Clindamycin: Did you conquer the side effects?

[Writer Cop]

Having read all the horror stories (and authored one, myself), I'm frustrated at the lack of follow-up information: Who eventually got over the side effects of Clindamycin, and how.

I'm still dealing with problems, but guarantee I'll follow-up (if I'm still around). In the interim, I feel like I'm on a damned rollercoaster ride.

[Bertha]

My positive experience on clindamycin

Started taking 300m clindamycin 3 times daily about 4 days ago. I started taking acidophillus at that time as well. So far no problems. No diarrhea. No throat pain. Nothing. The swelling and pain in my face from where an infection from a bad tooth root broke through is going down. Its getting better every day. It is a huge relief. I had been on kephlex for 5 days prior and it was not helping at all, so I was happy to start on the more 'hefty' clindamycin and was prepared for the consequences, and yet, none so far. I have a history of severe heartburn and digestive problems, so I understand the throat pain and heartburn, but am not experiencing any at all now. In the past, I'm sure I would have, but I have for the past year been on a simple raw diet and I typically don't eat a large volume of food on a daily basis any more. Just regular meals of raw veggies, fruits and nuts. I'm not a doctor, but I suspect I would be experiencing more severe problems with this drug if I were on my old diet of large portions of starchy, greasy, processed foods. Plus, the acidophillus I'm sure is playing a big role. Just a thought...

I'll make sure to come back and post in a month or so and let you know whether I'm experiencing any delayed reactions.

PS. I wish more people with severe symptoms would mention whether they are taking acidophillus as well. People just aren't saying, and I suspect it would have made a difference for them. I am also disappointed that doctors and pharmacists don't emphacize it more when counseling the patient. My pharmacist mentioned yogurt and pro-biotic supplements quietly, as an aside. He should have been insisting on it as part of the treatment. Luckily, I've always taken pro-biotics with anti-biotics, if only to stave off yeast infections. In this case, it staved off so much more. People, please, take your pro-biotics!!!!!

[mary]

OH MY GOD never have I had anything like this and woeeied about long term effects. 8days of 300mg 4x day for gum infection after extraction, horrible rash 100% of body and places u can't scratch in public, so many symptomsm Ha, sore throat, muscle pain joint pain anxiety sense of doom nightmares, so on and so on, too many to mention. now on day 7 of stopping med and new symptom of weakness in legs and fatique, rash is slowly inproving with help of caladryl lotion and my prescious husband who soaked my body in the lotion many times a day, Does anyone know of any long term effects of a severe reaction to thi med?

[amd]

I was on Clindamycin last summer, 2008, 40 capsules every six hours until they were gone. I had my wisdom teeth extracted in May, and one of my gums were swelling up, and when I went to the oral surgeon he merely looked at it and prescribed me this horrific medicine. About a week later I started suffering from terrible stomach pains, bloating, and severe diarrhea. I went every half hour for almost a week, and when I called my oral surgeon to ask for advice he told me to "wait it out", I would like to see him wait it out! I have never been through such a horrible experience in my life, and I would never ever take that medicine again. I started the brat diet, and took Culturelle, a pro-biotic, along with Kefir (a yogurt-like drink, with all the good bacteria). I also had to go to a gastro-intestinologist who told me that I shouldn't take ANY antibiotics for at least six months. She said that I should watch my diet, and now have too much roughage. It has been 8 months, and I am still not the way I used to be. I am weaning myself off the Culturelle, and continue drinking Kefir everyday. I can not handle any dairy products, such as milk, and cheese. Before, I had milk every morning. I still have issues with intestinal problems, and I become bloated from foods that never bothered me before. I can not stress this enough: NEVER TAKE THIS MEDICINE!

[Ben]

Wow. Just wow. This is the worst medication I have ever taken in my life. Pressure in my head, my neck, my chest... rashs on my stomach, chest, back, legs, etc. Periods of being completely red followed by chills. Not to mention the overwhelming feeling of doom I've been having. Anyone else feeling the same way? It's horrible.

[Fran]

Writer Cop wrote:

Having read all the horror stories (and authored one, myself), I'm frustrated at the lack of follow-up information: Who eventually got over the side effects of Clindamycin, and how.
I'm still dealing with problems, but guarantee I'll follow-up (if I'm still around). In the interim, I feel like I'm on a damned rollercoaster ride.

I have had the same reaction with anxiety. Also I wonder if people got over this or what. I'm hoping no followup means they eventually get over it. Please let me know how you did.

[Writer Cop]

Fran wrote:

<quoted text>
I have had the same reaction with anxiety. Also I wonder if people got over this or what. I'm hoping no followup means they eventually get over it. Please let me know how you did.

Fran,

I'm still dealing with it. The stress over my gastrointestinal issues saw me grinding my teeth to dust and giving myself a bad case of TMJ. Xanax seems to help alleviate symptoms on both fronts. I've had an endoscopy, a colonoscopy, and this week will have a barium enema for a section of my colon that they couldn't get to otherwise. Probiotics helped considerably, but in recent weeks I've found myself having to be in close proximity to a restroom as I suddenly have to relieve my colon very quickly when I do (I'm beginning to think incontinence may be a matter of inches...)

I know that this isn't what anyone wants to read, but as I've profitted by the experiences of others, I want to be candid in what I'm going through so that maybe others may similarly profit (how, I know not). I will say this: Until this, my 48th year, I did not have anywhere near the number of health problems that I have had, and no single catalyst appears to have been more at fault than the clindamycin. More to eventually follow...

[Fran]

Writer cop,
Sorry to hear you are still dealing with it. I obviously didn't have as bad of stomach issues as you have had. I have never experienced anything like this before. I was glad to read your posts and realize I just wasn't loosing my mind that it was from the meds. I am much better now but the anxiety really freaked me out. I will be praying for you that you also will have a complete recovery from this. Nobody would believe that a antibiotic could do all these things to you but I can surely tell you, it can! Please continue to post. I believe it will help others as it has helped me, also I will continue to check on your progress.

[Sandra]

All the candid comments have helped me. I was given Clindamycin by my oral surgeon as a precaution, no infection. Within a few days of beginning the meds I started getting painful gas but thought it was probably dietary so I kept taking it. Two days after I took the last pill I woke up with a 103º fever, chills and horrible cramps. I figured out immediately what it had to be but, naturally, it was Sunday so I took Tylenol and toughed it out. Next day my fever was down and the diarrhea started. Next day (today) was my post-op. I told the doctor what was going on and I was worried about antibiotic induced colitis. He flat out told me "No antibiotic can give you colitis as long as it's strong enough". He refused to treat me for anything except the diarrhea. I have been looking for something I could print out to enlighten him but from everything I've now read, if he doesn't already know it he's not going to believe me. I've ordered a supplement that is considered a probiotic although it's really a type of yeast that has shown amazing results in combating colitis, antibiotic induced diarrhea, IBS, etc. It is called Saccharomyces boulardii. Google it for lots of information on it's benefits. I will post how it goes for me. By the way, if you look at the FDA website, most of the documents on it are about clindamycin as a veterinary drug. I think it was first approved for (non-human) animal use. I think this is a very dangerous drug that may have it's place for resistant bacteria but sure shouldn't be prescribed like it was for me. It seems to be a favorite of dental surgeons. The FDA has a place on their website for reporting side effects of drugs. Anyone who has taken this drug with these kinds of side effects should tell them about it.

[Sandra]

I forgot one thing. I take a Jarrow Probiotic formula that has 12 billion units per dose every day and was taking extra while on the clindamycin. I was also eating yogurt and drinking kefer every day as well as eating prebiotic foods. None of this helped, or maybe it would have been worse without it.

[Sandra]

Well, I'm back to report that I am completely over the colitis. After my last update I started taking the Jarrow Probiotic formula every two to three hours all day. By the next day things had slowed down a bit. On day three the Saccharomyces boulardii arrived and I started taking it, one 450MG capsule, three times a day on an empty stomach, continued the probiotics three times a day with meals and added an herbal formula. (equal parts white oak bark powder, slippery elm powder and marshmallow root powder, mixed together, loaded into 00 size capsules and took two capsules 3 times a day. Morning, noon and bedtime.)The cramping went away within 24 hours after starting the S.boulardii. By day six the diarrhea had completely stopped and I was having fairly normal bathroom visits expect for the presence of a lot of mucus. After another 3 or 4 days I quit the herbal mixture, cut down the Saccharomyces boulardii to twice a day for the remainder of the bottle. It's been a bit over three weeks and I am 100% over it. From watery diarrhea every half-hour to completely normal.

[Writer Cop]

Sandra,

A most sincere thank you for the updates. I'm extremely happy for your continued improvement (my happiness is not entirely selfless as your example gives me hope :).

I had a few days where I thought I was doing better, then - a total relapse. I'm not positive, but I think that somewhere along the way I've developed some food allergies/sensitivities that are part of the problem. I really, really wish that I'd done more research into Clindamycin before I got on this hellbound train. I would have asked for some alternative antibiotic, or at least better counsel as to what I have done to mitigate its side effects (probiotics, etc.).

As it is, I've just gotten back on Acidophilus (I'd stopped using it thinking it was a contributing factor). My next step is to try Saccharomyces boulardii. And while it goes against my agnosticism to pray, that's the next on my list to try thereafter.

Sidenote: Some of my research makes me wonder if I don't have fibromyalgia. The fact that ninety percent of those afflicted are women has me second guessing my less than clinical diagnosis, but nothing else seems to fit and the battery of doctors I've seen hasn't narrowed the field.

It would seem that if something can act as a catalyst for whatever is having its way with me - virtually rendering me a xenophobic agoraphobic shut-in - then maybe something else can act as a catalyst for its reversal.

I can only hope.

[greg aeed]

Ben wrote:

Wow. Just wow. This is the worst medication I have ever taken in my life. Pressure in my head, my neck, my chest... rashs on my stomach, chest, back, legs, etc. Periods of being completely red followed by chills. Not to mention the overwhelming feeling of doom I've been having. Anyone else feeling the same way? It's horrible.

\

I dont know if Im doing this correctly. I took Clindamicin for severe staff infection and man I was scared and aggravated. "doom" is good word for the horrible feeling on top of teh pain from my ear infection. Im 50 years old and I firmly believe it set me off on a text tirade on my former in-laws and wife that has me in jeopardy. I cant find this in any literature except in the case of injection. I really felt anxiety and aggression like never before as well as dizziness and insomnia. I have never taken a prescription before but the two times I started the cycle I felt like the world was ending.

[Fran]

greg aeed wrote:

<quoted text>\
I dont know if Im doing this correctly. I took Clindamicin for severe staff infection and man I was scared and aggravated. "doom" is good word for the horrible feeling on top of teh pain from my ear infection. Im 50 years old and I firmly believe it set me off on a text tirade on my former in-laws and wife that has me in jeopardy. I cant find this in any literature except in the case of injection. I really felt anxiety and aggression like never before as well as dizziness and insomnia. I have never taken a prescription before but the two times I started the cycle I felt like the world was ending.

Greg, it very well could be. I never found info. in literature either, that's why I googled it and found these forums. I definately had a bad experience somewhat similar, minus the aggression. Thank God I didn't have that part, but definately the anxiety, insomnia and doom like never before.It was horrible. I was just trying to survive everyday. Thank God i'm back to living everyday! I didn't realize antibiotics could do these types of things to you but now I realize they can.

[Charlene]

Ben wrote:

Wow. Just wow. This is the worst medication I have ever taken in my life. Pressure in my head, my neck, my chest... rashs on my stomach, chest, back, legs, etc. Periods of being completely red followed by chills. Not to mention the overwhelming feeling of doom I've been having. Anyone else feeling the same way? It's horrible.

Yes!! I've been depressed and anxious, difficulty breathing, experiencing diarrhea, and I was only on the med for about 36 hours! I'm still dealing with these issues after 7 days off of it and on a different medication.

[Pam]

On day 3 of 300mg Clindamycin 3 x day for a MRSA infection I have been fighting for 3 years now. So far, my worst side effect is the heavy metallic taste in my mouth.

[Writer Cop]

Latest update: The anxiety has dissipated, in part to Xanax (small doses...pills cut up into smaller and smaller pieces over time) and time. Ongoing problem: Stomach. Still isn't the same although acidophilis continues to help. Biggest collateral concern: Stress-induced TMJ has given me all manner of grief, including ongoing ear and lower jaw pain. I'm heartened to hear that others have improved, and am doing better than I was seven months ago, too. Still, can't help but wonder how much better off I would have been with something else. I've learned one thing: Always do your own research before taking a prescription given you by a doctor.

[Charlene]

Just an update on day 11 OFF of Clindamycin. Still experiencing mild diarrhea, bloating, depression, anxiety, difficulty breathing, and now add sleeplessness to the list, because I nearly stopped breathing altogether several times last night. Difficulty breathing can be a part of the anxiety, and for a couple of days, I tried getting back on my antianxiety medication but didn't take it yesterday.(I don't like being on medications.) Yesterday, I started taking Activia (a probiotic yogurt) and will continue to see whether that helps. Previously, I was taking buttermilk once a day, but didn't notice whether it helped. Maybe I didn't take enough.

My opinion: Clindamycin should be BANNED!

[Roz]

I took clindamycin for an oral infection last September prescribed by my dentist. The side effects came thick and fast!
I had severe stomach cramps followed by very bad diarrhea. A high fever. One night as I was going to sleep my finger joints started hurting badly. I woke a couple of hours later in agony. My left knee, ankle, elbow right wrist was in so much pain I cried. My boyfriend had to get me painkillers but by morning all bar 2 joints were in agony. I could barely walk. I was rushed to the doctor he sent me for emergancy blood tests in the mean time gave me new tablets and very strong painkillers and took me off the lethal drug Clindamycin.
That night I thought my time was up. I had a very high fever and every part of me was in so much pain I cried and cried.
The blood tests shocked my doc my blood count should hsve been less than 10 and it was infact 136!!
I was 41 at the time of all this but my body felt like it was late 90's.
A year has passed and I still have joint pains in my knuckles, hip, knee and shoulder occasionally. My doc reckons it takes 2 years ish to rid the effects of the mighty wonder drug - Clindamycin !!! You are right Charlene, it should be BANNED !!!

[Bev]

I was prescribed Clindamycin last November 2008 by my dentist. I could only take three of them until I had a bowel movement that felt like Old Faithful. The severe burning, rectal itching and peeling lasted for weeks, I finally broke down and went to the doctor, and was told that it could not be the Clindamycin, and gave me steroids to take. The steroids worked for about 6 months, at which time the same skin peeling rash came back in both my ears. I did not want to take any more steroids, so I treated with Colloidal Silver. It took awhile but it did clear it up. Two weeks after that I got another itchy skin peeling vaginal and anal rash. The constant itching and swelling will drive me back to the doctor for more steroids. I did have a lot of joint pain originally but thought that was from the steroids, now I'm not so sure. This has been going on for months. I was healthy before taking Clindamycin. Will anyone out there believe us> This drug should be banned!