C Diff symptoms – If you feel you may have a c difficile infection after reading this page, seek medical confirmation, as the symptoms described may also cover other illnesses. C Difficile symptoms often occur after treatment with antibiotics for another condition. It would be best if you considered that when checking the signs below.
C Diff Answers On This Page
What causes c diff symptoms?
As many as 1 in 6 people may carry c difficile in their intestine but not have an active infection. The active infection often happens when antibiotics or medical prescriptions taken for other conditions also impact gut bacteria that were not the original target. These ‘good’ bacteria will have been holding the c difficile in check. They now interact with the contents of the intestine, and their toxins provoke diarrhoea, a common c diff symptom.
Other indicators from your medical history may also help clarify your symptoms. Protein pump inhibitor medications prescribed for acid reflux issues are believed to make you more vulnerable to c diff infections because of the changes they have already made in your gut bacteria. Statins, often prescribed for a variety of conditions, are thought to make you less vulnerable to extreme c difficile.
What are the most common c diff symptoms?
The first c diff symptoms may include diarrhoea and cramping. This might occur up to 15 times daily. Usually, diarrhoea happens between 3-5 times a day. C Diff infection often produces foul-smelling stool. This is a distinctive symptom, and much medical staff can make an initial diagnosis on smell alone – find out more here. Extreme cases can cause blood in your faeces.
What other symptoms might follow?
Flu-like symptoms of weakness, dehydration, fever, nausea, and vomiting can follow. C difficile infections are a significant assault on your body and may therefore make you more vulnerable to other conditions you have.
Get a c.difficile test
There are several strains of c difficile. New tests mean you can have a diagnosis in hours rather than days. This will help ensure you get the right medication for your strain. Find out more here
Take action
Not every c difficile infection becomes a major illness. Some mild cases resolve themselves when you stop taking the antibiotics. But you need to take action or seek advice nevertheless. Left untreated, sufferers can die – especially when they have other conditions that the c difficile complicates.
More c difficile answers
- What are C Diff toxins?
- C Diff Symptoms: 4 Key facts you should know now
- C Diff Smell & Color – Discover 6 Key Facts About It Today
- C Diff Bacteria – what is it, how does it spread? A Guide
- C Diff diagnosis? – How do you know you have c diff?
- C Diff (c.difficile) – 9 Key Facts About Diagnosis & Treatment
- C Diff Colitis: What is it – 7 answers for you
- What is C Diff – your guide to prevention, symptoms and treatment
Last Updated on October 31, 2022
It can be days or years before you see symptoms. Millions ‘catch it’ but their gut defends them. They only start to suffer when the gut is impacted by other illness or drug treatment for something else.
Dave – cdifficile.org
just got diagnosis a week with cdiff have pneumonia so have to take antibotic guys Im scared. started on vanco 125 nothing now up to 250.still nauseous and having diarrhea weak and been on medicine a week no improvement. chilling nonfever want tto be admitted to hospital but docs say no.I AM SO AFRAID WHEN SHOULD YOU GO TO HOSPITAL
They will be concerned that you are a transmission risk in the hospital. C Diff can be chronic without needing hospitization. You are more likely to be sent to hospital for the pneumonia as c diff complicates things if your condition worsens
Dave
I have tested positive for c.diff however I do NOT have any of the major symptoms…no diarhea, no cramping, no fever…..only bloating. Could it have been a false-postitive? I should mention that I was taking care of my elderly father last month who had c.diff. My doctor prescribed flagyl and cipro because it was origionally thought that I had a flare-up of diverticulitis. At this point, I am so confused. Could it be that I am simply a “carrier” of c.diff? What would be causing me to be so bloated?
Sorry to hear this – hopefully you are all better now. C-diff is very contagious plus the fact you took antibiotics is also the culprit. Never overuse antiobiotics
Take care
I have c- diff and it’s no fun ..takes awhile to get rid of
I was just diagnosed with C Diff at the Mayo Clinic.Have been suffering from a kidney infection for a month and have been on 3 different antibiotics. Before I got the kidney infection, had been suffering from severe diarrhea and weight loss. In the hospital twice for dehydration. Was initially diagnosed with
Malabsorption. Finally, after losing so much weight, 5’4 and 92lbs, Mayo admitted me. While in the hospital, was diagnosed with C Diff in addition to kidney infection. Symptoms of C Diff occurred before kidney infection, but told by Dr that C Diff occurred because of all the antibiotics? Very confused. Dr still treatingme with antibiotic for kidneys and also put me on Flagyl. If I am still talking antibiotics for kidneys, how will the C Diff improve?? Again, very confused. Was released from hospital after 4 days, but still very sick. This treatment of both antibiotics doesn’t sound productive to me, seems like the C Diff can’t get properly treated until I am completely off everything except the Flagyl?? Any advice??
Hello,
I have been prescribed Clindamyacin, which I hear causes C. diff. I have Crohn’s and an ileostomy. Is this drug safe for me to take? The drug has been prescribed to treat an infection not related to my Crohn’s, and I am in remission. Thanks.
Clindamycin and may other drugs can be a c diff trigger, if you have c diff in your intestine. It is thought that 97% of people do not. There is a small risk that your are a c diff carrier and that the drug could trigger an episode.
Dave
cdifficile.org
my mother was just told she has c-diff after being in the hospital 6 week ago
i was at her house and washed her bedding and used bathroom before we knew this, can i get c-diff…
Theoretically yes, but many of us carry C Diff anyway rather than catching it. 70% of babies have it present in their intestine before the body deals with it. 3% carry it anyway into adulthood. Some people do catch it from a sick relative but do not suffer any active infection until they take antibiotics for some other illness.
You were involved in washing in the two situations you mention above which will further reduce the risk of you catching c diff from her. The hotspots are her hands, high touch areas and the toilet.
Hope this helps
Dave
cdifficile.org
I am interested in the article that you link to above in other comments regarding risk of family infection but the link is broken. Could you check that and link to the correct link? I am very interested as my husband is infected and we have 5 small children and I am pregnant.
Thank you
It may be related to the disturbance in your intestine in general. You are best to seek expert medical opinion however.
dave
cdifficile.org
My daughter has a serious case of cdiff. She just turned a year old. During the last three months she has been treated for cdiff 5 times. She has been treated with flagyl three times and vacomiacin twice. Nothing is getting rid of it. I am friends with several doctors and they all seem to be baffled by this. Her symptoms include severe loose stools with blood (only when she isn’t on the meds), stomach cramping, weight loss, and more fussy than usual.
I am at a loss as of what to do…I know of a person that was battling cdiff and almost died from it..my daughter does not seem to be responding to the meds (I have even been giving her probiotics to help put the flora back in her)
Please….if you have any advice on where to go or a different type of treament, it would be well appreciated. PLEASE RESPOND !!!!!!!
I’m so sorry. Can you look into a fecal transplant? Idk if they do them on babies though.
One thing that helped me tremendously was lots of pro-biotics. In between the anti-biotics I used the pro-biotics. I ended up with collagenous collitis from the C-Diff. so I did end up using a steroid for the final resolution. Only took about 3 days of steroid and stool hardened up… no more diarrhea. I stayed on pro-biotics for years after that and never got it again. Thanking God!!!
A small percentage of people have c diff in their bodies and it moves from benign to aggressive because of drugs used to treat other conditions. Some catch it because of poor hygiene in the hospital.
dave
cdifficile.org
i had c-dif 6 months ago. took vanco and it was gone. five days ago i got hit by what i hope is just a bug, fever and now three days of diarrhea that reminds me of c-dif. could i relapse spantaneously without being on any antibiotic since the vanco? paranoid.
It is rare for people to have c diff episodes that are not related to medication. The only way to know is to have a test if the condition continues
dave
cdifficile.org
I was diagnosed with c-diff and have gone through 2 treatments, with Flagyl. My question is how long until the extreme fatigue and bloating go away? My appetite is almost non-exisitent again as well??? I don’t understand… I just completed treatment, had a ferocious appetite and now as of yesterday it is gone? And can this illness affect breathing and cause CRAZY itching?? Any input would be greatly appreciated.
The itching etc may be a drug reaction. A small number have adverse reactions. Your body has been quite depleted by the infection. It may be a while before you feel robust again
dave
cdifficile.org
Went back to Dr. who said my tests came back negative. Still having diarrhea and was put on dicyclomine. How long can symptoms linger after testing negative?
I relapsed =(
The first time I was prescribed metronidazol for 14 days but Dr then decided to stop the treatment on day 11. Ten days later c-diff symptoms again, tested positive again. This time I went to a GI, he put me on metronidazol again but this time for 21 days. He mentioned that it is very important to finish the 21 days, no less.
Today is my 10th day still 11 more to go! I feel better, no more mucus or diarrhea. but
I have lost about 8-9 pounds! I’m 5’2″ and muy current weight is 94lbs!!!! Any advice on keeping weight on? Did any of you drank Boost while being treated for c-diff?
My current diet: Chicken, rice, pasta, bananas, Cheerios, Activia, Yakult, Carrots, plain muffins, eggs, green beans, canned peaches, sweet peas, apple sause.
I had c diff back in January. I took Flagyl and it appeared that the c diff went away. But, I have had some odd symptoms that have continued. One of them is a tingling or tremor in my hands. My hands are always cold and white. Is this related to the c diff? Is it related to the flagyl?
http://www.drugs.com/sfx/flagyl-side-effects.html
Tingling is mentioned as a side effect at the page above. You should talk to your doctor.
Dave
cdifficile.org
There is a strain called 027 that seems less amenable to treatment. The new drug Dificid has a better reputation for killing it outright rather than just calming it down.
Your situation is not helpful but it is far from rare
Dave
cdifficile.org
I have gotten much worse after taking Dificid – does anyone know why? My
The hand washing is the key. Prior to your active infection the c diff will not have spread to the children and the risk is low even now. Even if they become c diff carriers they are only likely to get an active infection if they need antibiotics.
See also http://www.c-diff.net/risk-of-family-clostridium-difficile-infection/
how long does it take after contact with c-dif to get some of the symptoms?