HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

flare and antibiotics

Support Forums
>
Crohn's Disease
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 10/26/2009 1:54 PM (GMT 0)
I've been enjoying a few months of symptom-free living, but now my symptoms are starting up again. I'm 100% sure this is due to antibiotics. Even my meds, which put me into remission about 10 months ago, don't seem to be helping this flare. I'm going to start watching my diet again, and look into probiotics. I've been eating lots of plain yogurt in hope of getting my gut stabilized, but this hasn't helped yet.
Has anyone had any experience with an antibiotic induced flare-up? Are there any special steps I can take to get back to remission? Ugh, what is so frustrating is the antibiotics, which were prescribed for a cough, didn't even help :(

Thanks,
Basil
Posted 10/26/2009 2:46 PM (GMT 0)
There are definitely some antibiotics that are worse then others. Are you still on them? I have found that I cannot take Augmentin. If you are off the antibiotics, then take some probiotics. You may have to experiment with what brand works best for you. I actually take Cipro (antibiotic) when my D gets bad and it helps me. Talk to your doctor if you are not getting better. Staying with a very mild diet, maybe even the BRAT (banannas, rice, applesauce and toast) may also help for a few days. Good luck
Posted 10/26/2009 3:39 PM (GMT 0)
Cipro and Keflex get me.
Posted 10/26/2009 3:58 PM (GMT 0)
I recently tried Flagyl for 3 weeks.  I got about 2 weeks into it and I couldn't take anymore.  My CD got so bad that  I was living in the bathroom. 
Posted 10/26/2009 6:25 PM (GMT 0)
I am like Gumby I cannot take Augmentin either it gives me horrible D. But the Cipro I recently took for my small bowel bacterial overgrowth worked really well for me. Definetly add some good probiotics. I use Primadolphilus Reuteri and have had great luck with it. Good luck!
Posted 10/26/2009 7:15 PM (GMT 0)
Some antibiotics are used specifically to treat CD. Others, used to treat other infections, can have a detrimental effect, or no effect at all. It seems to be hit or miss. I try to keep track of the antibiotics that have a harmful effect on my CD and try to avoid those, but sometimes those are the ones that will kill the infection and are a necessary evil.

Taking a good probiotic (at least two hours after any antibiotic) is always a good idea. You may have to try a few different brands to find one that works well for you. In this case it is true that you get what you pay for, so don't go super cheap. You don't have to go for the most expensive either, at least not at first. And don't buy a huge bottle until you know if it works for you.
Posted 10/26/2009 8:44 PM (GMT 0)
It is possible that the antibiotics have induced C difficile. It is very antibiotic resistant and it causes symptoms similar to CD. It is very hard to eliminate by normal means and you may need another course of different antibiotics to control it. Taking Florastor (S boulardi) can help control C diff so you could try that first. Unfortunately, C diff usually needs antibiotics to control it. If so, take Florastor along with the antibiotics. You might also try adding Culturelle as well since it is reported to help controlling antibiotic-related diarrhea.
Posted 10/26/2009 8:48 PM (GMT 0)
I took four rounds of antibiotics starting last December, and the doctor told me to expect a flare up. He was right, and it was a doozy. The trouble is, like Zanne says, sometimes you have to take them. I recently took Cipro for an infection, and it was OK, but as others have said, it depends on you and even on how your body is doing at that moment. I was tapering off Prednisone when I took the Cipro and it was fine. The probiotics are good to take while on the antibiotics, but take them a couple of hours apart otherwise the antibiotics counteract the probiotics.

I was told by my GI that the BART diet isn't worth much. Applesauce can actually be a problem when you are in a flare. I don't do well with it. I found in my last flare that in terms of fruit and veg I could only really do green beans, cooked carrots, bananas and diced peaches. Maybe a low-residue diet would be good to calm things down and let your medications get working again. You should be careful that things don't get out of control. Have you talked to your doctor about increasing your meds or adding some new ones for a short time?

A good site for a low residue diet is http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/low-residue-diet/MY00745

I hope you feel better. Get lots of rest.
Posted 10/27/2009 1:45 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks for all the recommendations for probiotics-- I'll definitely look into that. I'm no longer on the antibiotics, I've been off them for about 3 weeks. I need to ask my pharmacy what they were so I can remember not to take that antibiotic again--I should have known better when the label itself said may cause diarrhea, but i had been feeling great and wrongly thought I could handle it.
Posted 10/27/2009 7:23 PM (GMT 0)
I am still certain that the combo of Cipro and Flagyl, along with not being good about probiotics, landed me in the hospital for a week last April. I am very, very good about probiotics now whenever I take the antibiotics. I figure that, since my low-grade temps are back, I will be starting back on Cipro again sooner than later.

Good luck!
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply