Hello!

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My name is Jessy! I am 27 years old and I live in Dallas, Texas. I was 25 when I got diagnosed with c-diff. I had a standard wisdom tooth removal procedure. Unfortunately, several infections developed because of some bone fragments left in my jaw. Along with two more surgeries, I was prescribed several antibiotics to help with the infection.  First I was given Amoxicillin which I took for 7 days. Then I was given Clindamycin which I only took once because it made my throat itchy. I was then given Amoxicillin again followed by Flagyl. All of the antibiotics gave me diarrhea which my doctor said was common and it stopped when I finished the medication. It was a two month long process healing from my wisdom tooth surgeries. I wasn't able to open my mouth completely for over a month and was limited to soft foods like mashed potatoes and ice cream. My work allowed me some off time during surgeries and at home to recover. I felt much better towards the end of the second month.

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However, almost a month after finishing my last antibiotic I started having diarrhea and terrible stomach pains. I felt nauseous and day one I knew something was very wrong. I can't fully explain it but once you've had c-diff, I'm sure you can agree, your body just feels very wrong and off. This was more than a simple stomach bug. My stoll was also yellow tinged in color. It didn't have that horrible smell I read about that is apparently a trademark sign of c-diff. I also kept feeling like I needed to go number 2 constantly. I probably went 10 times a day. I went to my doctor and they referred me to a gastro doctor. I told them my symptoms and they suspected c-diff which was then confirmed with a stool test. I remember how horrific taking my first stool test was. Now I am a pro haha. There's nothing like putting a bag of poop in your freezer. 

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My doctor prescribed Flagyl for 10 days. I had already taken Flagyl from my wisdom tooth operation and still got c-diff so I was afraid it wasn't going to work. Flagyl had already taken a toll on me and that combined with c-diff was rough. I was so nauseous I could hardly eat. I was losing weight rapidly. The stomach cramps were horrible. My work was also no longer flexible with me leaving so much for surgeries and sickness so I had to work. It was the worst of times. I remember sleeping in my car for my lunch break because I was exhausted. I was the most anxious I have ever been. Everyday I was in a full panic. I thought I might die. Looking back I know this anxiety prolonged my illness and weakened my body further, but all of the information online was terrifying and I saw almost no information about someone my age getting c-diff.

 

After finishing the 10 days of flagyl I was still having on and off diarrhea. Three days later I had the worst stomach cramps I've ever had and I began having blood in my stool. My friends came picked me up. I had to crawl to the car. I went to the ER where they quickly quarantined me with no wait lol cause no one wants c-diff. They suspected the c-diff was back and gave me a vancomycin prescription. It cost me $300! But you gotta do whatchu gotta do! After completing this round I was tested and got a clean stool sample! Yay! No more c-diff!

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Unfortunately, I still was having episodes that felt like viruses where I would have diarrhea for a week or so and I thought it was coming back I would get tested have to keep getting tested and everytime it was c-diff free.  So, just know your body will need a long time to bounce back! In some ways I've never been the same. I developed post infection IBS for a year and couldn't eat or drink many things like red meat, coffee, soda, rich dairy, lettuce and alcohol. Now, two years later I can eat almost anything I want. Sometimes coffee, alcohol and read meat upsets my stomach. 

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I was lucky that I only had c-diff for a relatively short time. I know people have suffered for months or even years with this. 

 

I decide to make this website to provide a safe place to share information.  For me it was difficult to understand this illness. Information was spread out and most of it freaked me out. I hope this site can provide you with helpful insight and encourage you on your road to recovery!

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Feel free to tell your story on the next page or contact me below! I'm not a doctor and I cannot determine your course of treatment, but I would love to hear from you!