People who take opioids for pain relief for extended periods of time may need higher doses to ease their pain. They may develop tolerance to the drug and experience withdrawal symptoms if the medication is abruptly stopped. They become physically dependent on the drug.
Antibiotics most likely to cause C. diff infections are clindamycin, amoxicillin, ampicillin, and cephalosporins, and to a lesser extent, penicillin, erythromycin, and quinolones.
Other risk factors for C. diff infection include: 1  Surgery of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. 2  Diseases of the colon such as inflammatory bowel disease or colorectal cancer. 3  A weakened immune system. 4  Use of chemotherapy drugs. 5  Previous C. diff infection. 6  Advanced age -- 65 or older. 7  Kidney disease.