up ok. Please do not just stop taking your antibiotics before talking with your doctor.

[ErinKC]

I'm having such a hard time with this. I took my meds a few hours late yesterday because I was really hoping to speak with my doctor first. But, she never called back, so I took them 2.5 hours late at 1:30pm. I thought she'd call back by the end of the day and I could ask what I should do about the next dose since it would be due at 1:30am. But she didn't. I was feeling nauseous all day and didn't want to take it right before bed, so I went to sleep without. I woke up around 3:30 soaked in sweat and so anxious. I sat up and cried with my husband until 4:45 when he gets up to go to the gym, and decided to get up and take the pill. Then I finally fell back to sleep for a few hours.

Now I've woken up and already had another loose stool and generally feel crummy. I'm going to call my doctor again when she opens, but I'm just so so sad really. Sad I can't cope with something as simple as an ear ache and a week of antibiotics. Sad my life has never been the same in the 4 years since my daughter was born because of this anxiety. I just feel really, really sad today.

I'm going to ask my doctor about meds for the anxiety and I have a new therapist appointment Monday.

I'm so tired.

[josh1987]

How you going with This?

[ErinKC]

I called my doctor's office and she had left a response with her receptionist last night to keep taking the meds and the probiotic and to call back if the diarrhea got worse so I could be tested for C. diff. I'm just really, really frustrated because I wanted to speak with my doctor so I could ask her more questions about the timing of the meds and how I messed it up timing wise and the likelihood of C. diff. I also wanted to ask about anxiety meds.

[ErinKC]

I'm having a tough day today. I feel a lot better yesterday and took my meds without worrying. This morning I woke up feeling much better than yesterday. Then I went downstairs and realized my cat had pooped a massive wet poop outside the litter box and covered it with plastic bags. He goes on the floor all the time because he's horrible. My whole house smelled, so I quickly cleaned it up, only then realizing this could possibly put me at risk for c diff since I'm on antibiotics. I checked online... I know. A small percentage of cats carry it and it's sometimes the same strain humans have so it's potentially possible to transmit. I know this is ridiculous. I know. I'm so tired of this. I have my new therapist appointment Monday and I sent my doctor a message about getting medication. I want to live a normal life.

[Snowgirl82]

I know this post is older, but I wanted to give my experience. I developed c diff from Clindamycin. While it was unpleasant (you will KNOW if you have it), I fully recovered after a 10 day round of Vancomycin. I do need to be careful and avoid antibiotics in the future because I will now be more susceptible to getting it again. This is the part I get anxious about. The “what if” I need an antibiotic. My dr ha told me we will cross that bridge when we come to it. Most people fully recover unless they are elderly and already extremely ill. Even the - not a death sentence. There are treatments and it doesn’t have to be that scary.