1. < Digestive Health

Side effects of antibiotics

Posted by olbud @olbud, Oct 23, 2020

Shortly after finishing a two week course of Doxycycline in August of this year, I started belching a lot. Merely drinking water causes me extreme distress. My thought is the antibiotics wiped out all the bacteria in my gut. Probiotics seem to help, but I do not know how much probiotics is too much. I started out taking one VSL #3 per day and rapidly progressed to two per day. I am now adding a third probiotic, which is a Dr. Ohirra’s or a Renew Life. Has anyone had a similar experience with antibiotics? Will my system ever return to normal? Is it safe to mix and match the probiotics?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Digestive Health Support Group.

ken82 | @ken82 | Oct 23, 2020

Certainly, my primary Care physician always prescribes a probiotic whenever she prescribes an antibiotic.. It was the kind I purchased over the counter at the national drug chain where I get all my prescriptions.. They had several kinds and the pharmacist was very helpful in selecting the one in my case that helped with the diarrhea that I usually get when taking antibiotics.. I also have gastroparesis so I take a probiotic and a Gas-X each day..

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Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Oct 23, 2020

@olbud, welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I think you might appreciate this video with Mayo GI specialists Dr. Murray.
- The 'Pros' of Probiotics: Dr. Joseph Murray on Mayo Clinic Radio: https://connect.mayoclinic.org/page/gastroenterology-and-gi-surgery/newsfeed-post/the-pros-of-probiotics-dr-joseph-murray-on-mayo-clinic-radio/

I'd also like to bring @sueinmn and @windwalker into this discussion.

I completely agree with @ken82. A pharmacist is an extremely helpful member of your health care team. They have a lot of knowledge and can help choose the right probiotic for you and how long to take them. I'd be interested to hear what is recommended after you talk with your pharmacist.

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Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Oct 25, 2020

Hello, @olbud, and I second Colleen's welcome to Mayo Connect. Sorry I am a little late with my reply - I was working from my tablet and phone for a few days, where I cannot easily cut & paste.
Here is a place on Connect where there was a discussion of probiotic use with antibiotics. https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/bronchiectasis-and-diet/

I was on what is known as the "Big 3" - azithromycin, ethambutol & rifampin - for 18 months to treat a mycobacteria infection in my lungs. My pulmonologist had me start taking probiotics and eating yoghurt with live cultures a couple weeks before I started the regimen. I consulted a friend who is a dietician about which probiotics I should take, talked to the pharmacy advisor at my clinic, and discussed it in the MAC & Bronchiectasis group here. The collective advice was to: 1) buy the specially coated ones that do not dissolve in the stomach, but in the intestine, 2) buy from a source where they sell quickly so you are getting very fresh capsules, 3) buy probiotics with a variety of cultures, and 4) buy a different combination of cultures each time. I found 3 different ones that met all the criteria at my local food coop, and used them throughout treatment. I will not say I was problem-free, but when I did stop the probiotics for a few weeks to see if they made any difference, I got a horrible case of diarrhea. It settled down to tolerable a week after I restarted.

Just my 2 cents worth. But if you search around on the Connect groups, you will find several discussion.
Sue

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grh1001 | @grh1001 | Oct 5, 2023

I was diagnosed with diverticulitis almost 2-years ago. Prior to diagnosis, I started feeling better rather quickly but went to the doctor as the pain was unusual. I was placed on Cipro and Flagyl. I started “googling” my symptoms (big mistake) and read about the liquid diet and since the literature that came with my medication did not indicate the necessity for food, I went on a liquid diet. Within 2-days (over the weekend) a different and peculiar pain started in my upper abdomen so I admitted myself to the ER. I was discharged 5-days later after no food and IV fluids/Cipro/Flagyl and diagnosed with a micro perforation and given 10-days more of antibiotics. ER suggested I needed a colectomy and I was referred to a gastroenterologist (GE). The GE believed that I had ulcers and after an endoscopy, had no findings and recommended that I return in 3-years even though the upper abdominal pain never receded. The GE recommended a high fiber diet and 2-months later I had another diverticulitis flare-up. I sought help with another highly reputable university hospital and submitted to tests for SIBO, a gastric emptying study, radiation MRI, HIDA scan, CT scans and a colonoscopy. All of the tests came back negative but the emptying study showed rapid emptying (which was not considered indicative of my symptoms) and the colonoscopy showed severe inflammation and they believed I had Crohn’s disease. The test for Crohn’s came back negative and it was recommended that I increase my fiber (even more so) and a colectomy was not recommended.

I read about a low-residue diet (which a nutritionist I consulted hadn’t heard of) and started eliminating fruits/vegetables and whole grains. I also previously tried numerous other diets (FODMAP, specific residue, etc.) without success but the low-residue helped. 8-months later, I had another colonoscopy and the inflammation was gone. University medical recommended I come back in 10-years even though I’m in my fifties. Now, after several months on a low-residue diet (my diet prior to all of this was about 80% fruits and vegetables) I still have the exact same pain that I had when I first went to the ER and I saw my local GE (that believed I had ulcers) yesterday and he told me I have scarring in my colon from the diverticulitis and that the pain would never go away

Perhaps, his conclusion about my pain is correct but simply by tracking the onset of my symptoms and what has happened to date, my sense is that this has all likely resulted from the antibiotics and a cascade of poor medical care. I should also note that I have been told that I have IBS even though I have had very little difficulty with diarrhea and constipation (especially after the low-residue diet) and I don’t think my symptoms are the result of stress as much as my stress is a result of my symptoms and the medical care I’ve received. Does anyone have a similar experience and, hopefully, has anyone found a resolution or have suggestions?

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2 replies
grh1001 | @grh1001 | Oct 5, 2023
In reply to @grh1001 "I was diagnosed with diverticulitis almost 2-years ago. Prior to diagnosis, I started feeling better rather..." + (show)
@grh1001

I was diagnosed with diverticulitis almost 2-years ago. Prior to diagnosis, I started feeling better rather quickly but went to the doctor as the pain was unusual. I was placed on Cipro and Flagyl. I started “googling” my symptoms (big mistake) and read about the liquid diet and since the literature that came with my medication did not indicate the necessity for food, I went on a liquid diet. Within 2-days (over the weekend) a different and peculiar pain started in my upper abdomen so I admitted myself to the ER. I was discharged 5-days later after no food and IV fluids/Cipro/Flagyl and diagnosed with a micro perforation and given 10-days more of antibiotics. ER suggested I needed a colectomy and I was referred to a gastroenterologist (GE). The GE believed that I had ulcers and after an endoscopy, had no findings and recommended that I return in 3-years even though the upper abdominal pain never receded. The GE recommended a high fiber diet and 2-months later I had another diverticulitis flare-up. I sought help with another highly reputable university hospital and submitted to tests for SIBO, a gastric emptying study, radiation MRI, HIDA scan, CT scans and a colonoscopy. All of the tests came back negative but the emptying study showed rapid emptying (which was not considered indicative of my symptoms) and the colonoscopy showed severe inflammation and they believed I had Crohn’s disease. The test for Crohn’s came back negative and it was recommended that I increase my fiber (even more so) and a colectomy was not recommended.

I read about a low-residue diet (which a nutritionist I consulted hadn’t heard of) and started eliminating fruits/vegetables and whole grains. I also previously tried numerous other diets (FODMAP, specific residue, etc.) without success but the low-residue helped. 8-months later, I had another colonoscopy and the inflammation was gone. University medical recommended I come back in 10-years even though I’m in my fifties. Now, after several months on a low-residue diet (my diet prior to all of this was about 80% fruits and vegetables) I still have the exact same pain that I had when I first went to the ER and I saw my local GE (that believed I had ulcers) yesterday and he told me I have scarring in my colon from the diverticulitis and that the pain would never go away

Perhaps, his conclusion about my pain is correct but simply by tracking the onset of my symptoms and what has happened to date, my sense is that this has all likely resulted from the antibiotics and a cascade of poor medical care. I should also note that I have been told that I have IBS even though I have had very little difficulty with diarrhea and constipation (especially after the low-residue diet) and I don’t think my symptoms are the result of stress as much as my stress is a result of my symptoms and the medical care I’ve received. Does anyone have a similar experience and, hopefully, has anyone found a resolution or have suggestions?

Jump to this post

I should also add that I would appreciate any honest feedback. I've often thought that the pain I'm having is all in my head which seems somewhat realistic considering my frustration with the medical care system. Nevertheless, my symptoms just don't seem to fit and it does seem rather dismissive to regard this as IBS or conclude that I'm simply stressed.

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difrnt1 | @difrnt1 | Oct 11, 2023
In reply to @grh1001 "I was diagnosed with diverticulitis almost 2-years ago. Prior to diagnosis, I started feeling better rather..." + (show)
@grh1001

I was diagnosed with diverticulitis almost 2-years ago. Prior to diagnosis, I started feeling better rather quickly but went to the doctor as the pain was unusual. I was placed on Cipro and Flagyl. I started “googling” my symptoms (big mistake) and read about the liquid diet and since the literature that came with my medication did not indicate the necessity for food, I went on a liquid diet. Within 2-days (over the weekend) a different and peculiar pain started in my upper abdomen so I admitted myself to the ER. I was discharged 5-days later after no food and IV fluids/Cipro/Flagyl and diagnosed with a micro perforation and given 10-days more of antibiotics. ER suggested I needed a colectomy and I was referred to a gastroenterologist (GE). The GE believed that I had ulcers and after an endoscopy, had no findings and recommended that I return in 3-years even though the upper abdominal pain never receded. The GE recommended a high fiber diet and 2-months later I had another diverticulitis flare-up. I sought help with another highly reputable university hospital and submitted to tests for SIBO, a gastric emptying study, radiation MRI, HIDA scan, CT scans and a colonoscopy. All of the tests came back negative but the emptying study showed rapid emptying (which was not considered indicative of my symptoms) and the colonoscopy showed severe inflammation and they believed I had Crohn’s disease. The test for Crohn’s came back negative and it was recommended that I increase my fiber (even more so) and a colectomy was not recommended.

I read about a low-residue diet (which a nutritionist I consulted hadn’t heard of) and started eliminating fruits/vegetables and whole grains. I also previously tried numerous other diets (FODMAP, specific residue, etc.) without success but the low-residue helped. 8-months later, I had another colonoscopy and the inflammation was gone. University medical recommended I come back in 10-years even though I’m in my fifties. Now, after several months on a low-residue diet (my diet prior to all of this was about 80% fruits and vegetables) I still have the exact same pain that I had when I first went to the ER and I saw my local GE (that believed I had ulcers) yesterday and he told me I have scarring in my colon from the diverticulitis and that the pain would never go away

Perhaps, his conclusion about my pain is correct but simply by tracking the onset of my symptoms and what has happened to date, my sense is that this has all likely resulted from the antibiotics and a cascade of poor medical care. I should also note that I have been told that I have IBS even though I have had very little difficulty with diarrhea and constipation (especially after the low-residue diet) and I don’t think my symptoms are the result of stress as much as my stress is a result of my symptoms and the medical care I’ve received. Does anyone have a similar experience and, hopefully, has anyone found a resolution or have suggestions?

Jump to this post

I think the care is lacking for GI issues. You seemed to have managed much more tests than I've ever been offered. I always get ordered Barium lower GI series. I ended up with Redundant bowel from diverticulum scar tissue and ended up having to have bowel resection of sigmoid

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caitlin221 | @caitlin221 | Jul 16, 2024

Hi! Did you get any answers to this issue? Dealing with similar

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fotula | @fotula | Jul 17, 2024

I was on antibiotics for 29 days when I had a UTI. I ended up with C diff and lost 20 pounds in 2 weeks which just about wiped me out since I only weigh 125 lbs on a good day!!! I spent 4 days in the hospital. I started taking Florastor and Culturelle 4 in 1 Women's formula since that time. It has helped me tremendously and I take it every day to keep my gut biome healthy. I don't believe there is any downside to taking daily probiotics and my GI doctor agrees unless you have any immune disorder issues.

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morgan877 | @morgan877 | Aug 23, 2024

Did you ever get better from this issue? Did the probiotics fix the issue?

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