Clindamycin - Diarrhea

[Mary111]

Within a half hour of taking my first dose of clindamycin I had severe diarrhea. I stopped taking it immediately. It is now three days later and I still have diarrhea. My pharmacist told me if I had severe diarrhea while taking it, I should stop immediately. He knew what he was talking about.

[Matt]

Clindamycin (http://www.originaldrugs.com/medicine/clindam... ) causes severe colitis. Diarrhea and colitis may last for several weeks following cessation of clindamycin. In case of significant diarrhea this antibiotic should be discontinued.

[nina]

You guys are scaring me~~~~ After trying 3 different antibiotics, my dentist has prescribed Clindmycin. This is after a root canal that stirred up my sinuses. After reading this, I'm not taking the drug. I know all drugs have side effects, but this is tooooo much to handle. I will have to look for another remedy I guess.
Thanks for the info

[Dave]

My wife just took clindamycin for 7 days following a root canal done in New York. The day she finished taking it she came down the catastrophic diarrea which lasted 6 days. A GP in Canada diagnosed the diarrea as C.Difficile without a stool test. When the stool test finally came back it was clear of infection and according to doctors in the UK there never was any C.Diff and the diarrea was entirely down to the clindamycin. No opinion just fact.

[Farrah]

Yea, anti-biotics are horrible!
I was on cefzil at 13 and it put me in the hospital all day with hives etc.
Then I was prescribed for a absessed tooth this yr 2007 they prescribed me penacillin, and I'm allergic to it too now evidentally...
After that they told me to take Clindamyacin HCL 300 MG 1 every 6 hrs. I took them 2 times, then the 3rd time because I couldn't afford the root canal yet. So I took it and this time it gave me the diarrea bad!!! No I have hives on my stomach, still after like 3 or 4 days!!! There still there!!! And I still have belly aches and everytime almost emediatley after I eat I gotta go run to the toilet... ANTI-BIOTICS SUCK!!!!

[sun]

I started taking it last week because I just had dental implants put in. within one day it felt like my somtach was bleeding with open soars and my lower back felt like kidney infection! I thought it might have been the pain meds at first, but nope! I stopped this medication after 6 pills and after 6 days of being off of it I'm still having side effects. my eyes are hypersensitive to light and i have a tension in my head that will not go away. Honestly, if any of you are on these meds that similar antibiotics will treat- I suggest you switch asap. I hope all of you have a speedy recovery ASAP!!!

[Majid Cologne]

I had the runs for 15 st Graight days after taking Clindamycin for only 4 days.I'm still bloated & stomache aches 4 months after taking this antibiotics.Eventually I lost the tooth which caused the whole problem in the first place.So , people beware !

[KAF]

Clindamycin should be pulled off the market. Or the dentists should know better. My husband also took Clindamycin for a tooth infection and was very very sick with the runs. Blood in his stool along with mucus severe stomach pains and this reaction came 2 weeks after taking it. Even the drug stores should have a warning about how sick you can get...so if any dentist is reading this I advise you not to give this to anyone.
Thank goodness for our dr. he new exactly what was wrong with my husband.

[maria]

I'm going through it after taking clindamycin. after one dose i been having the runs. everytime i eat...i have to go to the bathroom. its been eight days an i have had diarrea. i wish it go away.

[KevinB]

I too am taking Clindamycin after a problematic root canal - the endodontist prescribed it for me after I was having a lot of pain and he said that Penicillin VK was not combatting the infection. Now I have severe diarrhea but I'm going to keep taking the Clindamycin because I hope to never go through such pain as I went through a couple of days ago. I also have nausea, stomach cramps at times, and feel like I have a mild case of the flu. This root canal has been the worst - and it's not done - I have to go back for him to finish in just over a week.

The American Association of Endodontics, on their website, goes on about how it's a myth that root canals are painful. I beg to differ!

[JTP]

I just finished 7 days of clindamycin on Monday Feb 4th and started today with diarrhea that has mucous and blood. Am taking probiotic tablets and eating yogurt. I have never reacted to any other antibiotic in this manner.

[Kwallace]

I just finished taking this antibiotic today for a tooth infection. I had a root canal a week and a half ago. My stools had been normal. No diarrhea or stomach problems. I just noticed I had a bloody stool which scared me. I'm healthy and just had my annual physical a week before I went to the dentist. I was also prescribed dorvacet which is a narcotic pain killer in addition to ibuprofen 800 to help with the pain. I just read in the warning that you shouldn't take this med and a narcotic at the same time because it could increase the odds of side effects. Well, now that I'm informed after the fact, I feel better knowing that other people have and/or are experiencing what I'm experiencing. I was about to schedule an appointment for a colonoscopy.

[JTP]

As you know, clindamycin kills the good bacteria in the intestinal tract and lets the undesirable bacteria grow which can lead to diarrhea with mucous and blood. The reason that you should not take a pain reliever or sedative or anti-diarrhea medication is that these products slow down the motility of your intestine and may actually make the diarrhea stick around longer.
A web search led me to an article written by a physician at the Cleveland Clinic. He recommends that people with diarrhea from clindamycin not only take a probiotic which is available at most pharmacies and health food stores but that you also take a product that contains saccharomyces boulardi such as FLORASTOR. You can google FLORASTOR and go to their website to read more about this product. I will be starting it tonight and take one in the a.m. and one p.m. Good Luck!

Kwallace wrote:

I just finished taking this antibiotic today for a tooth infection. I had a root canal a week and a half ago. My stools had been normal. No diarrhea or stomach problems. I just noticed I had a bloody stool which scared me. I'm healthy and just had my annual physical a week before I went to the dentist. I was also prescribed dorvacet which is a narcotic pain killer in addition to ibuprofen 800 to help with the pain. I just read in the warning that you shouldn't take this med and a narcotic at the same time because it could increase the odds of side effects. Well, now that I'm informed after the fact, I feel better knowing that other people have and/or are experiencing what I'm experiencing. I was about to schedule an appointment for a colonoscopy.

[sarahUK]

I was prescribed it in a solution for facial acne. Ok for 4 weeks but started having upset tummy and i didnt know why? another 4 weeks on and it got so bad i was feeling sick too and lost lots of weight. Finally realized and stopped medication two days ago. Still not 100 percent. but no longer feeling sick. Doctor said eat a bland diet for 3/4 days. From reading everyones posts looks like it will be weeks before my bowels return to normal.

[Doug RA]

I recently had a tooth extraction and was prescribed clindamycin as I am allergic to penicillin. The side effects were immediate and undesireable to say the least. The moment the blue and green capsules entered my system my stomach and throat burned like fire and swallowing anything made me feel like vomiting, which I eventually did after fighting it for several hours. I bloated up and ache in my neck and joints. I found that having a stomach full of hot soup mellowed the pain but not the brutal gas. Luckily I have not had the runs. Yet.

[Gail]

I finished my dose of Clindaycin about 2 weeks ago. I have had very strange stools (loose and very very brownish-mucusy)- nasty stuff. I wrote it off as my change of diet (started the low carb thingy). Now, tonight I have a severe pain in my lower back, painful, frequent urination, etc. I wish I wouldn't have gotten my teeth pulled in the first place - now this!

[JMD]

I started Clindamycin Friday and started having diarrhea today (Monday). As the day went on, mucus started to appear. I'm going to try the yogurt thing - lets hope it works!

[Franklin]

Like many of you who posted, I was prescribed Clindamycin for an abcessed tooth, in which a root canal was eventually performed. I, too, developed diarrhea, gas, and a loss of appetite shortly after beginning the 7 day course of treatment. It has now been two full weeks since stopping the antibiotic and I am still experiencing the same symptoms. I called my primary care physician's office today, to find out what can be done as I have been feeling miserable for three weeks now. I would suggest anyone who has developed problems while on this antibiotic to call their doctor as well.

[EBET]

I was prescribed a 7 day course of Clindamycin as a prophylactic treatment prior to and following a root canal. The day after I finished the treatment, I developed hives over my trunk (no, I'm not an elephant), thights and upper arms. Benadryl eventually "cured" them, but shortly thereafter, I moved on to the bloody stools and mucous that seems a bit too common to be called a "rare side-effect." Now it's on to my doctor to see if she has a cure in her lab coat. I usually have yogurt as a regular part of my breakfast, but I haven't tried FLORASTOR or a probiotic thing yet.

[Val D]

I have an MRSA infection I really want to clear-- and am pretty happy with clindamycin, despite 5 days of super diarhea so far. I'm actually hoping to loose some tummy bulge after all this is over. I'm not having any pain or aches with it-- just lots of fluid loss. Should I stop taking clindamycin if the diarhhea doesn't annoy me?