beckyl Asked December 2015
Has anybody had any experience with c-diff?
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The nurse at the AL facility where my mom is told me they were going to test my mother for c-diff. I wasn't familiar with this and had to Google it. Amazing how many things become part of your every day conversation isn't it? :)
I guess it turned out to be the flu, which is going around on her floor. I learned that c-diff is common in long term care facilities. Does anybody know any more about it and what can I do to keep my mother from catching it?
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My dad had about 5 different antibiotic-resistant infections when he passed away, which took down his immune system and hastened his passing. C-Diff was one of them. He'd had it for several months.
C-Diff causes severe diarrhea and dehydration, and because it weakens the immune system, other opportunistic infections invade the system and can overwhelm it in short order.
As cheribob said, hand washing, gown/glove/mask precautions in the patient's room, limited visits by others who may be infected or could pick it up easily from the patient (very young, very old or with compromised immunity) and isolation from other residents/patients is the rule. Even then, one uneducated or careless staff member can infect others. My aunt had C-diff for a very long time as well, and her daughter was told by a staff member that you had to come in contact with the actual feces to become infected. That is SO not true. Any surface in the patient's room can become contaminated by the patient or a staff member touching it.
From what I understand this was a pretty typical progression. Then she was on a ventilator for 10 days. After 10 days pneumonia sets in. That was pretty much the end.
The best way to prevent C diff is hand washing with soap & water & try not to use antibiotics. Other than that I don't know.
Thank goodness your mom did not have C diff!