List of the most popular hashtags for theme #CDIFF

Why do most disinfectants say "Kills 99.9% of bacteria"? - This was a great question from @caimarison's story yesterday. Happy #MicrobeMonday! A disinfectant kills things that make us sick (dis - to undo, infect - something that invades our bodies). In this case, it's bacteria. Most disinfectants work by disrupting the cell membrane (what keeps the insides in) or stopping the cells from being able to respire (create and use energy). And this is super effective against *most* bacteria. BUT, some bacteria form spores; this include the non-harmful Bacillus subtilis and the super dangerous Clostridium difficile (aka C. diff). Also, bacteria in a biofilm (living clump of bacteria encased in the goop they produce) are protected by said goop. Some bacteria can even just go "dormant" and not need to use energy. It's super hard to completely sterilize anything to the point where nothing is living on it. Bleach is the best bet, but please never use this on a living creature. Even a sealed container of pasteurized milk (heated up quickly to kill things) is left with millions of bacteria - this is why it can go rancid even when unopened. Q: How do hospitals sterilize things like surgical tools? A: The same way scientists sterilize food for their bacteria. With an autoclave! We use super high pressure and heat to kill even the hardiest of microbes. Here [Image] you can see a bottle that has been contaminated by some fungus in the air. On the left is how I found it. On the right is after the autoclave process. Now, it is safe to dispose of without worrying if it could spread. #research #sciencetalk #scicomm #autoclave #sterilize #hospital #cleaner #disinfectant #bleach #scientist #microbes #fungi #bacteria #pasteurize #spoiledmilk #Cdiff #dormant #spore

Why is this so funny  . . . follow @nursingandnclexmastery for more ❤️

Haven’t done one of these in awhile so I thought I’d share my skin and meatball are doing just great! I just wish my intestines INSIDE ME would cooperate • I use: a 2 piece Hollister bag and wafer, Adapt barrier ring, Adapt adhesive remover wipe, no-sting skin prep wipe (type varies based off of what my supplier has in stock), and occasionally I use stoma powder when my skin is raw or irritated! Sometimes I heat up my cut wafer with a blow dryer, but I’ve been lazy and it has been sticking just fine without that step recently I typically change 2 times a week! • Happy hump day! To keep y’all updated... still having some bad cramping today ‍♀️ looking into maybe trying a probiotic? Who the heck knows if that will help my small intestine? Looking for a good brand that’s recommended for the FULL digestive tract! Suggestions MOST welcome! If this keeps up going into next week I’m definitely demanding another Cdiff test, as this does not seem coincidental to me that the pains started up again right after the vancomycin was finished . . . . . #ibd #ibdawareness #ibdwarrior #crohns #crohnsdisease #cdiff #cdiffawareness #ileostomy #permanentileostomy #ostomy #ostomate #ostomyawareness #chronicillness #chronicpain #invisibleillness #stoma #meatballthestoma #proctocolectomy #nocolonstillrollin #rva

My most recent #DoctorsAreDickheads experience below: I had to go to the ER after a week of feeling like I was dying. The intake nurse was like “lol @ you doing nothing until now about this” and the doctors were like “lolol you just have some IBS little girl go home.” So they sent me home with some test kits so that I could be reassured that it wasn’t anything and it turns out it’s actually a pretty severe intestinal infection I have had to go to the ER three times to get the treatment I should have gotten the first time and had to deal with condescension or like I couldn’t possibly know my body up until the moment I left the hospital. This is exactly the reason why chronically ill people are reluctant, and have to feel like they are near death, to have their loved ones talk them into even thinking about going near a hospital. Truth be told, next time I’d rather shit myself to literal death than deal with the abuse again; at least the new pills are pretty. #ChronicIllness #ehlersdanlossyndrome #Spoonie #CDiff

I post a lot of smiley happy pictures on social media because all in all, I’m a really happy person. But like @carrieunderwood says you can’t cry pretty. This is what living with intestinal problems looks like most days. They call them invisible diseases because you usually can’t tell someone is sick at all. I work so much and honestly don’t have time for the full time job that stomach disease is, I just slap my make up back on and smile and no one can tell that my body is constantly fighting itself. The worst part isn’t even the pain, it’s the frustration. G.I. issues are just not simple. I am in my 15th year of this with still no clear cut diagnosis - just pain, starvation & internal bleeding. When other parts of your body are compromised it’s a simple test and they know how to treat you. G.I. is a massive guessing game. They need cameras and scopes (in all the wrong places) and even still if that snapshot isn’t done at the exact right time it tells them nothing. I’ve done more tests than I can count. Been to top #gastro doctors from NY to LA. As of right now, I have four doctors all in stark contrast of a diagnosis. I have a doctor who will swear to you I have Crohns and another who will swear to you I don’t. That’s how crazy this is. I don’t have any of the right symptoms or the presenting issues synonymous with any of the gut diseases on the table. In fact I have the opposite problem than most of these illnesses cause. I sit and explain my story to a new doctor nearly every year and it takes me an hour to delve into the whole background. The discovery, the transfer of records, the hospitalizations, trial and error on food, holistic experiments, on meds and off, gluten free, low fodmap, etc etc etc. Then the short lived victories that fall apart. It is exhausting not to mention that with autoimmune illness your body is already attacking itself and exhausting you. All I’m saying is, If you know someone with stomach problems, hug them. Hug them hard. Believe me they need it. ❤️ . . . . #gi #guthealth #probiotics #cdiff #cdiffsurvivor #ibd #crohns #colitis #ibdawareness #autoimmune #health #alternativehealth #crohnscolitis #intestinalhealth #crypretty #hungry

White leggingswith an ostomy? Can you see the outline? Yes. Do I care? Heck no! I spent the majority of my life letting myself be held back by my insecurities. I suffered from terrible acne growing up and would turn down social events from how embarrassed I was at times. I’ve learned that I never again will let myself miss out on things that I love from any silly insecurity! I’m proud of myself for getting out and being active! Who cares about my ostomy! I honestly wish people would ask me about it so I could spread positivity and awareness! • On another note I left my Fitbit at home for spin today... if I don’t track it did it even happen?! • My stomach cramping has been on and off so I have no idea what’s going on with Cdiff or my body... but in the moments I feel well enough I’m going to stick to my normal routine unless it gets worse ‍♀️ I definitely appreciate all of your support and suggestions! • Have a good weekend, everyone! . . . . . #ibd #ibdawareness #ibdwarrior #crohns #crohnsdisease #cdiff #cdiffawareness #ileostomy #permanentileostomy #ostomy #ostomate #ostomyawareness #chronicillness #chronicpain #invisibleillness #stoma #meatballthestoma #proctocolectomy #nocolonstillrollin #rva

#Vancomycin oral is a go-to drug for treating C. difficile. It is given oral b/c poor absorption means the drug stays in the gut and ✅ gets to the site of infection. Intravenous route vancomycin will not achieve adequate GI concentrations to treat “The Diff” so give it oral or rectal as per IDSA guidelines. Fidaxomicin (Dificid) and metronidazole (Flagyl) are two other drugs with utility versus the notorious Gram positive anaerobe Clostridioides difficile! (Formerly Clostridium) #Pharmacy #Antibiotics #VancoPO #Cdiff #Medicine #FOAMed

When I’m having a messy bag change I sometimes can’t help but think how awesome it is to watch my little stoma in action. Yes, I understand it’s poop and it’s disgusting, but once you get past that it’s really incredible to catch a glimpse of your body functioning when it would normally never be visible. AKA watching my small intestine push waste through and out of my body. It’s a damn miracle that I’m able to live without a colon, rectum, or appendix. Who would have ever thought that was possible? Having leaks can be very frustrating, especially when your stoma is particularly active but remember that our bodies are beautiful, and so are the intricacies of all its functions!!!! • I am pretty open when it comes to talking about my ostomy, often forgetting that some people might not be as comfortable with it haha I mean normal people don’t talk about poop all the time right? I don’t know though, shouldn’t we be? Everyone does it and bowel issues are so common and should not be shameful or swept under the rug. Your gut is such a key factor in overall health, it should be talked about more often! ❤️ • What do you guys think? • PS I lost my sticker almost immediately after I got it lol but I voted! I hope you were able too! . . . . . #ibd #ibdawareness #ibdwarrior #crohns #crohnsdisease #cdiff #ileostomy #permanentileostomy #ostomy #ostomate #ostomyawareness #chronicillness #chronicpain #invisibleillness #stoma #meatballthestoma #proctocolectomy #nocolonstillrollin #rva

Sometimes you just have to wake up and try again. ... Despite my best gut healing efforts over the past five weeks, I’m seeing no improvements. In fact, I’ve gotten worse. Ive turned again to scouring the internet, reading and rereading articles about the microbiome, gut lining, soluble and insoluble fiber, IBS diets...if it has to do with gut healing, I’ve seen it. I tried to explore seeing a naturopathic doctor to see if I could get to the underlying cause of this sudden downturn, but the expense of it all is overwhelming. I hit that point where I felt like I was fighting a battle alone, without anywhere to turn. Have you ever felt like that in your health struggles? Lucky for me, Steve was there to give me the reboot I needed. But it makes me realize again, how important it is that there are places out there where we can all turn to for gut healing information and honestly, just sympathy. There’s no doubt the gut and microbiome are gaining traction medically, but it’s still such an area of unknowns and I think it’s so important that we share our stories with each other. Sometimes hearing the anecdotes of others - whether is be their successes or struggles - can be the most important way to find help and understanding. To not feel alone. This is why I started my blog. I wanted a success story and a listening ear to be out there for anyone who has ever felt like I have. But I want to do more. I want to hear more. So, I’m asking - do you have a gutsy story? If so, will you share it? I’m starting a new space on my blog. I’ve realized it shouldn’t be a place of one story, but of all the stories that you have shared with me through emails and DMs over the last year. If you have found healing, or are stuck in the struggle and willing to talk about it, please send me a message! I’d love to feature your gutsy journey for others to learn from. ... turmeric tea: diced turmeric and ginger simmered for 10 min. I’ve started adding a splash of ACV and honey (yes sugar, believe it or not!). Honey is maybe the best thing I’ve ever tasted, but more importantly I’m grabbing a tip from @lilsipper that a teaspoon before eating can help with digestion.