Talking Acne

Anti-Biotics flared my colitis

Question:

Hi Stan Three years ago, I was taking antibiotics.  First tetracycline, then monodox.  After two days on the monodox, I started throwing up, had a constant urge to go to the bathroom, cramps, etc.  I got worse over the following weeks, dropped a lot of weight, was terribly weak.  I probably had a cdiff infection, who knows because I never got tested properly or treated for that.  I did, however, get a massive yeast infection in my intestines — worst gas in my life, I actually felt the "fermentation" going on in my gut!  My GI at the time strongly suspected the antibiotics, because that was the only thing going on (tests for parasites, etc., tested negative). Subsequent biopsies came back with unclear results — first non-chronic inflammation that appeared to be going away, then massive inflammation and ulcers, then no ulcers but some hallmarks of UC, then back to non-chronic inflammation that seemed to be going away.  Antispasmodics and asacol didn’t help, but pred did.  It took me about two years to feel 99% normal again.  I’ve seen three different GIs altogether, and they can’t give what happened to me a name, since nothing neatly followed any textbook descriptions of diseases, but all three suspect that the antibiotics started the avalanche of problems, and now the current dx is some mild form of IBD that responds well to steroids and is currently in remission. I’m doing well today, but when my new dermatologist told me the best way to treat my acne was tetracycline, I told her "no way!"   I admit I am tempted — since the antibiotics did clean up my skin well last time — but it just wasn’t worth getting so darn sick. Hope this helps Jennifer – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was doing fine till I took tetracyline. has this happened to you? — Stan’s Short Stories http://kkkkkk.freeyellow.com

Response:

Here’s the theory (which has substantial evidence to back it up): Fact: You have many different types of bacteria in your gut. Some sources say anywhere from 200-300. I have even seen estimates as much as 20,000 different types. Fact: Some of these are good, necessary and beneficial while others are bad and can cause problems. If the bad ones start to far out number the good ones then you can develop problems. Now there are also many different types of antibiotics. Different antibiotics will target different bacterial strains. Some antibiotics are broad spectrum and will kill many different bacteria while others target known types of pathogenic microbes. Given this, it would be possible to further upset an already imbalanced intestinal flora by taking the wrong kind of antibiotics. Worsening symptoms are generally a good sign that something is going wrong. Now here’s the good news. Many good bacteria have been identified that are beneficial. Companies have actually put these in pills that you can buy at the health food store. Taking these pills, called probiotics, will often have very good results in helping to rebalance your intestinal flora. This will also help your stools be better formed, helping in elimination, and also, at least I have found in my own case, greatly reduce the pain associated with different forms of IBD. Many people in this ng who take antibiotics recommend taking these probiotics. Even if you don’t take antibiotics, probiotics can be very beneficial. Regards, Jeff (too) – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I was doing fine till I took tetracyline. has this happened to you? — Stan’s Short Stories http://kkkkkk.freeyellow.com As soon as I began Minocyclene for acne I experienced 5 days of almost constipated b.m. and then began more than 2 months of diarrhea (10-12 x per day). A flex.sig. showed inflammation but the doctor indicated that it didn’t look like the "signature" inflammation of anitbiotics gone wrong. Test results didn’t show that inflammation was due to the antibiotics. Too bad. Would have been an easy situation to correct. John

Response:

HI, Antibiotics kill off your friendly bacteria in your digestive tract. It happens to most people.  They will be back soon. Hang in there, Chris

Response:

Yup. It is not uncommon. Your good bacteria get knocked off with the bad ones then you often get the big D. Get some probiotics ( aciophilis sp? etc.) to re-infest your gut with the good bacteria.

Response:

I was doing fine till I took tetracyline. has this happened to you? — Stan’s Short Stories http://kkkkkk.freeyellow.com

As soon as I began Minocyclene for acne I experienced 5 days of almost constipated b.m. and then began more than 2 months of diarrhea (10-12 x per day). A flex.sig. showed inflammation but the doctor indicated that it didn’t look like the "signature" inflammation of anitbiotics gone wrong. Test results didn’t show that inflammation was due to the antibiotics. Too bad. Would have been an easy situation to correct. John

Response:

I was doing fine till I took tetracyline. has this happened to you? — Stan’s Short Stories http://kkkkkk.freeyellow.com

Response:

Filed under: Acne

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