# Can I stop antibiotics (augmentin) early?



## newmum35 (Aug 16, 2007)

ANyone had a 7 day prescription for amoxicillin for ear infection? Sadly, I begun antibiotics for my son, without giving him a chance to see if he really needed it or not (he had NO symptoms, but had begun a fever one night and I panicked and started him on the antibiotics right away) He has been on the generic form for augmentin for 3 days now. Today he is getting diarrhea BADLY from it, and I am now worried he is going to get more sick from the antibiotic than he would have gotten from the ear infection. In fact, he hadn't had a fever since before beginning the antibiotics and tonight he kind of felt warm upon sleeping, I'm hoping his fever isn't returning. If so, I'm now thinking in his weakened digestive state, he has picked up something else that he might not have if he hadnt been on this stuff! make sense to anyone? I'm still learning about it - wish I had known more about this before starting, I tried but hadnt time to fully research - what happens if i stop the antibiotic after 3 or 4 days instead of the full 7?


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## kjbrown92 (Dec 13, 2007)

Antibiotics often cause diarrhea because they kill off all the good bacteria in the gut (augmentin, which is pretty harsh, is one of the worst for this).

If you stop the antibiotic early though, you run the risk of creating "super germs" that are even more antibiotic resistant.

If he had no symptoms, how did you know he had an ear infection? And why did you have antibiotics if he didn't have any symptoms? I'm just curious.


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## nalo (Oct 25, 2005)

so sorry, but no way. once you start them you simply MUST finish the course.
go get some probiotics and give them to him in between abx doses (they are not super effective during the abx but may do something). after the abx are done focus on gut healing with probiotics, cod liver oil, etc. poor little thing!


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## lily7 (Aug 24, 2006)

You can call the doctor and request a different abx if diarrhea continues. A course of augmentin did it so bad for me I was sick for months after it and I now cannot take any penicilin based abx.


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## newmum35 (Aug 16, 2007)

more info and update about our experience here:

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...2#post13245662


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## newmum35 (Aug 16, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lily7* 
You can call the doctor and request a different abx if diarrhea continues. A course of augmentin did it so bad for me I was sick for months after it and I now cannot take any penicilin based abx.

Why can't you take any penicillin based abx now? Cause of the diarrhea you get? I am just learning now that augmentin is more harsh. I believe my son SHOULD have been prescribed regular amoxicillin, not this stuff. I didn't know.


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## lily7 (Aug 24, 2006)

After course of augmentin, my body was destroyed, I could not eat anything but bananas for a month, otherwise I would get hives for couple of weeks. It was pretty bad, but with some helped I healed. Any time I would get any penicilin based stuff I would break in hives. After 10 years or so now it is bloody diarrhea. I was able to take Keflex for root canal when I was nursing my 4 week old, but I believe that more than clindamycin in labor did a number on my guts, since that is when my horrible eczema issues started.
I really would switch to something more gentle if you can.


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## WuWei (Oct 16, 2005)

lily7, come over to the allergy forum and read about the allergies (and eczema) from antibiotics. Especially with your pregnancy, you need serious gut healing to protect baby from allergies. Check out this thread, it discusses antibiotics in the mama during pregnancy and birth, or abnormal gut and vaginal flora: http://www.mothering.com/discussions...ght=antifungal

Start with the "Heal the Gut-cheat sheet" http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=434071

Pat


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## lily7 (Aug 24, 2006)

Thanks, Pat!
I am lurking a lot there and sometimes even post. I did IgG testing, and know my gut is not in the best shape, since I have tons of Lows on my test. I am getting so much better though by avoiding worst offenders, doing probiotics, CLO and other things.


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## newmum35 (Aug 16, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *lily7* 
After course of augmentin, my body was destroyed, I could not eat anything but bananas for a month, otherwise I would get hives for couple of weeks. It was pretty bad, but with some helped I healed. Any time I would get any penicilin based stuff I would break in hives. After 10 years or so now it is bloody diarrhea. I was able to take Keflex for root canal when I was nursing my 4 week old, but I believe that more than clindamycin in labor did a number on my guts, since that is when my horrible eczema issues started.
I really would switch to something more gentle if you can.

OMG that is terrible. I had asked about switching and was told if he has more than 6 diarrhea day (we counted 5 major ones and a few tiny ones in the last 24 hrs) then I could call to switch, BUT it would be something ELSE not amoxicillin at all, and that they ALL could cause diarrhea! Im really afraid to switch, I was rather hoping they would put him on the lesser amoxicillin not the harsher augmentin, but I guess once you start on the other, its too late to switch and you have to go something else, she told me but I forgot the name. Im afraid of trying something even worse, and also we only have a few more days to go


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## lily7 (Aug 24, 2006)

That is a lot of diarrhea. Maybe some other moms here have any idea on how to make it less severe, I don't. I am not sure what other suitable abx are there for kids since I never had to use any. Poor little one!


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## momtoalexsarah (May 21, 2005)

After reading the other thread I would have his stool cultured for c-diff, as you have had it beofre you could well be andasymptomatic carrier and he has picked it up in his system and the antibiotics set it off. My DD was on Augmentin after surgury 5 weeks ago and ended up with C-diff, if it is c-diff then they will switch to a differnent antibiotic for the EI and start him on ORAL vancomycin (insist on vancomycin NOT flaygl - flaygl rarely works in kids)
My dd's diareaha had cleared up after 3 days on the vanco we finished the 10 day course of it. Durring the vanco we did florastore and culturell, after finished the vanco we also added Udos infant and toddler blend and a super hi potentcy probiotic with FOS. We are 3 weeks out from compleating the drug phase of treatment and have not had a bit of trouble.
Get him tested - the sooner they find it the faster they can treat it!


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## newmum35 (Aug 16, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *momtoalexsarah* 
After reading the other thread I would have his stool cultured for c-diff, as you have had it beofre you could well be andasymptomatic carrier and he has picked it up in his system and the antibiotics set it off. My DD was on Augmentin after surgury 5 weeks ago and ended up with C-diff, if it is c-diff then they will switch to a differnent antibiotic for the EI and start him on ORAL vancomycin (insist on vancomycin NOT flaygl - flaygl rarely works in kids)
My dd's diareaha had cleared up after 3 days on the vanco we finished the 10 day course of it. Durring the vanco we did florastore and culturell, after finished the vanco we also added Udos infant and toddler blend and a super hi potentcy probiotic with FOS. We are 3 weeks out from compleating the drug phase of treatment and have not had a bit of trouble.
Get him tested - the sooner they find it the faster they can treat it!

Thank you for posting this. I am getting really worried now about C. Diff. and trying to learn more about it. I DID have a C. Diff infection before (WHILE I was pregnant with HIM!) so I know a little about it - I was treated with flagyl. I really think he could have picked up C. Diff from spores from our home environment (or me) - and although it wasnt a problem before with his healthy GI tract, the antibiotics destroyed everything and now he COULD have full blown C. Diff!! I didn't know vanco is for kids, and flagyl is not.. will try to research more so I don't goof up again if/when they make another prescription error!!! Am trying to find out whether or not its possible he can recover on his OWN without the need for vanco/flagyl IF he does have C. Diff right now!!! Not sure about waiting til friday though!!


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## momtoalexsarah (May 21, 2005)

Flagyl is usually first line for C-diif but it dosn't always work and in kids it tends to be less effective. Flagly is also systemic (goes though the blood) where as Vanco when used Oraly does not get into the blood - it is only intestinal. The only time Vanco is used oraly is for C-diff and intestinal Staph/step because it's molecules don't cross the intestinal/blood barrier. It can be very expensive, but if you go to a compounding pharmacy assoisate with a hospital, they may be able use hospital stock (at hospital cost) to make the compound and the cost would be much less. (if we had to get DD's at retail cost from the manufature it would have been about $500, the pharmacy compounded it from the hospital concentrate and it cost me $50.) I would also talk to your pead and get a treatment plan in place for any future infections needing Antibiotics - they need to use different classes of drugs and if it is in the near future may need to use IV or injection to avoid a re- occurance.


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## WuWei (Oct 16, 2005)

Antibiotic associated diarrhea should resolve within about 72 hours, after stopping the antibiotics.

Pat


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