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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What They Are Saying

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Excellent

Center For Digestive Health, Rochester Hills4.8

Based on 6239 reviews

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B. L.

Dr Bologna and staff were helpful and friendly. Though the initial appointment call wasnt great: he scheduled me in the afternoon erroneously, and his directions on my diabetes meds conflicted with the followup paperwork -- how much to cut back on or what to cut out completely. But the other staff clarified and corrected all that after a bit of phone tag.

Connor B.

Everyone was friendly and prompt. They have this system down pat. Very good experience for something that is not very pleasant to do.

Richard M.

Everything went well. Everyone attending me were professional and pleasant. Overall: excellent experience.

Scott P.

Great experience. Very caring people with good bed side manners. Made an uncomfortable appoinrment rather painless.

Rae S.

Dr.Bakken was great! Staff was very nice, they are my go to.

Rommel M.

Every one was wonderful

Marie M.

Staff were very friendly & pleasant. Very efficient. Everything ran on time & smoothly.

Christine B.

Dr Menhat is a very good doctor as well as his medical staff. I did have a problem that I did not receive the pre op instructions until I placed a call the Thursday before my Monday colonoscopy. I received the instructions immediately after my phone call. I believe I called the office in mid April to schedule the procedure.

Don S.

I was very pleased with my visit to this office. I got in within minutes of my appointment. I had my questions answered and was out quickly. Everyone was very pleasant.

Rena S.

Everyone was very professional and nice. Loved my nurse!! Great atmosphere!

Saher A.

Outstanding help and friendly staff everything was perfect i recommended it to everyone need it.

S. B.

The doctor actually read the results of tests I had a year ago point me in the right direction. Other doctors dismissed those results even though they appear to be the problem I am having. Thank goodness for doctors who have the time to read the results.

Doug G.

Cindy, Lauren and Ashley were welcoming and professional. Dr Nandi is always a great choice!

Christel W.

Dr. Donat is amazing doctor as well the staff. I will travel just keep him as my doctor

Jen A.

Great doctors and staff!

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!!

Don C.

It was a very good overall experience! Thanks to everyone who had participated in my procedure!!

Robert G.

The staff performed at a high level of concern for my dignity, during what is typically considered personally evasive.

Mark B.

If you have to have a colonoscopy, this is the place.

Pam R.

I am extremely happy with this location for my procedure. They assisted me immediately along with getting registered. They couldn’t be nicer and were very professional. I was also called later on in the day to see how I was feeling. I would highly recommend this practice.

Richard P.

The doctors and staff are great. CDH has been integral to my managing of digestive health issues.

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.

Jim W.

When i first met Dr Tocco, I was surprised at how young he appears (probably because I am 64) but was reminded of that by my wife. I immediately felt at ease with him. he is easy to talk to and will answer questions in a conversation instead of a clinical sounding way. the staff is very warm and helpful.

John K.

Everyone at the Center was courteous and helpful. I would recommend the Center without reserve.

Andrea G.

I went in for a colonoscopy, was starving and they were great got me back right away and back for my procedure within maybe 20 minutes. The staff was very pleasant and answered any questions I had. Dr Tocco was very nice and made me feel comfortable before and after. Overall great experience thank you

The Center for Digestive Health4.8

Based on 6244 reviews

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richard W.

Excellent job by everyone that I met. I recommend this place highly.

Darryll B.

The office was pretty full when I got there. But the staff kept everything moving. Check-in was a breeze. The wait wasn't long, the nurse Amy explained everything and got me set-up to go in. Then Kevin wheeled me back to the room, and explain what he would be doing before I went under. When I woke up. I got dressed and waited for Dr. Nandi for the results. He made everything transparent. Clean bill of health. AWESOME JOB TEAM!! Thanks!!

Suzanne G.

My first experience having a colonoscopy was a positive one. I’ve heard horror stories and seen my mother suffer through the prep first hand. Dr. Willie and his team were phenomenal. The whole experience took under 2 hours from check in to release. Entire staff was pleasant and supportive. I highly recommend Dr. Willie if you need his services.

David L.

Dr. Nandi is the best would recommend him to my family and friends!

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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