How Long Does Bloating Last After Antibiotics

Low Acid Production In Stomach

After all, the gurgling sounds were supposed to be acid in the stomach and I had NO gurgling sounds whatsoever. Once again, Sauerkraut provides a quick fix. However, if low acid IS the culprit, theres an easier way to tell.

Simply have a BETAINE HCL capsule with your meal and see how NORMAL you feel for the next couple of hours. If there is no bloating / discomfort, you have low acid production. You were low in acid to begin with. In my case, not only did I feel normal after the Betaine capsule, it also restored my appetite, the gurgling sounds .

Here is a post that lets you determine whether your stomach has low levels of acid.

How Do I Know If I Have Sibo

The most common test to assess for SIBO is the Hydrogen Breath Test. This test is performed by asking a patient to drink a specific sugar and then by measuring the amount of hydrogen gas produced and exhaled . Unfortunately, this test is not entirely reliable. In my practice, I have elected to treat patients whom have clinical symptoms suggestive of SIBO with specific anti-microbial agents, which target the bacteria and have been shown to significantly improve symptoms. If the patients respond, we have treated their symptoms and made the diagnosis of SIBO.

What Is Travelers Diarrhea

Travelers diarrhea affects travelers and others who consume contaminated food or water. Its a brief but unpleasant gastrointestinal infection that typically causes loose stools and abdominal cramps. Most of the time, it’s caused by bacteria, but sometimes viruses or parasites are to blame. International travelers are most at risk when visiting countries that have less rigorous sanitation practices than their own.

Read Also: Antibiotics For Boils In Groin Area

How To Protect Your Gut Bacteria While Taking A Course Of Antibiotics

Mukerji suggests taking a probiotic alongside your antibiotics, but spacing it out in order for both pills to do their jobs. If you’re taking an antibiotic in the morning and at night, you should take a probiotic in the afternoon, and then continue to take it for at least one month after finishing the course, she says. Probiotics containing Lactobacillus as well as those containing strains of beneficial yeast Saccharomyces Boulardii is a good idea. As a yeast, it has nothing to fear from antibiotics. So, while we are disrupting our entire bacteria population by taking antibiotics, Saccharomyces can move in and set up house without a worry. It can protect the gut from harmful opportunists. It also has the ability to bind toxins, she adds. Before you add anything to your ongoing course of medication, however, it’s best to consult with your general physician in case of any counter-indications.

Appendix A Stimulating The Appetite

Also Check: What Antibiotic Is Best For Tooth Abscess

If You Press On Your Skin And An Indentation Stays There For A Couple Of Seconds Thats A Sign You Have Water Weight

One way to check if youre retaining water is to press on swollen skin. If theres an indention that stays for a little while, thats a sign that you could be retaining water.

Weve all been on a plane got off the plane, you press on your ankles and theres a bump and it stays there for a little while. Well, thats a sign in the setting of someone who has a normal heart function, that youre retaining some water weight, Holly Lofton, MD, director of the Weight Management Program at NYU Langone Health told INSIDER.

Working With A Doctor

It is important to speak openly and honestly with your physician to express a clear picture of your experiences and symptoms. FGIDs present special challenges when communicating, specifically because of their vague symptoms and sensitive subject matter.

There isnt a diagnostic test for bloating or distension however your doctor may run some tests to rule out underlying problems or associated disorders.

For more information about GI tests and how to prepare for them, see our website www.aboutGIMotility.org or see IFFGD publications #111 or #510.

Recommended Reading: List Of Antibiotics For Dental Infections

Tip : Support A Healthy Appetite

In many pets, antibiotics can cause lethargy, nausea and/or a loss of appetite, which may make your pet less interested in eating their food. But it is crucial that your pet continues to eat, because their body needs the energy to continue fighting infection and repairing damaged cells. If your pet refuses their food, dont force them to eat: wait a few hours and offer the food again. If they continue to refuse, consider adding something to the food to make it more palatable. A low-sodium beef, chicken, or bone broth is often helpful.

In addition, warming the food to bring out the aroma often makes it more palatable to cats and dogs, who rely much more on their sense of smell than their sense of taste when it comes to deciding what is tasty and what is not.

Now lets cover how to help your pet after antibiotic treatment.

How Antibiotics Affect The Gut

While antibiotics have vital health benefits in certain situations, they also alter the microbiome and can change the gut even after a single dose.

Not only do antibiotics suppress bacterial infections, they can also cause an immediate decline in beneficial bacterial strains like lactobacillus and bifidobacteria. In some cases, they can also cause a rise in clostridium, a harmful type of bacteria that lives in the gut.

Most antibiotics can also cause long-term changes to the bacterial landscape of the gut. While the gut may return to normal on its own without assistance, in many cases, it can take an average of four weeks after a single dose of antibiotics for the gut to begin this process. If more doses are used, or frequent antibiotics are taken, the gut can experience permanent changes unless interventions are used.

The potential even exists for antibiotics to change the gut so that bacterial groups remain altered for two or more years, including the addition of resistant strains to the gut, which can be problematic for future health. Antibiotics can cause damage in mitochondria the energy-producing powerhouses of cells.

Beyond just the gut, antibiotics can also cause damage in mitochondria the energy-producing powerhouses of cells. Without healthy mitochondria, its possible for your whole body to feel run down and short on energy.

Recommended Reading: Is Strep Throat Contagious After Antibiotics

How Do Antibiotics Affect The Gut

Antibiotics are reliable killers of dangerous pathogens, which makes them the best weapon against bad bacteria, but also the most dangerous weapon against good bacteria. Antibiotics can alter our gut flora significantly. A five-day course of some broad-spectrum antibiotics can wipe out as much as one-third of your gut bacteria, explains nutritionist Suchita Mukerji. Any disturbance in the gut shows up as acidity, discomfort and bloating, and makes the body susceptible to fatigue, brain fog and further infections.

Bacteria make up 90 per cent of the population of the gut. Everyone has his or her personal collection of bacteria, explains Mukerji. “An imbalanced ecosystem in the gut is the root cause of food cravings, bloating, weight gain, yeast overgrowth, irritable bowel syndrome, leaky gut, celiac/ gluten sensitivity, and even depression and skin conditions like acne, rosacea, she adds.

Treating Diarrhea And Upset Stomach From Antibiotics

Most often, just time and light foods are the best medicine for diarrhea and upset stomach caused by antibiotics:

• Make sure to maintain good hydration for your child with plenty of water avoid fruit juice or soft drinks as these can make diarrhea worse.
• Follow the directions that come with the antibiotic. Does it say to take with food? This may help to minimize stomach upset.
• Maintain healthy eating habits. Make sure your child is consuming plenty of fruits, vegetables, legumes and grains if possible.
• You should give probiotics only if your primary care provider or pediatric gastroenterologist recommends them .
• There is no use for anti-diarrheal medications such as loperamide please refrain from using these medications.

Although rare, pay attention to any symptoms such as severe diarrhea that contains blood or mucous, fever, severe stomach pain and extreme weakness. If these symptoms are present, please seek medical attention for your child.

If the diarrhea persists despite time and light foods, or if its present for more than 7-10 days, check in with your childs pediatrician or gastroenterologist.

Read Also: Antibiotics That Dogs Can Take

How Should I Take Care Of Myself Or My Child While Suffering Through Travelers Diarrhea

• Hydrate frequently with water, certain sports drinks or Pedialyte.
• If you or your child cant tolerate solid foods yet, try clear soups and popsicles.
• When youre ready to progress to solid foods, start with bland, high-fiber carbohydrates.
• The BRAT diet is commonly recommended for diarrhea: bananas, rice, applesauce and toast.
• Eat small amounts frequently rather than whole meals.
• Call the doctor when you see signs of dehydration, bloody stools or fever.

How Long Does Travelers Diarrhea Last

Most of the time, your symptoms will start to improve on their own within two to three days. If you have a bacterial infection, which is the most common kind, you may continue to have diminishing symptoms for up to a week. Parasite infection is trickier and can last for weeks to months without treatment. If your symptoms dont appear to be improving, you might have a parasite infection.

Also Check: Can You Buy Std Antibiotics Over The Counter

Managing Antibiotic Associated Diarrhoea

Diarrhoea is a common adverse effect of antibiotic treatments. Antibiotic associated diarrhoea occurs in about 5-30% of patients either early during antibiotic therapy or up to two months after the end of the treatment.13 The frequency of antibiotic associated diarrhoea depends on the definition of diarrhoea, the inciting antimicrobial agents, and host factors.

Almost all antibiotics, particularly those that act on anaerobes, can cause diarrhoea, but the risk is higher with aminopenicillins, a combination of aminopenicillins and clavulanate, cephalosporins, and clindamycin.1,4,5 Host factors for antibiotic associated diarrhoea include age over 65, immunosuppression, being in an intensive care unit, and prolonged hospitalisation.6

Clinical presentations of antibiotic associated diarrhoea range from mild diarrhoea to fulminant pseudomembranous colitis. The latter is characterised by a watery diarrhoea, fever , leucocytosis , and the presence of pseudomembranes on endoscopic examination. Severe complications include toxic megacolon, perforation, and shock.

Ways To Heal Your Gut After Taking Antibiotics

Recently take antibiotics? Heres how to naturally heal your gut and restore your good bacteria to get you back to optimal health.

Antibiotics are medications that have life-saving uses for bacterial infections, such as strep throat and UTIs.

They kill the bacteria that cause the infection and prevent it from spreading, which can be important, especially for serious cases or in those who have compromised immune systems.

Do you struggle with bloating, gas, constipation, or other digestive issues? Weve created a FREE guide to healing your gut naturally.

The problem with antibiotics, however, is that theyve become overused and prescribed even when viral infections are present . Remember: Antibiotics dont destroy bad bacteria only, they also wipe out good bacteria. When theyre chronically overused, they can leave people in gut-compromised positions, which can influence many other areas of life, including immunity, mental health, digestion, detoxing, and even inflammation levels.

You May Like: Can You Get Rid Of H Pylori Without Antibiotics

What I Ate During Antibiotic Treatment

Often people ask if they should be on a low FODMAP diet while taking antibiotics for SIBO. NO!

As Dr. Pimentel and other experts have explained, antibiotics work best when the bacteria are actively replicating. This is when the medicine enters the bacteria to destroy them.

So, you want to keep the bacteria happy and well fed while youre on antibiotics. This means continuing to eat FODMAP containing foods like bread, fruits, etc. Dont go crazy and eat donuts all week, but continue to eat a balanced, healthy, FODMAP-full diet.

My doctor told me that after I had completed the antibiotics, I needed to follow the low FODMAP diet for six weeks. So I was more than happy to enjoy FODMAPs while I still could.

What Are The Possible Complications Of Travelers Diarrhea

Dehydration

The most common complication of persistent diarrhea is dehydration from loss of fluids. Mild to moderate dehydration can cause uncomfortable symptoms, but severe dehydration can be dangerous, especially for children. Children become more severely dehydrated more rapidly than adults, and they dont recover as easily. They may need to go to the hospital to have their fluids replaced intravenously.

Signs of dehydration may include:

• Crying without tears.

Postinfectious conditions

Less commonly, healthcare providers have occasionally observed that travelers diarrhea can trigger an underlying gastrointestinal disease. In some people, symptoms of travelers diarrhea persist after the infection is gone. When no other cause can be found, they are diagnosed with post-infectious irritable bowel syndrome . In other cases, people who were already genetically predisposed to inflammatory bowel disease may develop their first symptoms after a bout of travelers diarrhea.

Also Check: Antibiotics For Chickens With Wounds

Get The Facts From Your Pharmacist

The next time youre on antibiotics, ask your pharmacist how to take them. Some should be taken with food, which can help decrease the risk of diarrhea. Others should not be taken with food in order to be best absorbed, Dr. Kistler says. Knowing the best way to care for yourself when taking antibiotics will help you recover from potential side effects faster.

Related Reading

Managing Acid Reflux After Consuming Antibiotics

Many over-the-counter, as well as prescribed medications, can help relieve acid reflux and heartburn. The options include:

• Antacids, which help neutralise stomach acid. Antacids may provide quick relief, but they cannot heal an oesophagus damaged by stomach acid.
• H2-receptor antagonists can decrease stomach acid. It does not act as quickly as antacids but may provide longer relief.
• Proton pump inhibitors, such as omeprazolecan reduce stomach acid. Amongst several PPIs available like omeprazole, Pantoprazole, Rabeprazole and Esomeprazole, Omeprazoleis the one having highest published evidence and studies regarding its better safety. All the PPIs have similar efficacy, however, Omeprazole due to its better safety and highest affordability is the most used PPI globally with more than 40% prescription share worldwide.
• These medicines are helpful for people who have heartburn often, say, more than two days of the week.

Disclaimer: The information included at this site is for educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for medical treatment by a healthcare professional. Because of unique individual needs, the reader should consult their physician to determine the appropriateness of the information for the readers situation.

Also Check: Do I Need Antibiotics If I Have Strep Throat

Does Alcohol Cause Indigestion

Even if you dont have a condition such as IBS, you can still experience indigestion. Indigestion is frequent, even in healthy individuals. Most people will experience indigestion at some point in their life.

Indigestion is not always a sign of a more dire affliction, but it does include symptoms similar to true gastrointestinal ailments. These include but are not limited to the following symptoms.

Alcohol contributes to indigestion in two primary ways.

We already covered how alcohol causes major irritation to your stomach. Alcohol in itself is a toxin that can damage the stomach lining. It also has the effect of causing your stomach to produce too much acid as mentioned earlier.

But what about muscle relaxation? Relaxation rarely sounds like something that is harmful. It even seems like something you might want to achieve. After all, isnt the point of drinking to achieve some level of relaxation.

Alcohol causes your muscles to loosen. Overall, this is not a problem except as it related to your sphincter muscles.

Your sphincter is the muscle responsible for closing the opening that allows food to pass from your esophagus into your stomach. When your sphincter is too relaxed, it doesnt close completely.

As the connection between your esophagus and stomach remains open, acid from your stomach can enter your esophagus. This causes the fiery sensation known asheartburn.

Dont Miss: Do Probiotics Help Ulcerative Colitis

When Does Good Bacteria Return After Taking Antibiotics

• It has been found from studies that most gut bacteria will resume levels prior to that of taking the antibiotics course in about two months. However, one should make a note of the point that all families of bacteria do not return and only some do.
• A research conducted in the year 2018 found that after one has taken antibiotics it takes about six months for the gut flora to get back to normal levels.

Also Check: Antibiotics For Lyme Disease In Dogs

Its Almost Your Period

Water retention in the time leading up to your period is super normal. Many women will notice water retention in the two weeks leading up to their period, says registered nutritional therapist Kym Lang. Youve those pesky hormones oestrogen and progesterone to thank for that.

Their changing levels, around the time of ovulation, control how much water your body retains, Lang says.

Not sure where to begin? Opt for a starter pack, which contains a combination of every pad you could possibly need to navigate your cycle.

You dont need an expert to tell you that everyones hormone levels are different and this is why some of you puff out each month, like clockwork, whereas others might experience a little bit of mild bloating, now and then.

Should I visit my doctor for this water retention?

No. Period-related fluid retention will gradually disperse once your hormone levels change again and you start your period.

Lang suggests reducing your salt intake and supping your magnesium in the run-up to your period to alleviate symptoms, and, when your period starts, drinking plenty of water to support your kidneys and encourage them to flush out more liquid. You could also try these other tips for preventing period weight gain.

You May Like: Does Peanut Butter Cause Acid Reflux