C. difficile, or Clostridium difficile, causes loose, watery stools in hospitalized patients. Strong antibiotics disturb the balance of good and bad bacteria in the intestine. This allows some bacteria to grow faster and produce toxins in the intestinal tract. The overgrowth causes severe diarrhea. Nutrition and hydration are important aspects for recovering from C. difficile.
Fluids
Severe diarrhea causes dehydration. Some patients with C. difficile are limited to a liquid diet to rest their digestive tracts. The best fluids for rehydration contain water, salt and sugar. Diluted fruit juices, clear broth, tea and saltine crackers help prevent dehydration. Sports drinks are not recommended because they contain a mix of minerals that could create an imbalance of electrolytes and make your condition worse.
Bland Diet
Getting your digestive system back to normal takes small steps. Once the doctor says you can eat solid food, a bland diet is recommended. This type of diet avoids anything that could irritate your stomach and intestines. Boiled starches such as rice and potatoes and cereal grains like wheat and oats cooked with a small amount of salt are added to your diet.
Probiotics
Probiotics are types of bacteria or yeast that help your digestive system regain balance. Probiotics help normalize the balance of bacterial growth in the intestine. They can slow the growth of bacteria by making your system less favorable. Probiotics also strengthen your immune system to help you fight off future occurrences of C. difficile.
Lactose Intolerance
After recovering from C. difficile, you might discover that dairy products cause digestive upset. This is lactose intolerance, and it happens because the enzyme that digests milk sugars is no longer active. Symptoms of lactose intolerance can last from several weeks to several months. Avoid dairy products like ice cream, hard cheese and milk to prevent uncomfortable GI symptoms.
References
- MayoClinic.com; C. Difficile: Treatments and Drugs; Nov. 3, 2010
- Up To Date; Clostridium Difficile and Probiotics; Lisa Davidson, M.D., and Patricia Hibberd, M.D., Ph.D.; July 30, 2010
- Up To Date; Patient Information: Antibiotic-Associated Diarrhea (Clostridium difficile); Ciaran Kelly, M.D., and J. Thomas LaMont, M.D.; Feb. 22, 2008
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