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Antibiotics-Will it affect the Crohn's?

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Posted 12/20/2011 1:52 AM (GMT 0)
 Today I went to my PCP because I've been having a lot of sinus problems and I didn't want it ending up being a bad infection and have it prevent me from getting my Remicade next week. The doctor said I had a sinus infection and gave me 10 day course of antibiotics. I've heard that antibiotics can cause a flare up/make a flare up worse. Is this true? I was on a lot of antibiotics about a month ago during my last hospitalization and I was already feeling like death so I have no idea if they affected me one way or not. Right now, my flare has gotten a lot better since my last hospitalization other than a few symptoms coming back but hopefully the Remicade will take care of that. I'm just a little worried that the antibiotics will make my flare worse. Any experiance?
Posted 12/20/2011 2:38 AM (GMT 0)
For me it depends on the antibiotic. A Z pack sends me into a flare but I'm fine with Levaquin and Cipro.
Posted 12/20/2011 1:34 PM (GMT 0)
Antibiotics can change the contents of your gut flora, killing some good bacteria, and often give people (with or without IBD) diarrhea. I think for us Crohn's patients, it's a more serious disruption than it would be for a healthy person, but the strategies for dealing with it are the same. Get some good probiotics (through yogurt or supplements).

I took Bactrim for a week in October and it took a whole month for my gut to settle back into it's regular weirdness. Sometimes you really do have to take an antibiotic, and just be prepared for the gut issues.

Sinus infections are very hard to diagnose and treat. 10 days of antibiotics are probably not sufficient. If you are really certain that you have a sinus infection (fever?) talk to your DR about a 2-week antibiotic course. If you are not certain but your sinuses are sore and giving you headaches, etc., perhaps just treat that with a regular sinus lavage and nasal steroids?
Posted 12/20/2011 1:38 PM (GMT 0)
Keepingfaith,

I just finished going through this.  I had a sinus infection and had a 10 day dose of antibiotics.  When that didn't clear me up completely I started another 10 days.

I am on a weekely dose of Humira and the antibiotics didn't interfer with it.  Also, with the first round I actually felt better with my CD.  I was going to the bathroom a lot less.  The second round (different antibiotic) wasn't as good but it wasn't bad either.  Just remember to watch what you eat.  I eat food that was easy on the stomach and stayed away from dairy.

All I can say is that everyone is different so you might react differently.  But it won't be the end of the world.  Just go easy on you stomach while on the antibiotics.

Posted 12/20/2011 2:13 PM (GMT 0)
I strongly agree w/being sure to take a good probiotic whilst on any antibiotic.

I've found that gut responds happily to many antibiotics. If they don't make me nauseus they make my gut happy and feeling good. Cipro is often used as it has some antiinflammatory properties as I remember. I know there is some reason that I asked and was approved to take Cipro instead of Entocort to assist the Imuran when I first started Imuran.

With Cipro and any of the floroquinolones tho you do have to be conscious of NOT over stretching, over stressing your muscles, especially the achilles tendon as they do tend to encourage muscle tearing.
Posted 12/20/2011 6:16 PM (GMT 0)

OMG!!!!! All night long my son 30, has been in HORRIBLE NON-STOP gut pain. I too came online to ask (plea for an answer!) about the affects of antibiotics on Crohn's. He recently posted about an absess that won't get better even with months of Antibiotics. I'm his Mom and I am taking care of him. I too have posted about this.

For the past 3 MONTHS he has been taking ...

CIPROFLOXACIN HCL 1 tab 500mg every 12 hours and...

METRONIDAZOLE 2 tablets 3 times per day!!

That's a total of 8 ANTIBIOTICS PILLS A DAY! The VA doctors tell him not to miss a dosage or they'll have to take out his Colon. But I am SO WORRIED about HIM. hE WAS ON OTHER ANTIBIOTICS VIA AN IV FOR A MONTH PRIOR TO THESE!

I'm trying to get him to take Probiotics but it's so hard to squeeze them in when it has to be both 2 hours before and 2 hours after.

The VA doctors tell him NOTHING but to take the antibiotics and eat healthy. Well, I've got him eating healthy and taking supplements plus the one lone Probiotic I can get him to take. (He's SO TIRED of thaking pills!) HE'S MISERABLE! 

PLEASE REPLY! THANK YOU 

Posted 12/20/2011 8:17 PM (GMT 0)
I agree that it depends on the antibiotic. I know taking Augmentin last month helped throw me in to a bad flare in October. I won't take that stuff again. Next time I'll make sure to ask for Cipro if I really need an antibiotic (and honestly I'd better really need it!).

Diane, you might want to start a new thread. You'll get more responses that way. But the antibiotics your son is taking is the ones they usually give to help with Crohn's. Sounds like you need to get in touch with his doctor if he's in that kind of pain.
Posted 12/21/2011 12:42 AM (GMT 0)
This pain has become common place with him. However, this mornings stomach pain at 3 am was different. He has the absess to deal with and the Crohn's so defining where the pain comes from gets a more than a little confuzing! He's SO TIRED OF THIS! 8 years of this crap and he says he's had more bad days than good.

I woke up at 5:00 to hear him moaning and groaning in pain. He said it was a constant pain as opposed to the throbbing pain he gets from Crohn's. He'd been doing good and then this!

We didn't go to the VA hospital which is a 45 minute drive away and many many hours of waiting to see uncaring doctors for a couple of minutes. He was finally able to sleep at around 10:00am. He woke up feeling like he'd been beaten up but felt a little better.

I HATE him being on all those antibiotics! Yes, he has switched his insurance and will be able to see another doctor in about a week.

I WISH he could just chuck the antibiotics and then there'd be nothing stopping him from taking the Probiotics. Juggling all these meds and supplements is hard to get used to. 

Posted 12/21/2011 12:51 AM (GMT 0)
That may not be the anti-biotics, though that does seem like a lot. It may the CD itself. I use to have episodes like that early on in the course of my disease. Pain so bad I actually asked God to let me die.
Or the infection may be resistant, which would be bad.
Hopefully the new doc will be more sympathetic.

Best wishes,
Matthew
Posted 12/21/2011 1:04 AM (GMT 0)
I find all antibiotics give me stomach ache and some I don't get given any more as they make me sick after I take them. They don't necessarily put me into a flare or make a flare any worse for me but just make stomah and bowel crampy whilst I am on them.
Posted 12/21/2011 3:58 AM (GMT 0)
Thank you guys! I'm already on a probiotic so I'm good in that area. The antibiotic I'm on now is Augmentin and it's been keeping me on the toilet and making my urgency issues worse(been having some rectal inflammation lately along with some thin stools). Then again, all antibiotics, IV or oral, give me diarrhea or loose, frequent stools. Thanks for the input you guys! My sinuses are feeling a lot better than yesterday but my Crohn's has been giving me heck from my upper GI, to the perianal area(I'm hoping it's not a fistula)  rolleyes I see the GI soon and I'll talk to him about all my recurring symptoms and my infection. I taper the steroids tomorrow some more so I just want my sinus's sto clear up before I get the withddrawl symptoms on top of that.

@Javajay: Thanks! I've been doing that today already. I'll try to not be so adventerous with foods and stick with my safe ones. I am going out of state to visit some family before the holidays tomorrow and I don't want to stop on the side of the interstate to use the bathroom because my stomach didn't agree with food..again.

@Crohney2: That explains why when i take those antibiotics my muscles ache like a you know what!

@Kazburn: I've been running a fever on and off since this flare began in February so I really can't tell. My mother has Bronchitis, a sinus infection, and upper respitory infection so I'm sure I got the infection from her shakehead   I've been hanging around my friends who have sinus infections as well. Yes, I know. Shame on me!

  You guys are great! Wishing you all a good Christmas/holidays! Thanks

 

Posted 12/22/2011 12:06 AM (GMT 0)
I am on amoixacillin 3 times daily X500. Havent noticed much changes in the bathroom. On the 5th day im skeptical it will work as it hasnt got worse nor better
Posted 12/22/2011 1:00 AM (GMT 0)
It usually takes about a week, for anti-biotics to effect my gut. I usually get the Big D about that time. Which resolves after stopping the anti-biotic. 3 days usually.
It also means I don't take them unless I'm sure I need them.

Matt
Posted 12/22/2011 3:13 PM (GMT 0)
KeepingFaith, there was a key word left outta my post!!! Duh.

"I've found that gut responds happily to many antibiotics. ..." I left out "MY". That sure doesn't mean everyone else's gut responds well.

Metronidazole (Flagyl) was a MIRACLE drug for my Crohn's (didn't have a fistula tho). The problem was I also encountered neuropathy (parasthesia) up to my knees and just past my wrists at regular dose. I dropped to half dose on my own and the paresthesia reduced to a bearable level and to just the feet, mainly the large toes and barely in the hands at all. I stayed on it long enough to shut the Crohn's activity off. HOWEVER, the paresthesia (neuropathy) that is a well-known and not uncommon undesirable side effect of Flagyl CAN be permanent, or long lasting or if one is lucky only when on the drug and maybe shortly thereafter. Mine lasted quite some time after discontinuing the Flagyl. Instructions are the one should quit Flagyl IMMEDIATELY if one encounters paresthesia (neuropathy) of the extremities and call your doctor.
Posted 12/24/2011 9:21 PM (GMT 0)
I have experianced recurring neuropthy since my last hospital vsit(was on a lot of antiobiotics for a long time) and with this antibiotic I've noticed it's coming back. My face gets all droopy, I can't move for a few minutes when getting up from sitting and I can't speak for about a minute. I'm frozen in that position. Not very attractive and it's kind of painful gritting your teeth. I need to bring this up with my GI again this week when I see him before my Remicade. Just another side effect/symptom to add to the list. CrohnieToo, has yours gone away COMPLETELY and is there treatment for it? I know when I go back to classes I don't want other students to see me like this..

I think this antibiotic is tearing my gut up! Even with the probiotics! I see black olives floating in the toilet along with my 'D' from thursday's pizza. My guts not been too happy. I've gone from 5 bowel movments a day to either 1-18(It's usually in the higher teens. It's only a one when I'm having bad rectal inflammation.) bowel movements. It's messing me up! Thanks for the replies, especially so close to the holidays!
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