What you need to know about antibiotic-associated diarrhea?
Antibiotic-associated diarrhea refers to passing loose, watery stools three or more times a day after taking medications used to treat bacterial infections (antibiotics).
Most often, antibiotic-associated diarrhea is mild and requires no treatment.
The diarrhea typically clears up within a few days after you stop taking the antibiotic. More-serious antibiotic-associated diarrhea might require stopping or switching antibiotic medications.
Why antibiotic-associated diarrhea occurs isn't completely understood. It's commonly thought to develop when antibacterial medications (antibiotics) upset the balance of good and bad bacteria in your gastrointestinal tract.
Nearly all antibiotics can cause antibiotic-associated diarrhea.
But you're more likely to develop antibiotic-associated diarrhea if you:
- Have had antibiotic-associated diarrhea in the past
- Have taken antibiotic medications for an extended time
- Are taking more than one antibiotic medication
Most often, antibiotic-associated diarrhea is mild and requires no treatment. The diarrhea typically clears up within a few days after you stop taking the antibiotic.
One of the most common complications of any type of diarrhea is extreme loss of fluids and electrolytes (dehydration). Severe dehydration can be life-threatening.
Prevention
To help prevent antibiotic-associated diarrhea, try to:
- Take antibiotics only when necessary. Don't use antibiotics unless your doctor feels they're necessary.
- Ask caregivers to wash their hands. If you're hospitalized, ask everyone to wash his or her hands or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer before touching you.
- Tell your doctor if you've had antibiotic-associated diarrhea before.
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