C Diff, Lyme's Disease, Norovirus, et el

[PB&Jelly]

Hi, been meaning to ask the community for advice and help earlier but it has taken me literally everything I have to keep up with my limited work schedule and take care of the new one. I kick myself in the head because there is a plethora of knowledge on here that would have helped me out so much because the physical ailments have taken a toll but the psychological effects have been even harder and I have a hard time asking for help at times. Just last weekend my wife went away for the weekend so I could rest since I have an active c diff infection and rest along with vanco are pretty much all I can do at the moment (already tried flagyl). Then around noon on Friday I started to experience severe stomach flu symptoms which my wife and son already got so to say it was a tough weekend is an understatement. The only thing I could do was sleep on the couch, go to the bathroom and drink adult electrolytes that I had pre-made in the fridge. Luckily it was time to make them bc I wouldn't have had the energy to make them when I got full blown sick. And this week I found it it wasn't a simple stomach virus; it was the Norovirus that was going around daycare and my GI specialist said that if I was an avid runner and kept myself hydrated that there would have been a good possibility I might not be here to recount this (my wife made me call my doctor Sunday when she saw me bc she was about to take me to the ER). But I have already gotten ahead of myself so I am going to start from the beginning.

My wife gave birth to a wonderful boy earlier this year and my running pace was never the same since. I just figured it was fatigue associated with the late night feedings and working 60-70 hours per week and still keeping my exercise schedule. I suffer from anxiety so I overdue the exercise and tend to hurt myself in the process but other then that I have been relatively healthy. Then in mid June my wife and I came down from Strep that we got from our son and the smarter one took us to urgent care and I got prescribed amoxicillin and something else for pink eye. To be honest, this was the first antibiotic I remember taking in 20 years. 5 days later my wife was back to normal but I got worse. She dragged me to my PCP in the beginning of July and they ran a full blood panel. I got diagnosed with Lyme's Disease and c diff so they put me on some heavy antibiotics for both (I got c diff from the amoxy). I am used to sleeping 4-5 hours per night and now I couldn't even get out of bed. I was physically paralyzed and it took me everything I had to do simple things like take the dog out and change diapers, bathe the little one etc. We are not wealthy and I was terrified of losing my job so I asked my doctor to give me a note saying that I could work 20 hours per week if capable. I am fortunate to have great benefits and I can work from home but during this time period I had no idea what short term disability was and it was quarter close which is the busiest time for me. I was terrified of losing my job not knowing I was protected under STD and they took forever to approve STD. HR just kept saying relax and rest but my manager wanted everything as usual. Looking back I have no idea how I made it through these days. My boss was clueless bc he would keep me on the phone and I told him I was getting sick and had to go to the bathroom for the 10th time that day and he would just wait. The fatigue was/is the hardest thing to deal with but I have finally been able to cope. In my 20s I was an alcoholic and drug addict and quit cold turkey and the shakes, the sweats, the sleepless nights and hallucinations didn't even compare to what I have been going through. I have been taking too much x@nax and v@lium recently but I can always cut that back once I start exercising in full again. Right now I am on a 8 week taper for vancomycin and I am simply hoping this will do the trick. It was supposed to be a 6 week taper but last weekend threw that out the window. I have a colonoscopy lined up for next week so hopefully my GI do will be able to rule other things out as well. In short I am kicking myself for not asking for support earlier because this has been BRUTAL psychologically.  Coming close to dying last weekend was pretty tough and I know there are many people that have chronic and terminal diseases that make what I am going through look like a picnic. I have a total new appreciation for health issues and my outlook on life has matured by a couple of decades. Anyway, thank you for taking the time to read and hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend!! I might have missed a summer but I am looking forward to an incredible fall. And I would love to hear back from anyone that has experienced anything similar and would like to share. much love, pb&j

 

[Meowtown]

I had c diff from ciprofloxacin antibiotics and the ER doctors didn't believe I had it! Even looking at my stool!! It was clear as day. I dealt with the pain for 2 months until I went to a new physician and told him what I thought I had, did stool sample and put on flagyl to fix it.

The pain that comes with c diff I don' wish on anyone ever! It was so painful

 

[Gracie5]

I had c diff last February from 2 antibiotics for 2 infections at the same time. It was pure hell. I was so sick and weak. I had just gotten a new puppy the week before. I also had a horrific parasitic infection 9 years ago that nearly killed me, so I can really relate. Have been tested twice for Lyme, but both were negative.

Be really careful you don’t get dehydrated and clean everything with bleach. I lived on sports drinks and chicken broth. The bleach is really important- not just a bleach cleaner but bleach.

i feel for you- I really hope you start feeling better. The vanco is so awful. When it’s finished you will feel better. Mine hasn’t relapsed - Knock wood- and I’m on antibiotics now. Hiociamine (so) helped too! Good luck, and feel free to message me.