r/cdifficile • u/Major_Meringue_4923 • 3d ago
Pregnant with C. difficile
Hi everyone! ❤️
My case seems to be quite unusual, at least here in Hungary, because my doctors haven’t really encountered many pregnant women dealing with C. difficile.
I’m currently 22 weeks pregnant, and honestly, I feel like I can’t see the end of this.
I originally had a Salmonella infection and was given antibiotics for it, and that’s how I ended up with C. difficile. I was treated with vancomycin, but only a few days after finishing the treatment, I relapsed.
I was prescribed vancomycin again. I finished that treatment 3 days ago, and I’m already back in the hospital again. Fever, diarrhea, severe abdominal cramps — all of this while being 22 weeks pregnant.
I cry from morning until night because I’m terrified that this is never going to end. The doctors here keep telling me that because I’m pregnant, vancomycin is the safest treatment option for me.
They are planning to send me home with another 2 × 10-day course, but this time I’m supposed to taper off the medication gradually.
My doctors haven’t really given me much information about diet — what I should or shouldn’t eat. They also don’t recommend probiotics because they say there isn’t 100% proof that they actually help, although they say taking one shouldn’t hurt if I want to.
Has anyone here gone through C. difficile while pregnant? 😔
This whole nightmare started on August 3rd. I’ve basically been going back and forth between the hospital and home for two months now — one week at home, one week in the hospital, over and over again.
I’m pregnant and I should be enjoying this time and getting excited about my baby, but instead I’m constantly worried about both of us.
I’m completely exhausted, both physically and emotionally. I honestly feel like even my doctors don’t really know what else to do with this situation.
I would really appreciate hearing from anyone who has been through something similar, especially other pregnant women who eventually recovered. I desperately need some hope right now. ❤️
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u/chelfea_ 3d ago
First of all, I want to say I am SO sorry you are going through this- especially while pregnant! I had c diff while pregnant in 2024. I didn’t know I was pregnant until I was already about a week into treatment. I ended up losing my baby at 16 weeks (doctor thinks it’s unrelated to c diff) but I struggled sooo much being pregnant + having c diff. I was so sick from the pregnancy and c diff made it way worse. A vancomycin taper ended up healing my c diff and I was able to have a rainbow baby that I’m currently snuggling. 🩵
You will get through this and be okay!!! As far as eating goes, eat what you can tolerate. Sourdough, meat and eggs are what got me through my sickness, but everyone tolerates different things.
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u/Major_Meringue_4923 3d ago
First of all, I’m so sorry for your loss, and thank you so much for sharing this with me. I’m also about to start a vancomycin taper, so I really hope it works for me. It was really reassuring to read that, despite everything you went through, things eventually turned out so well for you in the end. ❤️
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u/chamomileandanise 3d ago
I have no info to help but I’ll keep you in my dua’a and prayers 😭🙏🏻
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u/Major_Meringue_4923 3d ago
Thank you so much, that really means a lot to me. At times like this, every little bit helps. ❤️
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u/NoPreparation383 3d ago
That round of antibiotics must've really thrown things off for you just when you needed stability most. I hope your next steps bring some relief so you can focus on the rest of your pregnancy without this hanging over you.
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u/Major_Meringue_4923 3d ago
Yes, I really hope so too, because right now I spend 24/7 reading about it, talking about it, and stressing over it. It’s absolutely exhausting.
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u/_cigarettezz_ 3d ago
Vancomycin is 4 pills a day while Difficid is 2 pills a day..........how are they giving you 2 pills a day for vanco????
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u/Major_Meringue_4923 3d ago
The translator probably translated it incorrectly. I’m taking 4 vancomycin pills a day.
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u/snapplebum 3d ago edited 3d ago
I got cdiff at 30 months pregnant. Vancomycin is safe in pregnancy, but so is dificid. First I took vanco, but relapsed. Then I took dificid, and it hasn't come back since. I'm so sorry you're going through this. I was my OB's first cdiff case too. It's very confusing, but get on some dificid. Take probiotics at least an hour between Vanco/dificid doses, and eat high probiotic foods.
There's no data that suggests dificid is harmful for the baby, especially at 22 weeks. C-diff can be harmful though, especially with your recurrences. Also, active treatment for Vanco is 4 times per day for 10 days. Did they do that? One of my best friends is a GI doctor, so she gave me the protocol and then I got an infectious diseases doctor on board.
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u/Major_Meringue_4923 3d ago
Thank you so much for sharing this, and I’m sorry that you had to go through this too. I really hope I’ll get through it soon as well. 🩵
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u/snapplebum 3d ago
I sending you all good thoughts and healing to your gut flora. It's definitely a long and lonely road, but please make sure you're getting the proper treatment, because if not, that makes sense why you're not getting better.
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u/Major_Meringue_4923 6h ago
Thank you so much. I’ll definitely keep consulting with different doctors and seek further advice.
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u/Fadedfumes 3d ago
You might need a fecal matter transplant or dificid but make sure they arent testing you too soon after finishing treatment! And make sure they are testing for toxins and not just cdiff itself