Difficile Colitis

What is C. Difficile Colitis?

According to experts, C. difficile colitis is an infection that is caused by a type of bacteria called Clostridium difficile. C. difficile colitis can vary in severity; in some cases, it causes a bout of diarrhea, but sometimes, it can lead to a serious colon infection, which can be life-threatening.

Symptoms of C. Difficile Colitis

C. difficile colitis can cause a variety of symptoms, ranging from mild to severe. Typically, symptoms begin five to 10 days after a person starts using an antibiotic medication, but they can appear as soon as a day after, or as long as two months after beginning an antibiotic.

In mild to moderate cases, C. difficile colitis symptoms include the following:

Mild abdominal cramps
Tenderness in the abdomen
Watery diarrhea at least three times per day for two or more days

In severe cases, symptoms of C. difficile colitis include:

Severe pain and cramping in the abdomen
Elevated heart rate
Watery diarrhea occurring as many as 10-15 times daily
Blood or pus in the stool
Lack of appetite
Fever
Nausea
Dehydration
Weight loss
Swelling in the abdomen
Elevated white blood cell count
C. difficile colitis can even cause life-threatening complications, such as kidney failure, enlarged colon, severe intestinal inflammation, and sepsis.

Causes of C. Difficile Colitis

There are several potential causes of C. difficile colitis, but one common cause of this condition is antibiotic use. When a person uses antibiotics, these medications kill some of the healthy bacteria found in the body, which can cause C. difficile to grow quickly.

Other risk factors for C. difficile colitis include:

Staying in a healthcare facility, such as a hospital or nursing home
Having abdominal surgery
Having a weakened immune system
Having serious medical conditions like colorectal cancer or inflammatory bowel disease
Being age 65 or older
Having had C. difficile colitis in the past
How is C. Difficile Colitis Treated?

If you think you may have C. difficile colitis, it is important to seek treatment, because this condition can cause complications such as kidney failure, bowel perforation, and even death if left untreated.

The first part of treatment for C. difficile colitis is to stop taking the antibiotic that triggered the infection. While it may seem counterintuitive, treatment for C. difficile colitis usually involves taking another antibiotic.

In severe cases of C. difficile colitis, surgery may be necessary to remove the unhealthy portion of the colon. If C. difficile colitis is recurring, a doctor may perform a procedure called fecal microbiota transplant, in which stool from a healthy donor is implanted in an infected colon.

Treatment is important to prevent complications from C. difficile colitis, so you should seek medical care promptly if you have had watery diarrhea three or more times per day for two days or symptoms like bloody stool or severe abdominal cramping.

Applicable Procedures

Colonoscopy

Can you die from C. difficile colitis?

In some cases, C. difficile colitis is mild and causes a quick bout of diarrhea. Other times, it is severe and can cause life-threatening complications like kidney failure, enlarged colon, or sepsis.

Is treatment necessary for C. difficile colitis?

Since C. difficile colitis can lead to life threatening complications in some cases, it is important to seek treatment if you think you have symptoms of this condition. If you have had watery diarrhea for two days, you should seek medical care as soon as possible.

How is C. difficile colitis treated?

The first line of treatment for C. difficile colitis is typically an antibiotic. If symptoms are serious, you may need surgery to remove part of the colon, or a fecal microbiota transplant, in which you receive stool from a healthy donor to be implanted into your colon.

Common Symptoms

“I had watery diarrhea multiple times per day for days on end.”
“About a week after taking an antibiotic for an ear infection, I noticed that my stomach was tender, and I started to have diarrhea repeatedly throughout the day.”
“After I went through a course of antibiotics, I suddenly developed severe cramps and stomach pain, and I was having diarrhea hourly throughout the day.”

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Center For Digestive Health, Rochester Hills4.8

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Patricia L.

I've been with Dr Balogna for 25 years or more. He is very caring man. Staff has always been kind and on the ball. I won't go else where very happy with him!

John B.

Excelent. Care wonderful staff

William B.

Great staff. Professional, thourogh & friendly.

Kathy B.

Everyone was friendly and and helpful, my procedure went smoothly, ty

Neil H.

Our whole family have been patients of the Center for many years and have enjoyed the service and attention we receive. The operation runs like a well-oiled machine and the doctors and nurses are extremely helpful in explaning our procedures and answering any questions we might have.

Tim H.

Doctor and staff were very efficient. Appointment was quick. I was in and out in about 25min. I would recommend Doctor.

Marla B.

So nice very Perfesonal and clean staff pleasant 😀

Emeel A.

Professionally and efficient. Whole procedure with checkin and checkout lasted 1 hour and 15 minutes

Kathie G.

Video visit with Dr Quallich with all my concerns addressed in his comfortable, friendly manner.

Leeann P.

Have been going to Dr Bologna for several years now for my gastric issue and colonoscopy . The staff and Dr Bologna are great! Attentive and pleasant ! I would would definitely endorse his group without hesitation

Dianne B.

The nurses who helped prep me for my colonoscopy last Friday morning were angels, explaining everything as they went and carefully making sure I was comfortable and calm. Thank you; your kindness was noticed and appreciated. Dr Nandi as always was the perfect mix of professional and funny. Great experience all around.

Kim W.

The staff is great!! Friendly, caring and efficient. I highly recommend this place, I have been with Dr. Willy's office for almost 30 years.

Danny S.

I am a new patient of Dr Nandi and I’m having a procedure next week. The office staff has been excellent to work with.

Sharyn C.

Staff very friendly & helpful. Love Dr. Wille

Ted H.

They did a good job

Caterina S.

Another great experience at Dr. Weber’s office, during my EGD procedure, everyone on his team is absolutely professional, very kind, friendly and genuinely concern the patient is comfortable as it can be. Thank you again for caring for me Dr. Weber- you are the best- as always!!

Sabine H.

Fantastic care from beginning to end!

Jas S.

Amazing service. Very efficient and experienced staff with great processes. Highly recommend

Anna C.

The nurses are so good getting back to you with questions and refills. Front desk is great getting you to the person you need to talk to. Dr Bolonga is always great.

Jo B.

Professional, kind, thorough, & ever so gentle Can’t say enough good things about Dr Donat and his staff

Edward P.

Dr. Nandi and the entire staff are absolutely outstanding.

Lynn T.

My procedure went really well and I enjoyed all the staff, they were so nice and friendly!

Janice V.

Dr saheed was wonderful! She was professional, informative, knowledgeable & spent quality time listening & explaining. Her office staff was efficient & personable

Fred M.

I'll make this brief. Full disclosure, I've known Dr. Partha Nandi for quite some time. I personally know of his commitment to treat his patients with care and courtesy. Plus, "HE'S THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS" !!! And the Troy Gastro staff is top notch !!!

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Experience is always professional, personable and informative. The Doctor and his staff always provide excellent care.

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Marty A.

Everyone was very welcoming and professional. The nurses and techs were very polite and enjoyable to be around. I was treated very well.

Rachelle P.

I was very nervous, as this was my first colonoscopy. The staff was extremely comforting and friendly. Dr. Abadir was very patient and knowledgeable. The facility was very clean. I highly recommend Macomb Endoscopy.

Rosalyn H.

Thank you so much redwood for fixing the situation I really appreciate it

Michelle B.

Dr. Weber was very personable and professional. The entire process, from appointment setting to recovery, was very well orchestrated and the entire staff was incredibly kind. I'd recommend Dr. Weber and this office to anyone.

Our Doctors

We’re proud of our team here at Digestive Health Institute. Our health care providers include some of the very best colorectal surgeons, gastroenterologists and physician assistants. To learn more about our qualified team of specialists, please visit our providers page.

Amir Abadir MD, FRCPC

Anezi E. Bakken MD, MS

Sante D. Bologna MD, FACP

M. Emin Donat MD, FRCPC

Partha S. Nandi

Jack Tocco DO

John R. Weber MD

Richard T. Wille MD

Tusar Desai MD

Aalia Saeed, MD

FAQs

What happens during my first visit?

If you are a new patient, you can expect to have a complete physical exam. You will also be asked detailed questions about your current problems and your past medical history, your current medications, allergies, your family history and other pertinent medical information. If you are taking medications, please bring a completed medical history form with you to your appointment. Once the physician has reviewed your medical information and completed the physical examination, a plan of care will be developed. You may need to be seen again in the office, be referred back to your family physician for follow-up care, or require additional testing. If additional tests are needed, we will assist you in scheduling these tests.

What if I need to schedule an endoscopic procedure?

An endoscopic procedure allows the physician to visualize a part of your gastrointestinal tract with a special instrument called an endoscope. If your family physician has ordered testing, you will be contacted by telephone by one of our staff members. If a physician orders testing and you are in the office, the procedure can generally be scheduled during the course of your visit. You will be given a date, time, and location for the test, as well as written instructions telling you how to prepare for the test. If you have any questions about the procedure, please feel free to ask one of our staff members or the physician.

How do I get test results?

We ask that you wait 10 to 14 days before contacting us for results. Often results come from several different sources. This information needs to be compiled and reviewed by your physician before you can be appropriately advised.

What insurances do you accept?

We accept payment from most insurance companies including Medicare, Blue Cross/Blue Shield, Blue Care Network, Physicians Health Plan, Cofinity, Sparrow Professional Health Network, Medicaid, McLaren, Health Plus, and several others. Accepted insurances are subject to change at any time without notice.

If your insurance requires an authorization from your primary care physician, you may be asked to assist us in obtaining this authorization.

All patients are responsible for all copays and deductibles at the time of service.

If you have any questions regarding your benefits or insurance coverage, please contact our Billing Department at 248-844-9710.

What if I need to contact the doctor?

To contact your doctor during business hours please call our main number 248-844-9710. If you have an urgent need to speak with the doctor after hours, you will be rerouted to our after hours answering service, and your doctor will be paged. In the case of a medical emergency please proceed directly to the nearest hospital emergency room.

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