New Test Results

[Rachel--24]

I just got my latest test results back and I have a bacteria infection. Something called C. Difficile. Anyone know what this is? I still have to look it up. This could be contributing to alot of my ongoing problems. The doctor wants to know if I have H. Pylori as well. I still havent taken the stool test for that...will do it this week. Anyways the doctor wont give me the drugs to treat the C. Difficile until they find out whether I also have H. Pylori. They dont want to administer the drugs twice so I have to wait.

All I've read so far is that C. Difficile causes abdominal pain and diarreah. Well "D" is the one symptom I dont have and havent had since I've gotten sick. I actually had "d" more often when I felt perfectly healthy.

Oh....they also found candida overgrowth.

The doctor wasnt too concerned about the candida though. I guess its just a side effect of all the other issues I have.

Did anyone have H. Pylori? The doctor told me I should be healing by now...I've been gluten-free long enough. They said H. Pylori can keep the gut from healing just like gluten. Anyone know about either one of these infections?

All of my other tests I took were normal. All my hormones are fine and I dont have parasites.

[chrissy]

i know that H. Pylori causes ulcers and if you take the right antibiotic, it clears up the ulcer. i thought that C.diff was caused when someone had been on a lot of antibiotics---but it requires a different type of antibiotic to clear it up. some thing about aerobic and anaerobic types of antibiotics-----sorry i'm not much more help than this.

christine

[Rachel--24]

i know that H. Pylori causes ulcers and if you take the right antibiotic, it clears up the ulcer. i thought that C.diff was caused when someone had been on a lot of antibiotics---but it requires a different type of antibiotic to clear it up. some thing about aerobic and anaerobic types of antibiotics-----sorry i'm not much more help than this.

christine

Thanks Chrissy,

I did take short rounds of antibiotics because I had alot of dental work done. Also I started getting bumps/blisters on my face with a stinging/burning sensation. Dermatologist dx'd rosacea and gave me Tetracycline. I took the tetracycline for a few months but it didnt fix anything because I never had rosacea and the skin bumps are from gluten I believe. I wonder how much antibiotic is too much? My symptoms did get worse after the tetracycline. If I had known better I wouldnt have kept taking the antibiotics for my non-exsistent "rosacea".

[Jenn2005]

Hi Rachel. My husband was tested for the H. Pylori by a blood test when he first got sick and it came back negative. When his GI doctor did his endoscopy biopsy they also checked for H. Pylori on the biopsy and it was negative then also. So I guess there are several ways they can check for that. My step dad had H. Pylori a few years ago and it made him very sick and it was painful (abdominally). He had to take a lot of antibiotics, but after the treatment he was fine and it didn't come back. Hope you get some answers that help to speed up your recovery. Good Luck.

Jennifer

[dlp252]

Rachel, I've sent you a PM.

[Rachel--24]

Rachel, I've sent you a PM.

Got your pm...will respond when I get off work.

[lonewolf]

Have you been taking probiotics (acidophilus,etc)? This is VERY important after you have taken any antibiotics.

[Rachel--24]

Hi Rachel. My husband was tested for the H. Pylori by a blood test when he first got sick and it came back negative. When his GI doctor did his endoscopy biopsy they also checked for H. Pylori on the biopsy and it was negative then also. So I guess there are several ways they can check for that. My step dad had H. Pylori a few years ago and it made him very sick and it was painful (abdominally). He had to take a lot of antibiotics, but after the treatment he was fine and it didn't come back. Hope you get some answers that help to speed up your recovery. Good Luck.

Jennifer

Jenn,

When I had my endoscopy the GI took a stomach sample for biopsy as well. He said he was looking for infection...I assume this was H. Pylori. I was never told exactly what they looked for...just that it was negative.

My new doctor gave me one blood test for several things including H.Pylori and that was negative as well. The doc said a stool sample is more reliable and thats what they want me to do now. The doc said she tested herself with blood 3 times and was always negative for it but then did a stool sample and came back positive. I guess there are different ways to test....if the stool is negative we can rule out H. Pylori.

Anyways however it turns out I'm glad my new doctor is looking more thoroughly instead of telling me I'm perfectly fine.

Have you been taking probiotics (acidophilus,etc)? This is VERY important after you have taken any antibiotics.

Unfortunately I didnt know that 3 years ago when all the antibiotics were precribed.

I do know *now* but my health is bad so just taking probiotics isnt doing anything for these infections I already got.

[Nancym]

Rachel, glad to see you've found some things wrong to account for your continuing problems! I think I'm like you, still got something going on. GI appt not until Mar though. :\

[dlp252]

Got your pm...will respond when I get off work.

Thank you!!!

[Jenn2005]

Jenn,

When I had my endoscopy the GI took a stomach sample for biopsy as well. He said he was looking for infection...I assume this was H. Pylori. I was never told exactly what they looked for...just that it was negative.

My new doctor gave me one blood test for several things including H.Pylori and that was negative as well. The doc said a stool sample is more reliable and thats what they want me to do now. The doc said she tested herself with blood 3 times and was always negative for it but then did a stool sample and came back positive. I guess there are different ways to test....if the stool is negative we can rule out H. Pylori.

Anyways however it turns out I'm glad my new doctor is looking more thoroughly instead of telling me I'm perfectly fine.

Rachel - I'm glad you mentioned this about the stool test. I didn't know that either. My husband has several symptoms that are lingering - I think I'll ask his doctor to order the stool test too. Good Luck.

Jennifer

[Jen H]

Hey Rachel,

My doctor told me that c. difficile can be caused by long courses of antibiotics. I've been on antibiotics for the past month for Lyme Disease and I was asked to monitor my GI symptoms. I take acidopholus twice a day to replace good bacteria in my intestine and it seems to help.

Is H. Pylori a type of parasite? I think I was tested for it at some point, but the test was negative. Good luck on the test and I hope you're feeling better soon.

[Rachel--24]

Thanks Jen,

I've been reading up on C. Diff and it seems like it's something you definately DONT want to have.

It can cause alot of suffering if left undiagnosed so I wonder if getting rid of it will improve my symptoms. All I can do is hope.

Yeah...I took alot of antibiotics 3 years ago but at that time I knew nothing of probiotics. Your doctor is right...from what I've read most cases are caused by antibiotics. Its pretty amazing that I went to the doctors (an HMO) probably close to 100 times in the last 3 years and they found nothing. Switched insurance and went somewhere else just 3 weeks ago and already dx'd with C.Diff. I'll never be in another HMO as long as I live!

Ooops....I thought I was back in the "I hate doctors" thread.

Is H. Pylori a type of parasite?

Its some type of bacteria that lives in the stomach and duodenum. An H. Pylori infection causes ulcers and other problems. Not really too sure. If I end up having it I'll have to research that too.

[slpinsd]

H. Pylori can cause symptoms in some people, like ulcers, and some people can have it without symptoms. They say that if you put a % behind your age that is the probability that you have it. I also was tested for it by blood and by endoscopy, which were both negative. My stool test, from BioHealth, was positive. My doc also said stool test was more reliable. I'm on treatment for it now- 2 weeks of antiobiotics, then probiotics.

[Rachel--24]

H. Pylori can cause symptoms in some people, like ulcers, and some people can have it without symptoms. They say that if you put a % behind your age that is the probability that you have it. I also was tested for it by blood and by endoscopy, which were both negative. My stool test, from BioHealth, was positive. My doc also said stool test was more reliable. I'm on treatment for it now- 2 weeks of antiobiotics, then probiotics.

All of my testing is through BioHealth as well. They are the lab which detected C. Diff. I'm now waiting for the results on H. Pylori. I'm impatient. I want to get on the antibiotics asap. They wont treat the C. Diff until my results for H.P. are in. Are you having any side effects from the treatment?

[Jen H]

Hey slpinsd,

Is that Le Tigra or Blue Steel you're flashing? Zoolander is one of my favorite movies.

Rachel, did you doctor mention how to treat C.Difficile? Will you be put on antibiotics to treat it?

[Rachel--24]

Rachel, did you doctor mention how to treat C.Difficile? Will you be put on antibiotics to treat it?

Yeah...they're gonna put me on antibiotics. Not sure which one yet....I've been reading and it looks like Flagyl (sp?) is the one usually prescribed for treating C. Diff. I'm not sure what they're gonna give me though. Whatever it is...I hope it works!

[Judyin Philly]

Rachel,

Thanks for sending me to this thread. I hadn't heard anything new from you on the old thread so thought he hadn't found anything.

I think,,,,,,and don't want to alarm you dear one,,,,,but isn't c.diff the bacteria that recently has been in our news as taking over the hospitals and now spreading in the community outside the hospitals..I know they were always cking my mom in the ngs home for c.diff guess it runs through those places too.Please don't quote me here cause not sure ...but from you saying you have yrs of being on antibotics I THINK your body builds up amunity to them and then non of them work. i hope some one knows more about this than i do but hey,,,,don't worry now...he'll know what to do...i really like the sound of this dr.

judy in philly.

[Rachel--24]

Judy,

Yeah....C. Diff has been in the news recently I believe. Its a problem in hospitals and nursing homes or for anyone on antibiotics. I was reading over 100 people died from it in a hospital in Canada.

Since I wasnt in the hospital or a nursing home when I got sick I had to of gotten it from taking antibiotics after my dental work. I only took the antibiotics for like 10 days but apparantly you can get it in an even shorter period than that. Then once I started having symptoms I took MORE antibiotics for the symptoms and then more dental work. No wonder I kept getting sicker. I believe this is probably what caused me to get gluten intolerance...or at least to start showing symptoms from it.

I guess the antibiotics killed off my good bacteria and allowed the C. Diff to overgrow. C. Diff is naturally occurring in our bodies but dangerous if it overgrows. Now they'll give me antibiotics specifically for killing it and I'll have to be taking probiotics to try and repopulate my intestines with the "good guys". Sometimes it can take awhile to get rid of C. Diff for good. I hope I can beat it fairly quickly. I'm keeping a positive attitude....no more reading scary stories.

[kathy1]

My husb has been dx with H Pylori twice. once within the last year and once many years ago. He was Dx with a breath test.

What is Probiotics?? I have never heard of this before. My husb has been on and off of antibiodics ALOT recently. he is currently on his 4th run of cypro for his reoccuring prospate pain. This time they have him in it for 30 days.

Should my husb uroligist & GI talk?

[Rachel--24]

Your husband should definately take probiotics while on antibiotics. Everyone should do this but...like you...I had no idea what probiotics were and now I'm paying for it. Probiotics are "friendly bacteria" that will replace whats being killed off with antibiotics. The antibiotics dont only kill bad bacteria but good as well. Without the good bacteria bad things can happen.

[Judyin Philly]

Rachel

Remember when you and I were talking about our dental experiences...

Well that was in 2000 and and then the hip replacement in Jan of that year.

Then the ER trip from Cipro for UTI with 103.9 fever...

How were you tested for c diff?

Judy in PHilly

ps when do you have your next dr apt?

[Rachel--24]

Rachel

Remember when you and I were talking about our dental experiences...

Well that was in 2000 and and then the hip replacement in Jan of that year.

Then the ER trip from Cipro for UTI with 103.9 fever...

How were you tested for c diff?

Judy in PHilly

ps when do you have your next dr apt?

I have my next appt. tonite. I've been going every Monday night. I was tested for parasites, yeasts, and bacteria overgrowth in a stool test. I had no parasites but ended up positive for the C. Diff toxin A and a light candida overgrowth. I look forward to my appt. later....as usual I'll have a million questions. I dont know why but I have no diarreah...which is the main symptom of C. Diff infection. My stools aren't quite normal but did get noticeably better after gluten-free. My immune system just seems really run down, I'm underweight, and I have bloating and cramps. Not fun. Will have to see what the doc says. I think I may need to get a colonoscopy to see if there is any immflamation or damage or whatever they look for with C. Diff. Will ask the doctor about that too.

I'll post about the appt. later ok.

[Judyin Philly]

I have no diarreah...which is the main symptom of C. Diff infection. My stools aren't quite normal but did get noticeably better after gluten-free.

I'll post about the appt. later ok.

Rachel,

ok, had stool tests done too when they finally tested for celiac disease. Know the Genardia (?) was ck'd and parasites i think going to go ck my tests results.

how do they ck for the adrenals...didn't he do that and it was ok.

I'm thinking that my thyroid is low now so want all this stuff ck'd at one time.

They were doing to celiac disease panel--minus the gene test..won't pay. to see if #'s came down.

Judy

[kathy1]

Your husband should definately take probiotics while on antibiotics. Everyone should do this but...like you...I had no idea what probiotics were and now I'm paying for it. Probiotics are "friendly bacteria" that will replace whats being killed off with antibiotics. The antibiotics dont only kill bad bacteria but good as well. Without the good bacteria bad things can happen.

Ok...so is this something I need a prescription for? or do I buy it over the counter? Which brands are gluten-free?

What doesage do you take and for how long?