I have to ask a question that is bothering both me and Harry.....

About 3 weeks ago Harry became very ill. I took him to the hospital and he ended up being there for 10 days. The result was that he had managed to get an intestinal infection known best by its short name... C-diff (Clostridium difficile) (interestingly the "diff" stands for difficult to treat. Not what we wanted to hear of course.

The general gist of this pathogen is that in the recent past it has become a problem for hospitals (which is where you get it). One of the risk factors was getting the PEG. This all happened within 2 weeks of getting the PEG.

Other risk factors:
1. Age older than 65
2. Severe underlying illness
3. Gastrointestinal surgery and procedures
4. Feeding tubes, stool softeners, gastrointestinal stimulants, antiperistaltic drugs, enemas
5. Antacids and proton pump inhibitors (acid suppressants used to treat peptic ulcers and esophageal reflux) such as Prevacid, Nexium, and Prilosec and the use of rectal thermometers.

There is a new strain of C-diff going around the hospitals that has developed an imunity to antibiotics. Researchers attribute the resistance to the use of new fourth generation antibiotics. Basically this pathogen can live dormant in a spore form for months and it is on everything in the hospital room. The only way to get rid of the spores is to use bleach. The researchers noted that the disinfectants that hospitals use will not kill the spores.

The thing that makes this pathogen a problem is that it attacks people quite badly who have damaged immune systems and whose normal bacterial floura have been destroyed either through the use of antibiotics or chemotherapy. If I were to get this bug it might cause a little diahrea for a couple of days and then it would pass. But for Harry's body it is far more dangerous. In some cases, the pathogen can grow to such an extent that it will perforate the colon and 30-80% of those will be fatal.

It is treated using 2 antibiotics - flagell and vancomycin (hard capsule not IV) Both of which Harry completed and he is running fever again. (Damn!!!)

I got this information from a nursing magazine called NurseWeek (www.nurseweek.com). The nurse at the hospital made a copy for me when we were in the hospital. The article had just come out.

I know this is long... I offer the info so that you all can watch your stays in the hospital closely. As a note: The alcohol based hand sanitizers like Purell do not kill this pathogen. You must wash with soap and water.

Now my question:
While he was in the hospital having this terrible diahrea and fever he lost the ability to know when he has to go. He can no longer feel it until it is already happening. He was seen by a urologist who prescribed ditropan. I finally got that guy on the phone today. (a week and a half after he did the test and after leaving messages for 4 days) The doctor said that he could not pinpoint the cause of the problem because there are too many factors with radiation, chemo, and multiple drugs.

Has anyone had this experience? Is it chemo related? Harry is afraid that he will be stuck like this forever and it is inhibiting his recovery. He has been getting out of bed a lot more but he can't go out anywhere because he will just go in his pants and he never knows when it is going to happen.

If anyone has had this experience, please let me know. If you do not wish to share it here please email me. I know this is an embarassing subject but Harry did ask me to ask. I could not believe it but he did.

Thanks,
Cindy

C-diff (clostridum) like MRSA (resistant staph) are generally hospital aquired. Much worse down south, I believe. I worked in a Florida hospital, these problwms are becoming the rule not the exception. You need to consult an infectious disease specialist. And he becomes a carrier, possible for a long time. Insist on proper hygene.
Edd

scca,T3Na2Mo, on carbo/taxol/imrt/neck disec.
Just had dental extractions. It will end!

What do you mean a carrier? Like even when he no longer has symptoms he still has the bug?

When I checked him in at the hospital Tuesday for chemo, I asked that he be tested. I do not think that they have done a test yet nor have they said anything about it to Harry.

I am a little concerned about the dismissal of this without verification. If he is a carrier, does this mean that he might get ill again when his counts drop after the chemo?

He already has anemia because of the chemo and they give him a neulasta injection because he is suseptible to nutropenia.

Should I be more insistent about having him tested?

Thanks,
Cindy

My husband, Jim, also suffered (severely) from C-diff after some pretty horrible complications following his neck dissection kept him hospitalized and on many antibiotics for weeks.

He, too, didn't know when he had to go, for quite awhile, but he regained control as soon as the C-diff was conquered.

Hang in there.

Barb