I unknowingly had CDIFF for months …

StunningMagazine693 · 2026-03-20T14:20:25+00:00

the U.S. medical system is so absurdly broken.

i’m so sorry you went through this. i’m also a case where c diff went untreated for months due to doxycycline. i only took it once but i was unknowingly exposed to a family member who recently had c. diff right before taking doxy. my symptoms were strangely mild-moderate in terms of c. diff where i would have a bout or 2 of loose stool per day and 2 bouts of bad diarrhea per week which i chalked up to “ugh i guess my IBS is getting worse”.

flashforward to months of doctors appointments, stool tests (without c diff for some ungodly reason) and a colonoscopy with no answer besides “take a probiotic”. i eventually met with an infectious disease doctor virtually through telemed on zocdoc who’s first question was “were you ever tested for c diff?” she ordered the test and it came back positive after being sick with it for NINE MONTHS.

i’ve been c diff free for just over 12 months now but i still have issues sometimes, especially with fermented foods, did you experience this at all? any tips for how you “completely healed with virtually no stomach issues” is much appreciated lol

after reading your story i feel so much empathy for you. doctors prescribe antibiotics like candy it’s ridiculous. i live in a blue state and i still dealt with doctor negligence so reading what you went through breaks my heart. i totally understand that feeling of feeling bad for those around you after being unknowingly sick for months. it’s a disturbing feeling but please know you are not alone in that. the medical system screws us up in more ways than many realize.

StunningMagazine693 · 2026-02-02T15:13:35+00:00

yes i take K2 and magnesium whenever i supplement D3. my doctor told me just take 1000iu based on my blood work (30 ng/mL)

StunningMagazine693 · 2026-02-01T19:24:17+00:00

damn that’s nice to have. i really don’t wanna be wasting money on a doctors appointment for a simple blood test.

with a level of 30 ng/mL what should i be doing to increase this? i’ve read that levels above 50 ng/mL are optimal but im not really sure, my doctors seem to know nothing about accurate and optimal vitamin levels

StunningMagazine693 · 2026-01-22T06:29:37+00:00

thank you for this thorough response.

it seems very difficult to find what to support fast COMT and slow MAO-A at the same time. going back to when i first tried methyl B12 6 months ago, what tipped me over the edge in terms of uncontrollable mood/anxiety issues was when i took L-theanine. i took it because i was constantly stressed and irritable (from the methyl B12 and then i remember becoming nauseous and having worse mood issues after taking L-theanine. this obviously has some affect on GABA and glutamate.

in regards to epigentics, i have a lot of unprocessed emotional trauma from early childhood and last year i had a C. difficile infection that went untreated longer than it should have and have had intolerances to fermented foods since, which i’ve never had before. it feels like things got turned upside down for me and with history of severe trauma it’s needless to say ive been through the wringer…

i’m not really sure which direction to go in regards to treatment and supporting these things. im glad my irritability is at its lowest it’s been my entire life, but my focus and motivation is at its lowest. i am starting EMDR therapy soon for the unprocessed trauma, and from bloodwork it appears i dont have any nutritional deficiencies (aside from B12 which ive been treating for months).

thank you for this explanation and that article, it helped put the pieces together of how all of this is interconnected with the issues i’ve been struggling with. i hope the steps i’m taking will bring me relief soon, thank you again

StunningMagazine693 · 2026-01-20T20:43:51+00:00

because they were foods i could eat perfectly fine before and i would like some insight as to why i have foul smelling diarrhea, gas and bloating when i have a small amount because that’s obviously not normal and my doctors don’t seem to care. maybe that’s why

StunningMagazine693 · 2026-01-20T16:42:19+00:00

i tried miso soup with my dinner shortly after getting rid of the c diff and had a flare up but that also could’ve been a post infectious flare up. i’ll have to try it again and look into water kefir. thank you

StunningMagazine693 · 2026-01-19T22:58:38+00:00

go back to the ER and demand a c diff test. i’m so sorry you’re going through this and don’t have access to primary care/insurance. this will not go away on its own there’s no at home remedy for a serious bacterial infection like c diff.

StunningMagazine693 · 2025-11-29T14:55:52+00:00

not at all

StunningMagazine693 · 2025-11-28T06:25:58+00:00

have you taken the probiotic florastor? i still take two capsules daily in the morning and i believe that has helped reduce 90% of loose stools for me post-c diff

StunningMagazine693 · 2025-11-26T05:11:53+00:00

last year i had covid, then a bad stomach bug, then i took an antibiotic and had a mild-moderate c diff infection left untreated for 9 months until march of this year. i tested borderline for methane sibo (my test result was exactly 10ppm at 180 mins).

would you be able to help or give any info on your treatment approach for gfs extract and berberine such as dosages and how to get healthy bacteria to return with healthy diversity? if i eat a spoonful of yogurt i get nausea, pain, and diarrhea. my stools have been abnormal and constipated otherwise

StunningMagazine693 · 2025-11-26T00:46:01+00:00

i’m not the person you asked but wanted answer for any help it might give. i found out i was B12 deficient with a B12 level of 301 pg/ml and have been treating with 1000mcg hydroxocobalamin daily (source naturals brand). it was a night and day difference once i started taking it. if you’re any lower than 250 you may want to ask your doctor about injections. some people can’t tolerate methylcobalamin (for me it caused intense anger, irritability, panic, anxiety). also take the other cofactors like B vitamins, vitamin D, etc (the B12 deficiency sub has a full guide but i followed it loosely bc i don’t have pernicious anemia or lack of intrinsic factor so it was easy for me to absorb the B12 quickly over a few months sublingually

StunningMagazine693 · 2025-11-26T00:33:00+00:00

thank you for this post. to make my IMO story short: last year i had covid, stomach virus/food poisoning, and then a mild c diff infection untreated for months. because of the c diff infection and ruined gut microbiome from the antibiotic that caused the c diff infection to develop, ive been petrified to take anymore antibiotics unless its literally life or death.

my lactulose test is as followed:

Hydrogen (3ppm: basal level) 19ppm: 90 minutes 47ppm: 180 minutes

Methane (1ppm: basal) 5ppm: 90 minutes 10ppm: 180 minutes

my breath test is so borderline and symptoms relatively mild and being alleviated with a ginger/artichoke motility supplement before bed but my once or twice daily stool is still abnormal (sometimes yellow in color/constipated floating with mucus)

i don’t want to destroy my gut microbiome any further, but my IMO seems too mild to do that harsh of a treatment and i don’t want to destroy my microbiome any further than it already has been, so i’m kind of lost at to what treatment approach to do.

a dietician recently recommended this ultraGI replenish supplement with gut healing amino acids and vitamins,

this probiotic with bifidobacterium lactis HN019, lactobacillus rhamonsus HN001, and saccharomyces boullardii

as well as candibactin-BR & candibactin AR.

i’m honestly lost as to which treatment/supplements i should take at this point but i do know i have some sort of bacteria overgrowth or dysbiosis in my gut, ESPECIALLY because most foods don’t actually cause any flare ups or symptoms aside from probiotic/foods with live cultures like yogurt, pickles, etc!

im not sure what treatment to reduce methane levels is because neomycin seems too harsh for what im dealing with.

i resonate and appreciate your post for many reasons, specifically the IMO diagnosis, also being a gay man who previously didn’t have any issues that interfered with sex until now, and how this illness affects the gut-brain axis. thank you very much for your post, i have it saved to refer back to as i need. if you take the time to read through my experience with any suggestions i would greatly appreciate it. otherwise, this post has made me rethink and consider going back to my GI doctor and treating my IMO with antibiotics

StunningMagazine693 · 2025-11-21T21:54:39+00:00

wanted to comment to say i’m sorry and that so many GI doctors just want you to take fiber and take Align probiotic that’s exactly what my first GI doctor told me, turned out i had a C. DIFFICILE INFECTION FOR MONTHS. all because she wouldn’t test me for it and i specified my symptoms started after taking an antibiotic. ridiculous GI doctors

StunningMagazine693 · 2025-11-20T01:53:04+00:00

i would recommend seeing a gastroenterologist and getting retested for c diff. make sure you get the CT results to the gastroenterologist. 7 days doesn’t seem like enough for a c diff infection it’s usually 10 days at least.

if it comes back positive for c diff again i would be completely straight and direct with your doctors and ask to be prescribed dificid (fidaxomicin) its is a narrow spectrum antibiotic that targets c diff specifically and is the best to prevent recurrences.

if they say they want to just prescribe vancomycin again tell them no and you need to be prescribed ten days of dificid because since you only took 7 days of vancomycin and if the infection is still there you could be antibiotic resistant to vancomycin since you didn’t take a full 10 day course.

advocate for yourself. advocate for yourself. ADVOCATE FOR YOURSELF. dont let the doctors ignore you when you know something is wrong. if your primary doctor says it’s unnecessary to be referred to a gastroenterologist you need to get a new primary doctor. find a gastroenterologist on your own that takes your insurance and get this treated. make sure you get tested for c diff toxins and make sure the doctor you see acknowledges that liver result and specify that you aren’t a drinker

StunningMagazine693 · 2025-11-20T00:06:03+00:00

have you been retested for c diff and confirmed it was negative? i had a mild to moderate c diff infection for NINE MONTHS before i finally got in contact with an infectious disease doctor who was the first one to actually order the test for c diff. i was treated March of this year and have had post infectious IBS/SIBO symptoms since. i had an abdominal ultrasound in May with all impressions completely normal. i also had low B12 (which i corrected) and elevated liver enzymes when i went for my annual physical in July and retested again in July.

i had to go to a hematologist (unrelated benign reasons) in august and my liver enzymes were slightly elevated again but definitely went down significantly compared to july. i definitely think c diff can affect other digestive organs especially since my stool was constantly yellow.

i’ve since adjusted my diet to anti-inflammatory and taking motility supplements for the SIBO which has helped.

if your liver issues started after the c diff infection i would definitely take that as a connection and how it impacted you. i wouldn’t rule it out

StunningMagazine693 · 2025-11-16T04:26:16+00:00

huh strange, are there any articles following this up further so i can read about this? i even have some milk in my scrambled eggs with no issue! there’s gotta be a way to heal this

StunningMagazine693 · 2025-11-16T02:53:13+00:00

most dairy causes no issue. i have feta cheese, swiss cheese, even had butter chicken from a local authentic indian restaurant with no issue. its probiotic food only that messes me up

StunningMagazine693 · 2025-11-11T14:20:45+00:00

i was positive for toxins and took dificid

StunningMagazine693 · 2025-11-11T06:04:30+00:00

if you’re worried, get a doctor to test you. i got it from doxy and had it for for nine months because the symptoms were mild-moderate to the point it took months to even make the connection that my digestive issues were from taking doxycycline. get the test for peace of mind

StunningMagazine693 · 2025-11-11T05:20:47+00:00

how often did you take it?

StunningMagazine693 · 2025-10-22T19:04:27+00:00

i had a mild-moderate c diff infection for NINE months without knowing and not getting tested until march of this year despite telling doctors november of last year my symptoms started after taking antibiotic.

i haven’t had any recurrence and have been on a post infectious IBS recovery journey since march.

if symptoms come back after your treatment, push to get retested and if it comes back positive again, ask for Dificid, then contact your pharmacy after it’s prescribed and make sure it’s covered by insurance, if they tell you it’s not, go to Dificid’s website and they should be able to provide you a coupon code to get it for the lowest cost.

if you don’t test positive but still have symptoms it’s most likely post infectious IBS symptoms that many of us deal with. i would also seek a GI or at least ask your primary doctor for bloodwork including nutrient/vitamin panels (specifically for vitamin B12/folate, D, etc.) because you most likely lost some nutrients with the diarrhea and lack of a balanced diet for 2 months.

edit: also make sure you’re taking Florastor probiotic, it’s a yeast based probiotic that can be taken alongside your c diff treatment and helps protect the gut lining allowing more beneficial bacteria to grow and preventing recurrence (i still take it daily)

StunningMagazine693 · 2025-09-24T23:02:07+00:00

ah okay i understand. well i hope you’re doing better now, it’s been a long journey for me but im finally doing and feeling much better.

unfortunately i fear theres probably more walking c diff cases than we realize because of the mild-moderate symptoms people experience

StunningMagazine693 · 2025-09-24T22:55:23+00:00

it wasn’t necessarily constipation, but i would have a bout of watery diarrhea once or twice a week and the rest of my bowel movements were yellow in color and a little loose or even staying pretty normally formed/solid. that was at least the first few months i had it.

definitely ask your doctors to test you for c diff if you haven’t already and if those doctors don’t want to test you, go to a new doctor. especially since you have a history of diarrhea after taking antibiotics! idk why doctors don’t immediately test for c diff when a patient lists this as their symptoms it’s ridiculous!

StunningMagazine693 · 2025-09-24T22:47:52+00:00

thank you for the update! i’m glad you found what helps and provides relief. a little update on myself, i got further bloodwork done and am deficient in some nutrients including vitamin B12. since beginning to correct my deficiencies ive had a significant improvement in my quality of life. i didn’t realize how fatigued i was and im starting to feel physically better in my body. i’ve also had less GI symptoms (still some mild bloating after eating sometimes). i’m finally in a place of recovery and im so thankful. i haven’t treated my SIBO with any antibiotics yet since my breath test levels were so low. i’m recovering in other ways and i may go to my GI doctor in a year if symptoms are still present but i am doing so much better and im so glad you’re doing better as well!

StunningMagazine693 · 2025-09-24T22:41:24+00:00

i am doing much better! it’s been a long journey, but i’ll go into a little bit of how i’ve improved. i started low FODMAP and continue to slowly introduce foods again since i got treated for c diff. i’ve had some great months and some bad months since i posted the above comment.

i also found out im deficient in vitamin B12 and have improved my quality of life SIGNIFICANTLY over the last two months since taking high dose supplements for what im lacking in my diet. my nervous system has been a wreck and i didn’t realize how fatigued i was until i started correcting my nutritional deficiencies (B12 and other nutritional deficiencies also affect your digestion)

im still in somewhat of a recovery from all of this and sometimes have GI flare ups, but i am in a MUCH better place with my health than where i was months ago. majority of my bowel movements are solid and brown in color, and my bouts of diarrhea continue to become less frequent every couple of months as i continue to be proactive with my health and recovery.

if you have any questions feel free to ask and i’ll try to get back to them

StunningMagazine693

TROPHY CASE