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How long should antibiotic-related intestinal side effects last once the medicine is done?

By March 11, 2018 - 2:53pm
 
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antibiotic-related intestinal side effects

Okay, I'll try to make this post as "non-TMI" as possible. I had my first-ever sinus infection a few weeks ago, and the PA at my doctor's office prescribed Omnicef for me for 10 days. It did a great job at knocking out the cooties and making me feel better, but it's also wreaked havoc on my intestinal system. About halfway into the 10 days I started getting diarrhea, sometimes as much as 8 times a day. Fun stuff, huh?

I figured the trots would improve when the Omnicef was done, but they kept going. About 5 days after finishing the Omnicef I asked the pharmacist how long I could expect the diarrhea side effects and she so obviously guessed when she said "oh I'm not sure, but I'd say about a week or so, I would think" Don't you love it when they make stuff up on the spot?

So now it's been 9 days since I've had my last Omnicef pill and I'm still having mild symptoms. Not "oh man, get me to the bathroom NOW" symptoms, but things just aren't 100% yet. I've bought some strong acidophilus and am taking it 3 times a day and am trying to eat more good-quality plain yogurt. TMI alert--there is just a lot of mucousy reddish brown stuff coming out and it's creeping me out. I read that Omnicef can cause reddish poos due to the way it interacts with iron in your diet, but would this still be the cause a week-plus after finishing the dose?

Does anyone know how long antibiotics essentially stay in your system, and how long I have to put up with this? It's getting better overall but it seems like this might be a medicine I want to avoid in the future. At what point do I call the doctor for a follow-up? thanks to everyone and I hope I didn't gross anyone out too badly.

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EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I'm having side effects of cefdinir 16 days after done taking. It's awful. Still don't poop right, and everything clashes with me now. Allergic reaction and hives and itching and swelling, flu symptoms.
I hope it stops soon. This antibiotic has made my life miserable.

February 18, 2019 - 6:07pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I FEEL YOUR PAIN FRIENDS..... After finishing 10 days on Cefdinir (300 mg twice daily) I have AM sweats that wake me up . For 2 AM's now,5:30 one day-6:30 the next. Nausea and feel very tired(almost like when I was anemic years ago). I'm a 67 yr. old woman who is normally healthy and on NO RX medications. I do usually get sinus infection once /twice a year.Just pre/probiotics and multi vitamins. Hoping it's delayed side effects of the 10 day treatment. If I feel like this into next week I'll call the DR. I think time will tell. By the way, my nose is still stuffy(no doubt allergies too) Hope every poster finds the cause of their ill feelings and feel better. Antibiotics suck but you suffer through the effects if you feel bad enough right.

October 20, 2018 - 8:28am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

Are you guys any better?

July 31, 2018 - 3:12am
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

I took Z pack for cough . After finishing the 5day course , I immediately started having severe diarrhea. Doctor ran a test for c diff , results came out to be negative. Diarrhea got worst .Finally , I was referred to GI specialist. GI Doctor Prscribed me some medication ( forgot the name) , which didn’t help . Ended up having colonoscopy , results were negative.
Diarrhea lasted for almost 4 months , finally started to get better on it’s own .
No more antibiotics for me , unlesss I really really need it , but no more Z PACK AGAIN.

March 18, 2018 - 8:01pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous

You need to take real, high quality probiotics. Yogurt is not going to do it against antibiotics. Most probiotics in yogurt don’t make it to the shelf from the delivery truck. Raw 100 billion probiotics are the only ones that have helped me. Every doctor should really prescribe probiotics at the same time as antibiotics to avoid your gut being destroyed. There’s no point knocking out one infection to start another problem. Just don’t take them at the same time of day (ie. Take your probiotic in the morning and your antibiotic at night, or vice versa). I have taken antibiotics for years and just got my gut back to normal with all the probiotics I’ve been taking. Take probiotics all the time, not just when you are on antibiotics, to keep your gut flora up. Also, not everyone reacts well to acidophilus, so like I said try some from garden of life Raw brand probiotics- at least 100 billion. You can also add another one called mood probiotic (available on Amazon) by innivovix labs in a purple and yellow box, but that’s not enough on its own, only in addition to the 100 billion or other high dose probiotics. I double the dosage when I’m actually on antibiotics, but try to avoid taking antibiotics whenever possible. Also, just because a doctor says to take the antibiotic for 10 days (often way too long) does not mean it is necessary. I never take a full set. I take two days worth and let my body fight off the rest unless the infection just won’t go away, in which case I might need a different antibiotic as they should kick in pretty quickly after taking them and your body’s immune system should kick in after that to knock down the rest. Note: this is if you are taking the probiotics as I recommended so you are not also suffering from diarrhea and all the other issues prevented by them which would make it even harder for your system to fight what you have in the first place (see why pharmaceutical companies want you to stay on antibiotics?)

October 29, 2017 - 2:02pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Anonymous)

This is exactly what fuels antibiotic resistance, by not completing your course of antibiotics you allow bacteria a better chance to select mutations that can cope with particular antiobiotics.
By then switching antibiotics and doing the same you are helping breed bacteria resistant to multiple antibiotics - 'superbug' infections.
Antibiotic resistance is a very real and dangerous threat to everyone, 'years' of antibiotic abuse is a gross disservice to future generations who could well be living in a world where a simple playground cut or a winter chill will litterally be the death of them.

June 15, 2018 - 3:34am

I had Bronchitis last month and was prescribed the 5 day dose of Z-Pak. When that didn’t work I was prescribed another 5 day dose of the Z-Pack. About 5 days after I finished the last pill of the second dose I began to feel horrible stomach symptoms. First, my stomach would hurt bad I would get hot flashes after every meal. Then about a week later I was very constipated and had severe stomach cramps. I went to the emergency room room and they did a CAT scan of my stomach and didn’t see anything so I was told to take a laxative for the constipation. Ever since the laxative, I’ve had loose stools. Not diarrhea, but not normal either. It’s now been 22 days since the last pill of the Z-Pak and I feel horrible. I can’t eat. If I do I’m immediately nauseous. The left side of my stomach hurts all the way around to the left side of my back. I’m extremely lightheaded. Whatever I eat seems to go right through me and doesn’t digest all the way. I ate salad last night and it came out this morning looking like.... Like salad! I am trying a different probiotic yogurt today and hopefully that helps. Has anyone ever had stomach problems almost a month after finishing an antibiotic?? Ugh

October 15, 2017 - 2:21pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to TiffanysAngel777)

Hey I to am having this problem and it's driving me insane. How long did your symptoms last? Please tell me there is hope?

September 15, 2018 - 10:04pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to TiffanysAngel777)

Yes. My child had a random ear infection that went into her bone and she had to be hospitalized and given antibiotics through an IV. For a period of 48 hours. After that she developed another ear infection about a year later and we went to her doctor who gave her antibiotics and when we finish the antibiotics her stomach was really messed up. She was complaining that her stomach hurts for about 8 months after we finished the antibiotic. it was horrible. She went from being a perfectly healthy child never complaining about her tummy to a child that was constantly complaining about her tummy hurting. And I knew without a shadow of a doubt it was the antibiotics. She is okay now. I do give her probiotics regularly. But it took a long time. I also prayed for her all the time. So I am thankful Jesus healed her and she is finally feeling better. Now I'm careful with antibiotics and try to look for a natural alternative instead. it's crazy how one bad experience can scar you so bad that you never want to go through the same thing again.

July 31, 2018 - 2:23pm
EmpowHER Guest
Anonymous (reply to Anonymous)

Hi my son now still have stomach pains can’t even go to school. After taking amoxiclav for 5 days he began complaining stomach pain with diarrhea. The doctor change it to tergecef but still complain stomach pain. Now its been almost 2 weeks and still complaining stomach pain but no more diarrhea. We went for 2nd opinion pedia gastro she said its because of side effect of antibitics but the one who prescribed those antibiotics told us to do ultrasound in the upper abdomen. And even endoscopy. My son never complain of stomach pain and diarrhea until these f&@k antibiotics he took. Worried mom here.

October 25, 2018 - 8:59am
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