SandieRC
05-11-2009, 06:09 PM
I had a bladder infection and was put on amoxicyllin at the beginning of the year. The amoxicyllin didn't work so after taking a full dose of it they put me on Cipro. I took a full course of that. While I was taking Cipro, I started getting a pain in my lower right side.(sometimes a burning feeling) I thought it was an ovarian cyst and had a sonigram. They didn't find anything. I have had alot of excessive gas, gurgling and indigestion with my stomach. Bowel movements seem to be normal. The problem actually got better and now it is worse again. Now I am experiencing nausea as well as the other symptoms. I also have a funny taste in my mouth and am really tired. I think it could be related to all the antibiotics I took, but I am not sure. I did a bowel test but haven't heard anything yet. The doctor says I should have a colonoscopy instead of an abdominal CT scan, I really want to get to the bottom of this without a colonoscoy. Has anyone experienced these types of symptoms after taking antibiotics? Or does anyone have any ideas? I have never had any colon problems before. Thanks for your help.
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estria
05-11-2009, 07:05 PM
Sandie,
Antibiotics kill bacteria ... ANY and ALL bacteria including the good bacteria in your colon. They may have killed off the e-coli bacteria that caused your urinary tract infection but they may also have screwed up the balance of good and bad bacteria in your digestive tract since the pills have to go through your colon and intestines.
PROBIOTICS are your best bet under these circumstances. You can get these in capsule form at any health food store (be sure they are refrigerated otherwise you are paying for dead bacteria which will do nothing for you) or they can be found in yoghurt or kefir and in some cheeses. For example, Activia is a yoghurt that is advertised for its probiotic properties. I personally don't like all of the sugar and gelatin in Activia and have opted for a natural yoghurt or kefir from the health food store (normally yoghurts contain Acidophilus and L. Casei bacterial cultures and Activia has a special one which is actually patented by them which supposedly survives the stomach better than the traditional bacteria ... after all, those little guys have to make it past all of that stomach acid in one piece if they are to be effective in the gut). Probiotics are also used in many hospitals in Europe to ward off C-difficile. C-difficile is a bacteria that lives in our gut which in certain numbers can cause digestive difficulties. This often happens when patients are on antibiotics which disrupt the balance of good and bad bacteria (it's like an entire kingdom in there). Probiotics are used to help repopulate the gut with good bacteria and to restore the floral balance of your colon.
If your bowel movements are normal then you are probably not too badly off. People with serious problems often have diarrhea which causes dehydration. Still, why wait until something like that happens when a regular probiotic regime will restore things back to normal ?
Take care and all the best.
Estria
Antibiotics kill bacteria ... ANY and ALL bacteria including the good bacteria in your colon. They may have killed off the e-coli bacteria that caused your urinary tract infection but they may also have screwed up the balance of good and bad bacteria in your digestive tract since the pills have to go through your colon and intestines.
PROBIOTICS are your best bet under these circumstances. You can get these in capsule form at any health food store (be sure they are refrigerated otherwise you are paying for dead bacteria which will do nothing for you) or they can be found in yoghurt or kefir and in some cheeses. For example, Activia is a yoghurt that is advertised for its probiotic properties. I personally don't like all of the sugar and gelatin in Activia and have opted for a natural yoghurt or kefir from the health food store (normally yoghurts contain Acidophilus and L. Casei bacterial cultures and Activia has a special one which is actually patented by them which supposedly survives the stomach better than the traditional bacteria ... after all, those little guys have to make it past all of that stomach acid in one piece if they are to be effective in the gut). Probiotics are also used in many hospitals in Europe to ward off C-difficile. C-difficile is a bacteria that lives in our gut which in certain numbers can cause digestive difficulties. This often happens when patients are on antibiotics which disrupt the balance of good and bad bacteria (it's like an entire kingdom in there). Probiotics are used to help repopulate the gut with good bacteria and to restore the floral balance of your colon.
If your bowel movements are normal then you are probably not too badly off. People with serious problems often have diarrhea which causes dehydration. Still, why wait until something like that happens when a regular probiotic regime will restore things back to normal ?
Take care and all the best.
Estria
auntjudyg
05-12-2009, 11:40 AM
I agree this may be a matter of antibiotics messing up your intestinal bacteria . . . and also that some of the brands of yogurt you find in the healthfood store (Seven Stars, Hawthorne Valley, Brown Cow, Stonyfield) are preferable to commercial brands. An probiotic supplement would be good, too.