# Antibiotics and Digestion



## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

I had to go on an antibiotic a few weeks ago due to a bladder infection (thanks so much, kidney stones!) and my digestion has been seriously off since.

I'm getting cramping and diarrhea (sorry, TMI, I know) at least once a week now--I was totally fine before the antibiotics and it seems they did a number on my intestines that still hasn't subsided. It seems to happen randomly, too; I haven't been able to pinpoint a food that causes it. I've been on a probiotic for a few months now (Ultimate Flora) and I'm wondering if I need a different, stronger one or if there's something else I could be doing to get my digestion back to normal.

On the plus side, I guess, my hypo constipation isn't really a problem anymore! :tongue0013:


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

I had the same thing last spring, stones stink and so do bladder infections. I take a probiotic daily so the antibiotics didn't mess up my system for the first time ever. I take Culturelle. I don't know if one is stronger than the other. Could you take two per day?


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## HotGrandma (Sep 21, 2012)

jenny v said:


> I had to go on an antibiotic a few weeks ago due to a bladder infection (thanks so much, kidney stones!) and my digestion has been seriously off since.
> 
> I'm getting cramping and diarrhea (sorry, TMI, I know) at least once a week now--I was totally fine before the antibiotics and it seems they did a number on my intestines that still hasn't subsided. It seems to happen randomly, too; I haven't been able to pinpoint a food that causes it. I've been on a probiotic for a few months now (Ultimate Flora) and I'm wondering if I need a different, stronger one or if there's something else I could be doing to get my digestion back to normal.
> 
> On the plus side, I guess, my hypo constipation isn't really a problem anymore! :tongue0013:


Hi Jenny:

Google Saliva test for candida. Antibiotics tend to eat the friendly bacteria in our digestive tract. The saliva test will let you know. I always have the Doc prescribe an anti viral when I have to take oral antibiotics. With that said then I use a two part cleanse and detox combination available at all vitamin stores plus check into Braggs Raw Unfiltered Apple Cider Vinegar helps to respore a friendly balance in there.

:hugs:


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Thanks for the quick responses! It's like a double-edged sword, on the one hand I'm happy to have lost a few pounds because of this, but on the other hand it is not a fun way to do it and I know my body isn't absorbing things properly right now (and I don't like not knowing which meal is going to send me running for the bathroom).

webster2, the bottle of Ultimate Flora says to take one a day, but I'm going to Google whether it's okay to take two for a while.

HotGrandma, great minds think alike, I guess! I've been using Braggs ACV since Monday. I mix 2 tablespoons into one of my many glasses of water during the day. What two part cleanse and detox do you use, if I may ask?


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## webster2 (May 19, 2011)

I love Braggs!


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

I love Braggs, too! I'm one of those weird people who loves ACV and straight lemon juice in my water.

I'm miffed that it's been over three weeks since I stopped the antibiotics and yet my intestines are still in minor upheaval. I've read it can sometimes take months to restore a healthy balance, which stinks. I think my combination of a weakened immune system and decreased intestinal motility (both thanks to my Hashi's) causes my body to go nuts after antibiotics now.


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## HotGrandma (Sep 21, 2012)

jenny v said:


> Thanks for the quick responses! It's like a double-edged sword, on the one hand I'm happy to have lost a few pounds because of this, but on the other hand it is not a fun way to do it and I know my body isn't absorbing things properly right now (and I don't like not knowing which meal is going to send me running for the bathroom).
> 
> webster2, the bottle of Ultimate Flora says to take one a day, but I'm going to Google whether it's okay to take two for a while.
> 
> HotGrandma, great minds think alike, I guess! I've been using Braggs ACV since Monday. I mix 2 tablespoons into one of my many glasses of water during the day. What two part cleanse and detox do you use, if I may ask?


Jenny:

Its called Natures Secret. Comes in a box with a bottle of 120 Multi-Fiber Cleanse and a bottle of 120 Multi-Herb Digestion and Detox Support. I broughjt it into my Doc when I saw him Monday cause the box says not to use more than 30 days. Doc said it was fine and to continue till I felt things were right, he approved of the content said it would also help the kindeys and liver.


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## smelliebellie (Oct 14, 2012)

jenny v,
glad to see your hypo constipation is gone! I've had problems with constipation prior to hash's. i now take gi revive three times a day and hmf replete for two weeks. its helped me with digestion a lot and i actually go every day which i am NOT used to  side note: my natural doctor prescribed these to me prior to testing me for leaky gut, i guess he just suspected since i had hash's.


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## piggley (Sep 15, 2012)

B12 might get the gut healthy too.just a thought,


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Thanks again for all of the suggestions and insight! I'm sitting here reading while drinking a glass of water with Braggs ACV.

piggley, I started on a Super B Complex vitamin a few weeks ago; my B12 is on the low side and my urologist said B6 could help prevent new kidney stones from forming. I actually got a nice energy boost from it for about 10 days and then it kind of evened out.


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## piggley (Sep 15, 2012)

jenny v said:


> Thanks again for all of the suggestions and insight! I'm sitting here reading while drinking a glass of water with Braggs ACV.
> 
> piggley, I started on a Super B Complex vitamin a few weeks ago; my B12 is on the low side and my urologist said B6 could help prevent new kidney stones from forming. I actually got a nice energy boost from it for about 10 days and then it kind of evened out.


Hi Jenny, good to know that about B6, thanks for the heads up- 
Just wanted to add, while you have the runs, try and avoid the high Lectin foods esp Wheat and Nightshades, if you are sensitive to them they inflame the gut- also just remembered i had a great otc diarrohea pill that stops anything if you can get any -contains.Loperamide Hydrochloride, perhaps the Pharmacist has some in a pill somewhere...contraindications are bloody stool and high fever. I dont know what that stuff is but it always works a treat for me.
Hope you are well soon, you are having such a horrible time right now.


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Thanks, piggley! I'm actually doing pretty well compared to a lot of people here so I'm trying not to complain too much. If I could just get these digestion issues under control, I'd be pretty good!


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## Lovlkn (Dec 20, 2009)

I also just came off a double dose z-pack for sinuses and then Cipro for a UTI infection that appeared 2 weeks after stopping.

My probiotic worked so well I only had 1 loose event. Too bad it could not have helped me avoid the UTI.

Not all probiotics are made the same - if you need the names of 1 - 2 spectacular probiotics PM me.


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Thanks, Lovlkn! I sent you a PM.

I picked up an Ultimate Flora Critical Care probiotic at Whole Foods today; it's got 60 billion active cultures as opposed to the 30 billion one I was taking, so hopefully I'll see some improvement soon. I'm going to give it 7-10 days to see if it works; I did read that I shouldn't drink my Braggs ACV water an hour before taking it and an hour after taking it, which I didn't know.


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## josey123 (Sep 13, 2012)

i found with me it was grains causing weight gain and indigestion. you might try the elimination diet as well.


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Just an update--I started taking a probiotic with 50 billion live cultures (Ultimate Flora Critical Care) last Sunday and I'm already almost back to 100% normal. I'm also drinking two tablespoons of Braggs Apple Cider Vinegar mixed in water daily now. It took about 3 days before things started working naturally again, but I ate a meal today that made me totally sick 10 days ago and everything digested normally, woo hoo! I'm going to stick with this routine for the foreseeable future.


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## MsMarsha (Dec 15, 2012)

I personally deal on a daily basis with digestion problems since I have IBS. My Doc told me to put greek yogurt and kefir milk in my diet. It been a god sent. Try getting some Kefir Milk put out by Lifeway. It has probiotics in it. I found this milk alot cheaper then a probiotic med and works better. It comes in a good number of favor and does have a sour taste (that may take some time getting use to). It really stops the cramping and the d word! It by the organic and soy milks. Not every store has kefir. If you have a krogers its in there.

Hope this helps!


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## piggley (Sep 15, 2012)

MsMarsha said:


> I personally deal on a daily basis with digestion problems since I have IBS. My Doc told me to put greek yogurt and kefir milk in my diet. It been a god sent. Try getting some Kefir Milk put out by Lifeway. It has probiotics in it. I found this milk alot cheaper then a probiotic med and works better. It comes in a good number of favor and does have a sour taste (that may take some time getting use to). It really stops the cramping and the d word! It by the organic and soy milks. Not every store has kefir. If you have a krogers its in there.
> 
> Hope this helps!


Hi MsMarsha, just saw you post- as you have suffered the hell of IBS (I have too) just wanted to chime in- in my case for 45 years i had IBS hell then found out by accident it was the alkaloids and/or lectins in the Nightshades 
(potatoes and tomatoes mainly) that was doing the damage, strangely wheat doesnt bother me-guess we are all sensitive to different thingsl
Just recently decided to attend my gut problems and for the first time feel I'm making progress with my health issues, so you are definitely on the right track with fermented foods..i would love to get some kefir but making do with sourkraut while i organise some starter for the kefir, where i live there is none in the shops.
Glad you are going well with the treatment, 
Just thought I would post this in case of interest-it explains why so many have trouble with Wheat and/or seeds and Nightshades,

http://www.vrp.com/digestive-health...l-health-rheumatoid-arthritis-and-weight-loss
Best regards


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## sjmjuly (Mar 23, 2012)

Some antibiotics can do a number on your stomach. I had a bad sinus infection once and took one of the those 5 day Z-packs. WHEWWWWWW!!!! It was NASTY for a couple of days!


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

Antibiotics never bothered my system until my Hashi's got bad and screwed up my intestines. Now the slightest antibiotic can throw my digestion off for weeks. Ugh.


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## piggley (Sep 15, 2012)

jenny v said:


> Antibiotics never bothered my system until my Hashi's got bad and screwed up my intestines. Now the slightest antibiotic can throw my digestion off for weeks. Ugh.


jenny thats interesting, I have had a lot of gut issues sice my thyroid problems surfaced, thought it was just me.


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

I think thyroid issues and gut issues go hand in hand, somehow. I never had any problems with any types of food and digestion until my Hashi's started acting up big time last year. Now I deal with constipation and antibiotics tend to give me cramps and diarrhea for weeks after I'm done with them. Probiotics are a wonderful thing for me.


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## CA-Lynn (Apr 29, 2010)

I wish there was a way where we knew how old each member is.

I say that because having digestive issues is terribly common WITHOUT thyroid disease as we get older.


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## midgetmaid (Jul 22, 2010)

My digestive issues are improving as I age because I'm discovering what was contributing to them (one factor was Grave's).

I know several people with Hashi's and constipation was a problem for all of them pre-diagnosis or when undermedicated.

Renee


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## MsMarsha (Dec 15, 2012)

piggley,

Nice to know I am not alone with this disease. Hopefully one day you find this kefir. If you have a Trader Joe's. I seen their brand once. I dont have one close to my house so I dont go there often. I still have bad days but this wonderful milk gives me alot of good days. My doc also wanted me to be on VSL #3. But it was too hard on my system. Might be something to check into. Heard it works good too.


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## piggley (Sep 15, 2012)

Thanks MsMarsha, I think I will have to get the kefir starters and make my own,- had no luck at the supermarkets thus far..
Funny reactions when I ask, heh..


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## haimia (May 9, 2012)

*You might want to look at Aldi's if you have one near. They have Kefir under the brandname of Lifeway. Or look at Lifeway.net for store locations. Love this stuff!*


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## jenny v (May 6, 2012)

I think *piggley *is in Australia, not the US, so they might not have Aldi's there.

I picked up my first bottle of kefir yesterday at Central Market here; I got the chocolate truffle flavored Lifeway brand. I haven't yet tried it, when do you usually drink it *haimia *and how much do you drink daily?


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## haimia (May 9, 2012)

*I drink it in the morning for breakfast (an hour after synthroid!) and I drink maybe a cup (6 - 8 ounces). I can tell if I miss a day!*


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