My dentist prescribed clindamycin for a tooth abcess prior to oral surgery next week. He told me it could be brutal on my stomach and to eat plenty of probiotic yogurt while taking this medication. He put me on a low dose (150 mg every 6 hours), but I must confess I only get three in a day instead of four, since I don't get up in the middle of the night for that final pill. I eat two probiotic yogurts a day. Yesterday was my third day of treatment. The abcess looks the same. I wake up at about 2AM with intestinal cramps that go away. I have a little diarrhea in the morning, and then I am fine for the rest of the day. When I researched this drug on line I read way too many horror stories of people whose lives were ruined by an intestinal infection caused by this medication. Some were even hospitalized. Too many posts were from people who said they would much rather have lost a tooth than suffer the way they have for months with an intestinal infection. What is really scary is that symptoms can suddenly start up to three months after treatment is over. My husband pointed out that it would not be on the market if it were that bad, but I don't always trust the drug companies. I have a suspected allergy to penicillin, so that drug is out. (In my 20's I took it for strep and on my last day of pills I saw a fine sandpaper rash on my stomach. I never showed it to my doctor, so he can't say for sure what it was. He said I am either allergic or I had mono). I am considering stopping the medication today and calling my dentist tomorrow morning. I know now that I need to continue probiotic therapy for several months. Has anyone had any experience with this drug, good or bad? What supplement can I take in addition to the yogurt that might help? I get the sense that people with severe reactions did not use probiotics. Thanks!
Thanks again for all the positive posts about this drug. Unfortunately, by Sunday evening, I had an uncomfortable full feeling in my stomach. I literally could not get anything down except some yogurt and rice. On Monday I asked the dentist if I could try penicillin and he agreed. I didn't have any reaction at all, and by the end of the day my stomach was back to normal. The next week I had a successful surgery, and I continue to take penicillin. I am also keeping up with the yogurt and probiotic supplements.
I took it about 4 months ago for 10 days for a tooth abscess and had 0 side effects.. I am allergic to penicilin as well~
I've taken it and not had too many problems, just diarrhea. I have learned the hard way to not get on the internet and read things too much. It will stress you out way and make you have panic attacks... trust me and the doctor that I called at 2am! :-) Remember that people who get on here and post things about medications are generally the people who have had problems, not the ones who didn't. That being said, if you are really having a lot of problems with it, definitely talk to your doctor.
I have been on clindamycin a number of times. I have been on it after both of my c-sections as well as for other things as I am allergic to penicillin. I had some diarrhea with it most times and once had diarrhea for a few weeks. But I never had a serious problem. Even the time I had it for a few weeks, it eventually went away. I did have to make sure I didn't get dehydrated by drinking enough. But I never took probiotics with it or yogurt so perhaps that would have helped. I also have a super sensitive stomach. I was also told to take 4 a day spaced during my waking hours and not wake at night to take them, so I took them at 8, 1, 6 and bedtime. Basically after breakfast, after lunch and after dinner and after a nighttime snack. You may want to make sure with your Dr if it is okay to take only 3 a day. Like someone else said it could be more serious if you don't. I am not one to take meds lightly and often refuse antibiotics unless it is absolutely necessary. I had infections develop both times in my c-section incision and that was serious.
As far as the rash on your stomach, that may have been caused by the strep infection itself rather than the medication.
Many years ago, I ended up with a severe strep infection and had a rash BEFORE I started any antibiotics... it was also on my stomach. The doctor called it a "strep rash". (Think back to when doctors used to talk about "Scarlet Fever" ... basically the same thing.) Not all strep infections come with a rash, just some, I guess.
However, without showing the rash to the doctor, you don't really know. The infection I had was much worse than the typical strep throat I'd had before, btw....I had a lot more achiness than usual, and also ended up with an outbreak of what my doctor called "Viral stomatitis".... basically an initial outbreak of cold sores, with many small sores in my mouth rather than my lips. (I had never had cold sores before or since... just that one time.)
I've taken it for the same reason you are. It only bugged my stomach while I was on it, no after effects. I too had a bad rash from penicillin once.... and consider myself allergic. It sucks not to be able to use penicillin, it's the best antibiotic out there :(
Drink a bottle of yokult at bedtime.
Stop taking it if you are having major abdominal cramps.
I ended up in the hospital for over a week because of this medicine with colitis. It was horrible. Make then give you something else. I now list clyndamycin as an allergy for me.
I've been on it s few different times and found that drinking lots of water helps alot. If I don't I get weird diarrea and heartburn. I hate that stuff.
