My Bout with Ciproand C-Diff
Pat from St.Petersburg
About November 2, 2001, I visited the doctor
due to a nasty sinus infection. I had become rather run-down due to caring for
my terminally ill mother. She had passed away about two months before and I was
still not sleeping well. The doctor put me on Cipro. I had previously taken
Cipro the prior March for a urinary tract infection and had no side effects. In
fact, I was grateful for Cipro since I am allergic to penicillin, keflex, and
tetracycline. I asked the doctor about possible side effects and was told it
might give me a stomachache.
About 5 days into the medication, I did get a
stomachache like the doctor warned. Because it seemed like the run-of-the-mill
side-effect, I just laughed it off and said at least it was safe for me to open
mail. I kept taking it. I had a ten-day supply. On the ninth day, the side
effects became horrendous so I quit taking it and called the doctor. I had
uncontrollable diarrhea and vomiting. The doctor examined me and didn’t think
it was Cipro related, but since I was running a temperature of 102 degrees and
my stomach was painful to the touch, she sent me to the hospital for a CT-Scan
to see if I had appendicitis. While I was waiting there, I went to the bathroom
and blood poured out of my bowels. At that point, I was sent to the emergency
room side and admitted to the hospital for four days. Blood tests revealed
C-diff and I was placed on Vancomycin and Flagyl. The Flagyl was discontinued
after two days and I stayed on liquid Vancomycin. After a few days, my bowel
movements were down from 25 a day to about 4 and I was able to go home. I was
given a 10-day supply of liquid Vancomycin.
When I got home, the Vancomycin seemed to do
the trick. I felt stronger and better each day and was able to go Christmas
shopping without fear of uncontrolled bowel movements. I completed the entire
prescription. I got through Thanksgiving fine and the next week or so without
too much problem. I still had loose bowel movements, but they weren’t that
frequent.
On December 6, I began to feel rotten again.
I felt like my joints hurt all over my body, but especially in my lower legs and
feet. My toes cramped over one another and the soles of my feet hurt so badly
that it was difficult to walk. On December 7, I visited the doctor. He took
blood because he thought the diarrhea might have resulted in low potassium and
magnesium. He gave me potassium and magnesium to take over the weekend until
the blood tests came back on Monday. He also suggested that I take Fibra-cal to
give my stools bulk. Friday night the diarrhea came back with a vengeance and
between Friday night and Saturday night I had twenty bowel movements. These
slowed on Sunday. I found your website and began pushing the yogurt. It seemed
to provide relief with the diarrhea, but not with the joint aches. On Monday,
the doctor’s office said that my blood tests were fine. I am going back to the
doctor today along with printouts from this website and a copy of my biography.
I am quite concerned, because I am due to
return to my job on New Year’s Eve. I am a corporate trainer and teach classes
all day. It won’t do to be rushing to the bathroom every five minutes. Or, even
worse, to have an accident.
Other symptoms besides the diarrhea and joint aches/cramps include confusion, lightheadedness, nausea, and headaches.
I am 53years old and in otherwise good
health. I rarely run off to the doctor’s office. Now, I feel like a regular. I
do not accept that there is nothing wrong with me, nor will I accept that each
symptom is different and unrelated to the Cipro.
copyright 2001-2002 Clostridium Difficile Support Group/SJP Ent.