Stomach upset with augmentin

[GraceUnderPressure]

Ds18 started taking Augmentin Monday evening. His stomach was a little off Tuesday, a little diarrhea Wed, & today is full blown upset. (He has been taking a probiotic a couple hours after taking the Augmentin dose since we began)

 

He says he smells ammonia when he uses the toilet to pee (but frankly I'm not sure how he would know that smell & I haven't noticed it)

He has a level 5 IgG reaction to candida which I have been worried about. I bought a bottle of Candida Clear today just in case. Wasn't sure if it might not be smart to give it prophylactically.

 

What is the usual advice for dealing with the diarrhea? (We're mostly on the specific carb diet so bread & rice are not options for us) And can anyone advise me on any of the rest?

 

~Grace

[EAMom]

Aren't certain probiotics better than others in regads to taking with antibiotics? I think Culturelle was one that was named as good?

[NancyD]

Is he taking the augmentin with food? Augmentin can be really hard on the stomach so it should be taken with food.

[NewBeginnings]

Augmentin did the same thing to my son. I found that he needs to always take it after a meal and I also give him a ginger root capsule to take with it. It really seems to help with nausea.

 

To help with diarrhea, there is a product called Florastor. It's a beneficial yeast that can also help ward off c diff. It's expensive, but it works well.

[MomWithOCDSon]

FloraStor is actually 100% sach. boulardis, which is known among probiotics for being very good in a fight against diarrhea. FloraStor IS expensive, usually upwards of $1/pill. But you can get 100% sach boulardis at health food stores, Whole Foods, and vitamin shops at a significant savings, and they're still manufactured by reputable companies like Nutrition Now and Jarrow. We buy ours at the Vitamin Shoppe and we get 90 capsules for under $30. Pretty decent.

 

Another recommendation on our part might be to try the Augmentin XR 1,000 mg. rather than regular Augmentin. Not sure if it's because the XR is time release, or if it's because it has a lower clavulanic acid component, but it has proven to be much easier on my DS's gut than regular Augmentin 875 mg. Also, I don't recall about regular Augmentin, but I know that it is recommended that the XR actually be consumed BEFORE the meal, rather than after.

 

Finally, make sure he's taking the right probiotic. Acidolpholus, common to products like yogurt and kefir and sold as probiotic supplements like "Pearls," etc. can be killed by most antibiotics, so even if it's spaced out from the abx dose, it's probably not going to help much in terms of restoring the gut flora to healthy levels. Meanwhile, cultures like lactobacillus, sach boulardis and bifodobacterium can survive antibiotics, so they tend to work much better. Culturelle is a good lactobacillus, brand that's easy to find in grocery and drug stores.

[GraceUnderPressure]

Wah! (I realize it's an oxymoron, but we need a bawling smilie) Thanks, but he's already:

taking it after a meal,

taking 1 of Dr. Mercola's Complete Probiotics (8 sp. @ 66 billion) ~2hrs afterward, &

takes 2 caps of saccharomyces boulardii (which I think is what Florastor is, isn't it?) at bedtime.

 

Should I try to have him ride it out & see if it resolves? Should I add another probiotic dosed more frequently? Should I stop until we see Dr. Rao on Sept 24th? (I'm afraid that option might make his "bugs" more resistant to future augmentin use) Should I go bury my head in my pillow & pretend my life has all been a bad dream & that I will wake up soon & everything will be normal?

[PhillyPA]

Both my sons are on high doses of augmentin 2x a day. I give my sons two probiotics a day. I give them the same time as the antibiotic. I know that is breaking the rules but I am a rule breaker. I don't have time to give it to them at different intervals throughout the day.

 

It has always worked. My boys have no stomach issues. They both poop like champs and make their father proud.

 

Oh and I have smelled that ammonia smell many times. I smell it when they pee and also on their skin. Not all of the time but sometime.

Edited September 3, 2010 by PhillyPA

[GraceUnderPressure]

Okay, I'm going to try moving the probiotic dose closer - like maybe 1/2-1 hr after the augmentin & then add some culterelle or similar inbetween times. Thanks for all the responses!

 

Edit: Ds18 says that he is now having rather uncomfortable stomach cramping. I still have a full course of zithromycin that I was supposed to be giving to one of my younger sons. Would it be worthwhile to switch ds18 from augmentin over to zithromax at this point?

Edited September 3, 2010 by GraceUnderPressure

[justinekno]

We are actually having the opposite effect with Augmentin - constipation. When I called our dr to see what to do, his front office misunderstood and relayed the message that my son had diarrhea. When I spoke with the dr on the phone, he said to stop the Augmentin. I then clarified that we had constipation not diarrhea and he said for us to stay on the Augmentin. My point is, maybe talk to your dr to see if he wants you to switch antibiotics?

 

Not to hijack the thread, but does anyone have experience with Augmentin causing constipation?

 

Okay, I'm going to try moving the probiotic dose closer - like maybe 1/2-1 hr after the augmentin & then add some culterelle or similar inbetween times. Thanks for all the responses!

 

Edit: Ds18 says that he is now having rather uncomfortable stomach cramping. I still have a full course of zithromycin that I was supposed to be giving to one of my younger sons. Would it be worthwhile to switch ds18 from augmentin over to zithromax at this point?

[justinekno]

Could that be not enough fluids? I have noticed that smell with my kids when their urine isn't clear - an indication that they aren't drinking enough. Just a thought.

 

 

He says he smells ammonia when he uses the toilet to pee (but frankly I'm not sure how he would know that smell & I haven't noticed it)

 

Edited September 3, 2010 by justinekno

[GraceUnderPressure]

Not enough fluids is definitely a factor for us - ds18 has so many tics around drinking that he avoids it until the thirst drives him to it. I have explained to him how that affects his body & all, but he is so messed up right now that I really believe that he is doing the best he can for the most part.

 

Any idea why the dr. said to stop the augmentin when he thought diarrhea was an issue? I am giving my ds my own Rx for augmentin - he doesn't have a dr. yet so I don't really have someone to consult. He did say that it seemed a little less bad last nite after dinner so I am hoping it is like the literature says where the body is adjusting to it. I'll have to gauge how it goes today.

 

Whenever my ds has constipation, upping his vitamin C &/or magnesium (but not both at the same time) seems to do the trick. (His has never been really bad, though, so YMMV)

 

~Grace

[philamom]

Okay, I'm going to try moving the probiotic dose closer - like maybe 1/2-1 hr after the augmentin & then add some culterelle or similar inbetween times. Thanks for all the responses!

 

Edit: Ds18 says that he is now having rather uncomfortable stomach cramping. I still have a full course of zithromycin that I was supposed to be giving to one of my younger sons. Would it be worthwhile to switch ds18 from augmentin over to zithromax at this point?

 

If cramping continues, you might want to rule out a c-diff infection by a stool sample. Even on probiotics, you can still get c-diff. My daughter has had it 3 times. While she's on antibiotics we run a stool test every eight weeks.

[GraceUnderPressure]

 

If cramping continues, you might want to rule out a c-diff infection by a stool sample. Even on probiotics, you can still get c-diff. My daughter has had it 3 times. While she's on antibiotics we run a stool test every eight weeks.

Yes, this is a concern for me. Two of my other kids have had some problems with c-diff overgrowth & they are all so careless hygeine-wise that I wouldn't be at all surprised if the rest have picked it up including the 18yo - so that could be what is going on here even with the 2 sacc. b. capsules at bedtime.

 

We started the augmentin Monday evening. Would it be wise to discontinue it?

Does zithromax have as much risk of c-diff overgrowth as augmentin?

We don't see a dr. who can help with any of this until Sept 24th. And just to add to our anxieties, we are supposed to be leaving on vacation Sept 9th.

[GraceUnderPressure]

I guess it's all moot now! DH said stop the augmentin! we have to get ds's gut calmed down before we leave in 4 days so that we aren't on the road trying to deal with a kid with the big D. I'm loading him up with probiotics now - I hope that also will help minimize the risk of resistance developing.

 

Dr. Rao very kindly is allowing us to bring ds18 in on Sept. 9th (instead of waiting till the 24th) since ds is in such bad shape so that he can get all the tests done & then he said he would consult with us by phone so that we would not have to drive back. I haven't met the man yet but I think I love him!