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My (ongoing) battle with a vicious bacteria.

Written on Sept 15, 2011.  Not much has changed since then, except for a loss of hope.

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I am just so very upset right now, I feel like I just need to explain my situation to the world.  Hopefully it makes me feel better somehow.

I have always had problems with my wisdom teeth, and yes, I should have gotten them out a while ago, but I didn’t.

As soon as I had a date for my wisdom teeth surgery, the same tooth got infected again (probably was for the 5th time or so).

I was out of town, so I couldn’t go to my usual doctor for medication (it was very infected – needed to be put on medication), so I went to a doctor in the small town my boyfriend lives in (first mistake).  He saw me, and gave me this medication I have never heard of before.

It was called CLINDAMYCIN (warning – stay away from this medication at ALL COSTS).  I was desperate so I took it without researching it (second mistake).

All was well.  My infection went away and I felt great.  However, this new found healthy-bliss only lasted until about 2 weeks after I finished the medication (this puts us to about mid-to-end July).

One morning I woke up at 6am with extremely intense stomach cramps, and yes, I’m just going to say “all that comes with it”, to avoid any unsightly visions.

I went back to bed, assuming that I just picked up the stomach flu, or I got food poisoning.  Continuing for 5 or 6 days, I was getting sick of it and kind of worried.  I had the “all that comes with it” about 8 – 10 times a day.  When I went to sleep, I was up about every 1 – 2 hours to go to the washroom, every night, and to the washroom every 2 hours or so during the day.  Intense stomach cramps that I have now deemed “attacks” occurred every 1 – 2 hours as well (sometimes even less).

One particular night it was so bad that my boyfriend and I decided that I should be heading to the emergency room (this was about 5 or 6 days since it started).  We left at about 7am, and at the time I had very intense cramps (to the point of almost fainting).

Got to the ER (3rd mistake, we went to a hospital that seems to mess up a lot of diagnoses, but it was closer to my home), I was put into rapid assessment zone, and saw a doctor within 20 to 30 minutes.

He asked me a series of questions and took my blood, and asked me if I was able to do a sample.

My blood came back and was negative for whatever they were looking for.

I wasn’t able to do my sample at the hospital so they told me to do it at home and bring it back.

He brushed me off and said I just had the stomach flu or food poisoning.

I did what they said, and brought it back the next morning.  THEY. DID. NOT. ACCEPT. IT.  They said it was because I was an “outpatient”.  Okay, fine.  I was angry with them for giving me wrong information, but they gave me a new sample kit and told me to bring it back to the hospital labs when I was done with it.

Off I go, home, and brought it back the following Tuesday (Monday was Labour day I do believe).  THEY. DID. NOT. ACCEPT. IT. AGAIN.

Strike #3 with that hospital.  Done with them.

Keep in mind that throughout all these weeks, I was still having my attacks 8 – 10 times a day.  I wasn’t eating much at all (I couldn’t keep anything into my system), and I was losing weight.

I went to my doctor, and she started from scratch.  Told me to stay away from gluten (to see if I had a gluten intolerance), and I was only eating plain rice, and chicken breasts, and water.

She took some tests (parasites, bacteria, and other things).

Another week goes by, and she tells me that I’m clear of parasites, they are just waiting for the other test result back.

Meanwhile, I’m still having these intense attacks, I think we’re going on 3 weeks to a month now.

A couple days later I get a call from the doctor, saying that I need to see her.

I go in to see her after work, and she tells me that I have an antibiotic-resistant bacteria called Clostridium difficile, also known as [B]C. difficile.[/B]

C. difficile is notorious for breaking out in hospitals, and is very hard to get rid of (hence the anti-biotic resistant label it has).  It kills, but mostly people who are elderly and people who have some sort of immune system disorder.

I get put on 2 weeks worth of anti-biotics, 4 times a day.  The ministry of health apparently requires treatment of all patients diagnosed with C. diff.

I get home, obviously frazzled, upset and angry.  Upset that I have been sick for so long.  And angry at the hospital for making all the mistakes it did.

I researched the medication I got put on for my wisdom tooth infection.  It is apparently not used in the UK and Europe because it is [U]known to cause this serious side effect.[/U]  I am not FURIOUS. I would LOVE to go to that doctor and give him a huge smack across the face.

After the anger passed, I realized that at least FINALLY I had a diagnosis.

I started the medication I was prescribed, and I started to feel better.

I did get a side effect from this medication.  I got oral thrush, which although was very very unpleasant and painful, I was prescribed some anti-fungal mouth wash to take every 4 hours and it cleared within 10 days.

At least I felt better from the C. difficile.  Great!  Maybe my young body will conquer this after all, right?!

Wrong.  At least for now.

About a week ago, I started getting symptoms again.  The attacks.  The pain.  The not being able to leave the house.

I get discouraged, and before my doctor was able to prescribe new medication it is a requirement that I needed to get tested again.

So, I went and did the sample.

Yesterday morning I just got contacted and was told that I still have C. difficile (surprise, surprise).  I need to see an Infectious disease specialist, and I am being put on a “last resort medication” that will be 2 pills a day for 1 month.

I haven’t been able to start the medication yet, because I must consult with my doctor, and perhaps even the specialist before I am able to be put on it.  I’m extremely scared of this medication that I will be prescribed, but it is my only hope left in curing C. difficile.

I’m really glad that you spent the time to read this all to the last sentence, but mainly this was for me to just vent and get my story out.

Here’s hoping for a recovery after this new medication, and hoping for no side-effects from it.

Thanks a lot.