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Ongoing digestive issues after antibiotics

Posted , 4 users are following.

tm95
tm95

Hi there,

I'm posting on behalf of my mum. This is her account so far:

I had three courses of unavoidable antibiotics back in November 2016, and since then my digestive system has really been messed up. I've been having lots of yogurt and took acidophilus for a while but after five months I still have very loose bowel movements or diarrhoea daily - only during the night and in the morning. I tried taking some other probiotics but gave up after a few days as they made it much worse. A nutritionist I saw said I should definitely not have probiotics or kefir or fermented vegetables at this stage as it would make it even worse, so I haven't dared try. She also suggested I may have SIBO (small intestine bacterial overload), but the UK NHS seems very dismissive of this. I've tried FODMAP with no success, I even had a colonoscopy in case it was bowel cancer. The specialist says it should sort itself out with time, but I see no sign of any improvement. Has anyone had any experience of this type of thing?

Thanks so much for any replies.

0 likes, 4 replies

4 Replies

  • lynn41704
    lynn41704 tm95

    Posted

    I feel really sorry for your Mum.  I had several courses of antibiotics for a UTI followed a short time later with a course of antibiotics an steroids for a URTI. It took me about 4 months to get my digestive system to settle down, I tried probiotics but they did not help.  The more I worried about my symptoms the worse they were.  Finally I cut out healthy eating fruit and vegetables and almost lived on chicken, cheese, crisps, plain biscuits, bananas, milk, water, peppermint and camomile tea.  I still get an upset tummy when I am stressed, I did see a bowel specialist who said I was suffering from bowel spasm and advised anti-spasm medication if the pain got bad.  I think your mums specialist is right if the colonoscopy did not show anything nasty things will settle down eventually.  However I really appreciate how yiur Mum is feeling and hope things soon start to improve for her. 
    • tm95
      tm95 lynn41704

      Posted

      Thanks so much for replying! She really appreciated it and found it very comforting.
  • jackie69321
    jackie69321 tm95

    Posted

    Hi

    I've just found this post having had the same symptoms myself after anti biotics for 5 months.....and still continuing. Can I ask how your Mum is now and if she has recovered. I have been quite unwell and had a spell in hospital after loosing alot of weight. That has stopped but I feel quite unwell most days, loose stools every day and alot of hunger where I don't seem to be digesting my food properly. 

    It's so frustrating that doctors don't help after prescribing these anti biotics. I am currently working with a Natural Practitioner trying to get some relief and normality back in my life. 

    Best wishes 

    • tm95
      tm95 jackie69321

      Posted

      Hi,

      Sorry to hear you're having issues, it must be really frustrating not getting the help you need from your doctors. My Mum is now (finally) getting back to normal - she went to a dietician and started the FODMAP diet; cutting out all possible irritants before slowly adding them back in and noting any foods that didn't sit well with her. It was a very, very long process but I think she'd say it's been worth it. Of course that's not the only route to go down but it has worked out ok - although there are some foods she still can't eat.

      All the best

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