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I hate antibiotics... GRRRRR!!!

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Ulcerative Colitis
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Posted 11/17/2011 4:43 PM (GMT 0)
I'm coming out of a bad flare; since halloween the amount of blood, mucus, urgency, and pain had decreased, and until this weekend I could have said that I was 90% on remission, even 95%! I was feeling awesome! And then... I had this urological infection, I went to the ER on Saturday, I was prescribed antibiotics and an oral antimycotic. I spoke with my GI and he changed the antibiotic I was prescribed by the urologist cause it could have brought back my flare.

Anyway, I started on Ciprofloxazin on Monday... Tuesday was still good, then yesterday I started to have a lot of gas, this morning a lot of gas and urgency again, and my perfectly-formed BMs weren't perfectly formed anymore, and then just a few minutes ago I had the 6th or 7th BM of the day, and this time it was bloody.

Bad day... I still have like 7 days to go on the antibiotic and I don't want to continue... and I actually have an appointment with my GI in 90 minutes; I was ready to tell him "I'm almost in remission!!" and then this happens... what should I tell him? should I ask him to put me off antibiotics? actually my infection is pretty much gone and all that is left is a bit of inflammation... but anyway... I'd appreciate your suggestions!!!
Posted 11/17/2011 5:05 PM (GMT 0)
Usually when I go on antibiotics I either increase my probiotics or eat yogurt. It seems to help counteract a flare, however last year I had a UTI that came back twice and that threw me in a horrible flare.

Btw, I could never take Cipro. It caused horrible flaring in me - to me that made me feel a whole ton worse. I have taken zithromyacin (sp?) for my UTI's and it still made me flare. So this is one of those cases it seems that it's darned if you and darned if you don't. Bactrim is a good antibiotic to go on for some Uc'ers however it's sulfa based. So if you have an allergy to Sulfa, you can't take it. I am curious to what your GI recommends so I will know for future reference.
Posted 11/17/2011 5:06 PM (GMT 0)
Oops, sorry I misspoke. It wasn't Zithromyacin I was on but Macrobid.
Posted 11/17/2011 5:38 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Red_34; It's not a good precedent that you flared badly with Cipro; I'm not very knowledgeable yet to know what antibiotics may be better/worse for UC'ers and I guess it's just like food; what's good for some is bad for others. I'm going to the doctor in 20 minutes, I'm glad I had an appointment for today. I'll see what he suggests and will keep you guys posted... at least for now it seems that Cipro is a no-go for me!
Posted 11/17/2011 5:45 PM (GMT 0)
There aren't necessarily any worse or better since antibiotics or meds can disagree or work well for anyone.

I hope your appt can get you some resolve and another med put in its place.

Ithink you should consider the enemas rather than the supps to deal with rectal inflammation.

Probiotics are a huge definite, however.

q
Posted 11/17/2011 8:03 PM (GMT 0)
Ok, I'm back from the doctor; he asked me to stop taking Cipro and to increase my dose of pentasa. He also prescribed a good probiotic to help out with the flora. He said I should see some improvement soon if this was only a side effect of the antibiotic, especially considering that I had been 95% symptom-free for a couple of weeks before. Hopefully these 3 days of antibiotics didn't throw me into a double-dip flare.

Also, he suggested that for long-term treatment I get started on Azatioprina (that's in spanish, I guess it may be Azatioprine in english?). I understand it's an immunosuppresant similar to 6mp, but I don't know much about any of these drugs or their side effects. I thought a drug like that would be used more to attack an ongoing flare than to ensure long term remission; what's your experience with Azatioprina? has anyone been on it? I had never heard of it until today...
Posted 11/17/2011 8:29 PM (GMT 0)
Look up Imuran and you will find a ton of info regarding it. But no, it doesn't necessarily mean you take it during a flare. Of course the majority of the people that start on it are in a flare or are steroid dependent. However, if you were doing well before the antibiotics why is he thinking of putting you on Aza??? Usually they reserve that for when other meds have failed.
Posted 11/17/2011 8:33 PM (GMT 0)
That's what I thought too, I told him that I'll wait a couple of weeks to see if I come back to normal after quitting the antibiotics, and if I don't I'd consider Azatioprina. It sounds like a pretty serious med. I'm at work right now so I can't do much research on it now, but I will later today.

Thanks!
Posted 11/17/2011 9:17 PM (GMT 0)
It's key to take your probiotics at least 2 hours AFTER you're done taking your antibiotics for the day, othewise you antis will diminish your probiotics and therefore make them pretty useless.

I'd stay on the probiotics indefinitely, even while your in remission, alot of research shows a big benefit for many IBDers that stay on a good quality probiotic indefinitely for their IBD symptoms.
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