continuous antibiotics

i have seen on the net some opinions that long term antibiotic use causes

yeast buildup in the gut which can make you ill with diarrhoea.

it seems that probiotics can replace the bacteria destroyed by antibiotics so it might help to take them.

but what probiotic and how much to take, and is this a real problem anyway?

anyone out there with actual experience?

If you want something to restore the balance of your digestion when it is upset by antibiotics, I would recommend Acidophilus - obtainable from good health-food shops.

thanks for the acidophilus suggestion - i will give it a try.

reading through the posts on this site there seem to be a lot of people that take antibiotics if not continuously then every couple of weeks or so but no one seems to mention side effects much. i wonder if this is a real problem or whether everyone is taking supplements to prevent side effects..........?

I take antibiotics three times a week every week (Azithromycin) and obviously other antibiotics when I have a chest infection - a long course of approximately 14 days.

There are side effects. I get regular bouts of thrush, I suffer from sore mouths, I get stomach cramps and diarrhoea sometimes. I have discussed these with my consultant and we have decided that the side effects are worth the benefits. I get fewer infections and do not produce as much sputum since I started on the Azithromycin.

I worry about the long-term effects sometimes but I am 61 and still here and living a perfectly normal life so I have decided its worth it.

I too am 61 diagnosed with bronchieasis about to start azithromycin after being on low dose antibiotics for six months hoping for a miracle cure and an end to my constant coughing and bringing up large amounts of mucus

this disease is so debilitating.

I am 67 and was dignosed by CT scan with bronchiectasis after a serious bout of pneumonia in May 08 when I was in ITU for three weeks and only just pulled thro'.

I have been on antibiotics off and on frequently for 10 years mainly for urinary tract infections, and as I now keep getting frequent chest infections am now on a low dose course of co-amoxycillin which kills other bacteria as well as chest ones. This is a six weeks course ending now, and so far only had thrush as a side effect. Any other antibtiotic disagrees violently with me, so hope its ok to keep with this one. I'll keep you posted what the doc says this week as to what happens next.

This is the first forum I've written, and found it so helpful reading others 'similar problems. I discovered myself that postural drainage is the best for me to bring up the phlegm, and the physio's breathing exercises and a flutter valve we bought on the net about two or three times daily. Also a walk around the block even if only for five or ten minutes starts it moving.

I agree the coughing is embarrassing, especially now with the swine flu around. I feel like putting on a badge \"Not Unclean - Just Bronchiectasis\" which of course hardly anybody has heard of. Look forward to seeing more posts.

I saw the doc today who advised me to carry on taking the low dose co-amoxiclav daily (sorry, in my last post I mistakenly called it co-amoxicillin) for another 12 weeks as it seems to be agreeing with me so well - I've had no more infections since taking it daily over the last six weeks - Phew! What a relief.

I am wondering if the people with bad side effects have tried lots of other antibiotics which may not disagree with them, as I have tried 4 others with bad side effects, ie very itchy rashes/hives all over, nausea or vomiting, extreme 'drunk'feeling and feeling very ill. I realize that some antibiotics are the only ones for some bacteria, but as the Specialist hit on this one for me maybe there is hope for others? It is worth asking your doc/Specialist if there is an alternative one. The worse one I had in hospital was the one that they said was the best antibiotic for my bacteria, but they now seem to have settled on this one anyway. I was prepared to take the ones with bad side effects if no other was available, as what is the alternative if you want to live?? I do worry about very long term use causing immunity to the antibiotic but will think about that more if it becomes necessary :roll:

On the question of building up immunity, I understand that this can take some time. As mentioned above, the benefits ususally outweigh the disadvantages and they are constantly working on new ones. I took oral antibiotics on a regular basis for my bronchiectasis for 25 years. I had a rotation of three different types, and thrush was the main problem. Eventually, about 5 years ago, they stopped working - probably because I carried on working full time through my infections while popping the tablets. I have now been told that just rest is just as important as antibiotics in overcoming infections! I ended up in hospital for the first time with pneumonia and had IV antibiotics for 2 weeks. I came out feeling like an 18 year old. Since then I have colonised pseudomonas and inhale an antibiotic called Colistin twice daily to keep this under control. I have an annual dose of IV antibioics (Tobramycin and Ceftazidime), 2 week course, which I do myself at home (resting between doses of course!). The upside is that I produce very little phlegm, am rarely unwell, and of course, lead a fairly normal life. On top of the antibiotics, I do twice daily physio to remove excess mucus (as I have a genetic disorder of the cilia in the lungs which do not work), using a technique called autogenic breathing (no thumping or coughing). I hope this is useful.

I have someone sharing the house I live in, and he has been prescribed a course of doxycycline - he seems unsure of what ailment this is being prescribed for, and having read up on it, it seems it covers a multitude of sins, from malaria, through STIs to chest infections - he was prescribed this treatment as the previous treatment - ciprofloxacin - didn't seem to have any effect on his 'condition'

As a diabetic, with high BP and various other ailments, I worry that I might be at risk of being susceptible to whatever his 'condition' is - also, my daughter is 8.5 months pregnant, and I would not want to be a carrier of something that may be harmful, both to her and to her soon-to-be born/presently unborn child

Is there anybody out there who can advise on these matters - I would add that I am due to see my daughter this wekend as it is her own birthday, so an early response, if possible, would be appreciated - otherwise I might just cancel my attendance, which may turn out to be for no good reason - also, the same applies for when the baby is born, I might not visit her because of (possibly unfounded) concerns

Hi there im a broncietasis suffer since I was a child along with copd and other things wrong probiotic drinks can sometimes interfere with the working of antibiotics in the gut and some othere medications please check with your dr or copd nurse I have been on atibiotics for about 15 years now have regular sputem test I am very well looked after by my specialist in london we discuss everything he was good enough to keep me as apatient when we moved to Lincolnshire I hope some of you out there have good drs and copd nurses that you can trust and chat to the trouble having bronciectasis its tiring can get depression but I have found if things are expained to you fully you can cope better I take phylocontin seretide inhaler ventilin inhaler amoxicillin 1000mg in the morning 1000 mg at night montelucast at night cabocistiene 2 375mg 3 times a day to soften the mucus I take other meds for other illness but the above is for bronchiectasis and copd ask ask ask medical professionals go on line inform yourselves it does help chat to other sufferers all are different by the way im 62 and still kicking lol lol so dont dispair just rest dont overtax yourselves stay as mobile as possible keep reasonably warm hope some of find this helpful regards all eileen

Lactobacillus acidophilus is what you want to take for yeast infections of anykind.  Most has to be kept refrigerated.  This is what my acupuncturest had me take for years.