Need Some...Ahem...*Digestive* Advice

Christine

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Aug 31, 1999
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For 3 days, I was taking an antibiotic. On the third day, I developed some mild "runs". I went to the doctor because the antibiotic was causing other problems and I needed to discuss all with him. The doctor indicated that the antibiotic had "blown out all the good stuff in my gut." His words.

This morning, things seemed less runny; however, I had a large amount of mucous within the stool (sorry :blush: ). As the day progresses, things are normalizing a bit with how it all looks, but I am having low-level cramping and some queasiness that had not been there yesterday.

I am drinking kefir, which if you don't know, is a more potent form of yogurt and is supposed to be excellent for this, but I'm not sure if it is helping or hurting.

Have you ever had experience with post-antibiotic troubles? It makes if VERY difficult to do my one hour commute to work and I just want this CRAP to end, literally.
 
Christine said:
Have you ever had experience with post-antibiotic troubles? It makes if VERY difficult to do my one hour commute to work and I just want this CRAP to end, literally.


YES! And I hate taking anti-biotics cuz of it. HATE THEM!

I heard that Dannon Activa is supposed to be super good for it too - but I cant say Ive tried it.

Im sorry - it'll be over with soon.
 
Hope you are feeling better, soon.

I remember changing the girls' diapers when they were on an antibiotic, and it wasn't pretty!

Denae
 

I am not trying to scare you- but I wound up in the hospital with this.
The organism that takes over in your gut is called C-diff
It can get really serious -especially if you get dehydrated.


Keep eating the yougurt!! If it does not get better in a day or two call back.
If you get dizzy and start vomiting uncontrolably go to the ER.

Are you still taking the antibiotic?

I was sick for about two weeks-but I had a severe case.

Here is an article on it -for kids but basically the same info:


Pseudomembranous colitis
Pseudomembranous colitis is caused by Clostridium difficile, bacteria that usually live harmlessly in the intestines of about 50% to 70% of newborns, 20% to 50% of infants, and 3% of adults. In normal daily life, C. difficile compete with other intestinal bacteria for a place in the intestines' balanced environment. But when someone takes antibiotics that kill the competing neighbor bacteria, C. difficile can grow out of control and produce two toxins that cause intestinal illness.

Signs and Symptoms
Pseudomembranous colitis happens when the antibiotics used to treat childhood illnesses also kill "friendly" bacteria that normally live in the intestines. This allows Clostridium bacteria to grow in the intestines without competition, causing a wide range of symptoms. Symptoms usually begin after a child has been taking antibiotics for 4 to 8 days, but may even start after the antibiotic treatment is finished. In mild cases of pseudomembranous colitis, a child has abdominal cramps with a little watery-brown diarrhea that is not bloody. In severe cases, a child can have bloody diarrhea, fever, and a swollen or enlarged abdomen that is tender to the touch.

Prevention
You may be able to help prevent severe pseudomembranous colitis by calling your doctor immediately if your child develops diarrhea while taking antibiotics. In general, antibiotics should be used only when there is reason to believe that an infection is caused by bacteria.
Incubation
Symptoms of pseudomembranous colitis usually begin after a child has been taking antibiotics for 4 to 8 days, but they may start as late as 5 to 21 days after a child has finished taking antibiotics.

Duration
First, the antibiotic that caused the pseudomembranous colitis must be stopped. Once this is done, symptoms of mild pseudomembranous colitis often improve within 2 days and are usually gone within 7 to 10 days. However, severe cases of pseudomembranous colitis may need to be treated with certain specific antibiotics that kill C. difficile.

Contagiousness
Pseudomembranous colitis is usually not contagious from person to person among healthy children. However, it can spread among persons who are already hospitalized for other illnesses. Hospitals usually try to isolate patients with this illness and use disinfectants and gloves when caring for them.

Home Treatment
If your doctor suspects that your child has pseudomembranous colitis, he or she will probably tell you to stop giving your child the antibiotics that caused the illness. A severely ill child will be treated in a hospital. If a child is only mildly ill, he will need to rest in bed at home. Your doctor may modify your child's diet until diarrhea passes. This may mean switching your child to a liquid diet, then a soft diet, then a regular diet over a period of days as your child's diarrhea improves.

Professional Treatment
Doctors can make the diagnosis of pseudomembranous colitis by obtaining stool samples from the child. These samples will be checked in a laboratory to see if they contain bacterial toxins. Your doctor may also need to examine the inside of your child's intestines using a colonoscope.

When to Call Your Child's Doctor
Call your doctor immediately if your child develops bloody diarrhea, or has any blood at all in his stool. Also, call your doctor if your child has been taking antibiotics and suddenly develops cramps and diarrhea.
 
clarabelle--

I've already scared myself with what you posted!! Amazing what you can find on the internet.

I *think* I'm going to be okay because I don't really have watery diarrhea (or any of it right now). Seems to be worse in the morning. The mucous kind of *got* me this morning, but that seems to be gone. I just have some mild cramping and I'm a bit queasy. No fever.

What symptoms did you have?

Oh, edited to add: No, I am no longer on the antibiotic and I only took 4 doses of it.
 
I'm going through the same thing right now. I got really sick last week and went to the Dr. He did blood work and a throat culture. I had/have strep throat and mononucleosis. He gave me an antibiotic for the strep and I've been battling the loose stools. Like you, I have about an hour commute to work (due to traffic). Those have been fun commutes the past few days. Thankfully, it seems to be getting better. Now, if the headaches from the mono would just go away and I wasn't completely zapped of energy by the end of the day.
 
jcsbama said:
I'm going through the same thing right now. I got really sick last week and went to the Dr. He did blood work and a throat culture. I had/have strep throat and mononucleosis. He gave me an antibiotic for the strep and I've been battling the loose stools. Like you, I have about an hour commute to work (due to traffic). Those have been fun commutes the past few days. Thankfully, it seems to be getting better. Now, if the headaches from the mono would just go away and I wasn't completely zapped of energy by the end of the day.

Uuuugggh...sounds awful. What antibiotic are you on?
 
You can also try acidophillus (sp) pills which are available at any health food store. Has the same active ingredients as yogurt. My mom was very ill with C-Diff and it went undiagnosed for a couple of months. We thought she was going to die. There is another medication you can get from the dr to counter act the c-diff.

Hope you feel better soon.
 
I had severe vomiting, diarrhea and the worst headache of my life.
After being in the hospital a few days for dehydration my cultures came back and they put me on Flagyl- that takes care of the c-diff.

Mine was a severe case -just don't ignore it if you get worse -or think you are getting dehydrated.
 
clarabelle said:
I had severe vomiting, diarrhea and the worst headache of my life.
After being in the hospital a few days for dehydration my cultures came back and they put me on Flagyl- that takes care of the c-diff.

Mine was a severe case -just don't ignore it if you get worse -or think you are getting dehydrated.

Thanks for that. Luckily, right now, none of my symptoms are severe. Guess I will know more tomorrow.

Were you on antibiotics for a long time? How did you get it?
 
I had your symptoms when I was on Penicilin about a year and a half ago. For me the mucousy nastieness and the queasieness were the last day. So hopefully it'll be over for you soon
 
I really question your doctor.

He gave you an antibiotic in advance of you actually needing it. Now you are suffering side effects from it.

As another poster stated the drug you posted (keflex) is really wierd and probably inappropriate for upper respiratory tract infection (if that is what it is). It certainly was really wrong to give you a prescription intended to be used a month from the t

So in addition to giving you a disturbing side effect, he potentially set you up for a big fall. It is really important to give you the exact right drug. While an inappropriate drug cure your symptoms, it may not kill the stronger bacteria and allow them to create resistent strains.

I hope you feel better.
 
yeartolate said:
I really question your doctor.

He gave you an antibiotic in advance of you actually needing it. Now you are suffering side effects from it.

As another poster stated the drug you posted (keflex) is really wierd and probably inappropriate for upper respiratory tract infection (if that is what it is). It certainly was really wrong to give you a prescription intended to be used a month from the t

So in addition to giving you a disturbing side effect, he potentially set you up for a big fall. It is really important to give you the exact right drug. While an inappropriate drug cure your symptoms, it may not kill the stronger bacteria and allow them to create resistent strains.

I hope you feel better.

Okay, in defense of my doctor, from just *one* of the sites I googled:

Keflex is used to treat many different types of bacterial infections such as bronchitis, tonsillitis, ear infections, skin infections, and urinary tract infections.

Many sites listed it as a common antibiotic for sinus infections and upper respiratory tract infections. I don't know why the other poster felt it was inappropriate. My husband has been given Keflex several times for upper respiratory issues (different doctor) so I don't think it is an inapppropriate antibiotic.

Secondly, I have had a cough with post nasal drip since April. I went to see my doctor in May about this. He highly suspected allergies and a resultant post-viral cough. He wrote me a prescription for an antibiotic to use "only if secretion became green at some point" which they did last weekend. I'm not sure if what he did was wrong or not.

I do know that I wish I hadn't taken it. That's for sure.

It is Friday morning and I still have loose mucousy stools and urgent need to go.
 
I called my doctor's office today to let them know that *things down there* are still going on. Weird things. Well, they wanted me to come in. Doctor has now mentioned possible C. Difficele infection but he wants to see if things improve over the weekend. If they don't, I will have to have a stool test next week to see if I have the "toxin." :rolleyes:

You know, I know that some people here probably think I'm a HUGE ninny when it comes to taking medications (I've posted about this several times), but this is the CRAP that happens to me. Even when I take stuff that most people have no problem with. It just really bums me out. Gosh, I only took 4 freakin' doses of that darned Keflex.

In the meantime, my head is still plugged up and I'm coughing. Seven weeks of coughing...But no more antibiotics. :sad2:
 
Your health is nothing to be a ninny over. Getting c-diff is very dangerous, it has been all over the news in our area as a resistant strain has popped up. I would be a pain in the rear untill I felt better. (No pum intended given your current situation)

Hope you feel better soon!
 

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