My husband has been on broad spectrum antibiotics with no problem for three weeks for a deep-set infection in his toe. All of sudden today he had an attack of diarrhea with what felt like bad gas pains. There were a few more bouts of diarrhea after that. He doesn't feel ill (no fever, no nausea) but is just a little tired.
Is this related to taking antibiotics for three weeks? I gave him acidopholus tablets to take, but we are both wondering if this is due to the drugs what should he do b/c he's supposed to be on the cephlex for another 3 weeks!
As a side note, does this sound like a stomach virus? No one in our family has had one and my husband is not ill or throwing up. Thanks for sharing your advice and opinions.
2007-04-01 12:19:49 · 15 answers · asked by Veritas 7 in Health ➔ Other - Health
I always have this problem while on antibiotics and it is a common side effect. Just make sure he drinks plenty of water and the acidophiles sounds like a good idea. Next time he goes on an antibiotic tell the doctor,they can try to give him a different kind that might work better.
2007-04-01 12:24:20 · answer #1 · answered by Lori O 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes, your husband could be suffering from antibiotic related diarrhea. You might want to let your doctor know. Sometimes you can develop a difficult diarrhea called C-dif., which requires Flagyl and can make you really sick.
Acidophilus is fine to use. You can get it over-the-counter and other ways. You can also get Acidophilus milk at most grocery stores. Be sure to take the Acidophilus at a different time from your antibiotic, like at least 2 hours after taking your antibiotic. Yogurt is also OK, but Acidophilus tablets or powder have more of the bacteria you are trying to replace.
Antibiotics can cause a diarrhea that washes the 'good' bacteria out of your gut. This good bacteria helps you grow vitamin K and helps your gut with digestion.
Unicity (www.unicitynetwork.com) has a great powder acidophilus you can order online for about $ 25.00. I like it because it mixes with juice and has some additional bacteria that helps your GI tract. It is called Probionic.
Hope this helps and that your husband does better!
2007-04-01 19:35:37 · answer #2 · answered by Lisa P 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Broad spectrum antibiotics, like the cephalexin he is on, will kill the bacteria that live in the intestinal tract. These bacteria help with digestion and also help activate certain medications such as birth control pills.
Have him keep taking the antibiotics. The acidopholus should help. There are some yogurts, like Dan-Active, that can help replace the bacteria.
2007-04-01 19:32:59 · answer #3 · answered by DNA G 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Many antibiotics can cause diarrhea but after three weeks? Has the infection been cultured so you know what type you are dealing with? I would be more inclined to think that the infection is causing the diarrhea than the antibiotics. They may not be working which is why I asked about a culture. Go back to the doctor and tell him/her the details of the past few weeks, don't leave things to chance.
Good Luck
2007-04-01 19:25:55 · answer #4 · answered by PhoenixSmiles 4 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Speaking strictly as a layperson, this sounds like it is fm. the antibiotics. Along w the acidopholus tablets, add some bifidus as well.
Antibiotics, as you probably already know, do not discriminate. They kill off the good bacteria as well as the bad.
2007-04-01 19:25:09 · answer #5 · answered by ~j~ 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Yes, those meds can cause it with no warning and next time call the doctors office and talk to one of the nurses, it's free and less humiliating for your husband since you will be asking one health professional and not the world. There is a possibility of a stomac virus too but it may be just the meds, eat bananas it will give him nutrients he is losing and slow everything down.
Good for you for taking care of him anyways. :)
2007-04-01 19:26:19 · answer #6 · answered by Army_Wife 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
With the antibiotics the diarrhea should have hit him long before now. It sounds more like a stomach virus to me. Eating yogurt and cheese should help.
2007-04-01 19:24:45 · answer #7 · answered by unicornfarie1 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Antibiotics do cause diarrhea as they kill the good bacteria along with the bad, eating yogurt should help.
2007-04-01 19:23:16 · answer #8 · answered by thatsit4theother1 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
About 7% of the people react this way. Not unusual, but a pain in the ---.
Call the dr in the am, ,he may call in an RX to your pharmacy. Meanwhile, drink plenty of fluids.
Good luck., Hope he gets better quick.
2007-04-01 19:26:00 · answer #9 · answered by Barry auh2o 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yup.... every time I have had to take antibiotics, that was a side effect... after all, it also kills 'healthy' digestive tract bacteria! Suggest he eat yogurt daily to help add healthy bacteria back...
2007-04-01 19:23:31 · answer #10 · answered by waynebudd 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋