RZR
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 20953
posted
I just found out that I was exposed today to C. Diff. My brother-in-law was in the hospital with kidney and stomach problems. I spent 5 hours in the room today. A few hours after I got home, my sister called me with the news.
I just found out about Florastor a couple of days ago and have not been taking it. What do I need to do?
-------------------- Tick bite May 2009 Diagnosed June 2009 Posts: 2329 | From SouthEast | Registered: Jun 2009
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Question : My husband has been diagnosed with clostridium difficile, which began 48 hours after he had a colonoscopy. He had been taking amoxicillin for 10 days. If this was caused by the antibiotic, is it still contagious? Can it be transmitted to family members by use of the same toilet as the patient, or by other means? What safeguards can we use to avoid transmittal of the clostridium difficile?
Maureen
Answer : Clostridium difficile, or "C. diff" as it is known, is a bacterial infection of the colon (large intestine). The C. diff. bacterium produces a toxin that causes inflammation of the colon wall, leading to diarrhea and sometimes fever and abdominal pain. The condition usually develops during or after treatment with antibiotics; presumably this occurs because the antibiotic alters the normal bacterial balance of the colon, allowing overgrowth of the C. diff. Amoxicillin is one of the most common medicines linked to C. diff infection, but almost any antibiotic may be associated with it.
Fortunately this condition is treatable with an oral antibiotic (vancomycin and metronidazole are most often prescribed) that will eliminate the bug. The infection is not contagious to family members under ordinary circumstances, but the organism is excreted in the stool. Therefore, I suggest that you take normal precautions: Don't share utensils, and your husband should wash his hands after going to the bathroom until he has been treated. Otherwise, you need not worry about catching it.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96223 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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WildCondor
Unregistered
posted
Actually, c.diff is extremely contagious, and patients with it who are hospitalized are supposed to be in isolation rooms. When doctors, nurses, family come to visit they are supposed to wear gowns and masks. Instant hand sanitizer does NOT work to kill c.diff! You have to wash with soap and water. Bleach is the only thing that will kill the spores on surfaces.
If the patient is not severely ill, and is being treated at home, then the bathroom must be VERY clean, bleach is your best friend. Wipe down doorknobs, light switches, everything! Use separate bathrooms if possible. You can still touch them hug and kiss them, just watch where your hands go!
It takes the combination of ingesting the spore (by hand to mouth contact) the spores are everywhere and live on all surfaces for days, plus altered gut flora. If you have been taking antibiotics for Lyme, or any reason then you are at high risk.
FLorastor works by helping crowd out the c.diff spores in your colon, basically competing with c.diff to win the battlegrounds. Usually is you have active infection it is 4 caps per day, for prevention it's 2.
Flagyl and Vancomycin both work, but it is a very stubborn beast to kill and it can come back after you stop those antibiotics so keep a watchful eye and be meticulous about hygiene.
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RZR
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 20953
posted
I am getting Florastor tomorrow and starting that.
If I do get C. diff from exposure, how long before symptoms appear? Should I get tested within the next 1-2 weeks or wait to see if symptoms appear?
-------------------- Tick bite May 2009 Diagnosed June 2009 Posts: 2329 | From SouthEast | Registered: Jun 2009
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WildCondor
Unregistered
posted
I would not panic about this. Just be careful and if you get non-stop diarrhea, fever, nausea, etc. then get a c.diff stool test. It is not a given that you are going to get this. Again, just be careful.
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posted
My daughter had it and no one else in the family got it. She got it from antibiotic use. We were just very careful with washing our hands and I cleaned the bathroom constantly. I would not panic about it. Just start the Florastor. You'll be fine. On the plus side, you know what it is and you know the symptoms. Knowledge is power.
Posts: 77 | From MD | Registered: Mar 2009
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