jenna update

Jenna's GI Doctor, Thomas Sferra, called today. Jenna does in fact have C-DIFF. She will be taking a very potent antibiotic over the next week (every 6 hours) and then she will be re-evaluated on July 2nd to see if the medication performed its job. I am also giving her acidophilous to help restore the good bacteria which the antibiotic will take away. Thankfully, Jenna is still in good spirits. Her only obvious symptoms are her stool and bloated belly (I have been having to vent her Mic-Key button much more often than normal). Below is some information I read on an informative site about C-DIFF...


Other names that the disease can be known as are:

Clostridium Difficile Colitis, Antibiotic-Associated Colitis, C. Difficile, C. Dif, C.D., A.A.C.D. and C.D.C.

What is Clostridium Difficile - in easy terms to understand?

C - difficile is a bacteria in your intestines. It is found normally in healthy and ill people alike. There are millions, perhaps billions of different types of bacteria in your body. Bacteria are an important part of your health. They help break down and digest food. They also ward off many "bad" or foreign bacteria that you may come in contact with. In fact, the "good" or normal bacteria on your hands can kill certain bad bacteria which you may pick up handling food or touching everyday items and fixtures.

How do I get Clostridium Difficile Colitis or Antibiotic-Associated Colitis?

Your body has lots of "good" and necessary bacteria. It also has some "bad" or dangerous bacteria. Clostridium difficile is a "bad" bacteria. Fortunately, when you are healthy and not taking antibiotics, the millions of good bacteria in your system keep the c - diff under control and in smaller numbers. However, when you take an antibiotic, the levels of good bacteria are reduced down to a smaller number. If your c-diff is strong and doesn't get killed by the antibiotic along with the good bacteria, then it is possible that the c-diff will overpopulate inside your intestine or colon. When this happens, you may get the illness called clostridium difficile colitis. When you have an imbalance of bacteria and c-diff takes over, it creates two main types of toxins that affect your body and give you the symptoms of the actual disease. The toxins attack your intestinal wall and left untreated may cause ulcerations. Your symptoms may include diarrhea and cramping at first. The later stages are commonly flu-like symptoms of weakness, dehydration, fever, nausea, vomiting and in advanced stages - blood in your stool / feces. If a patient is left untreated, they can die from it. This is rare.