Jill answers:

Flagyl is appropriate Rx for C difficile pseudomembranous colitis. It usually works within 3-4 days but you are special due to the Crohn’s. Your GI man will need to decide if and when to try switching you from Flagylto something like vancomycin… Or to treat the underlying Crohn’s more aggressively. My guess is that he’ll probably want a few more days on Flagyl unless your diarrhea is severe.

-MDx30y

Jill answers:

No, not necessarily. We sometimes tend to feel better and automatically believe that whatever we had is no longer there. That is not always the case. The infection may still be lingering in your body. If you are taking any type of antbiotics, you should follow the directions instructed.

Jill answers:

I wouldn’t worry too much. If you were wearing an apron and gloves your chances of catching it would be lower. Good hand hygiene and washing your clothes at 60 deg will limiit the spread. I am asuming you are young and have no underlying serious diseases. It usually takes 24-48 hours for you to become symptomatic. Despite the fact you are on antibiotics I wouldn’t be too worried. I have nursed a lot of patients with this and have never caught it.

Jill answers:

Symptoms of C-Difficile are typically watery stools, abdominal pains and high fevers typically around 104.5+

Be sure to keep yourself well hydrated throughout the next couple days though and keep taking your antibiotics and is the recurring issues is still persisting within a couple of days I’d go see your doctor again just to be safe!

Jill answers:

I’m sorry you are feeling so bad.

“C. Diff” is a bacterium formally known as Clostridium difficile. It can cause an infection in your gut called colitis. You can get it from taking antibiotics, because although they kill germs, they also kill microorganisms that are normally present in your gut. Usually this “normal flora” keeps other bacteria under control, but when an antibiotic kills them off it creates an opportunity for C. Difficile to grow.

You may be in for a long haul–because C. Difficile forms spores it can be hard to eradicate.

A probiotic supplement of the yeast Saccharomyces boulardii may be helpful. Do NOT take anything that stops diarrhea, such as Lomotil or Imodium–that only keeps the toxins in your body, and you want to get them OUT.

A hernia is not necessarily dangerous, and you can often have laparoscopic surgery that leaves a small incision and has you up and around in a few days.

Being sick sucks. I’m sorry you have to go through this. I’ve just started a 6-week course of antibiotics for a systemic Mycoplasma infection. It usually causes pneumonia, but I’ve got chronic fatigue syndrome. It just makes me want to scream, but I don’t have the energy.

Http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/c-difficile/DS00736/DSECTION=1

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/inguinal-hernia/DS00364/DSECTION=1

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saccharomyces_boulardii