Wellness

[adelle38]

On 9/26/2014 allaries said:

I have a moderate staph infection from a cut on my leg. I am diabetic so things take a

while to heal. Thanks for positive responses. The reviews on WebMD scared me to death.

Since staph infections can go bad really quickly, have a talk with your doctor or pharmacist about your specific concerns. It sounds like you will definitely need an antibiotic of some kind. I understand your fears because I have so many problems with all antibiotics except for penicillin.

[Shelbelle]

Excellent choice for tooth infections. Do not lie down for a while after taking it, causes terrible indigestion. Also can cause diarrhea, beware.

[KippyK3]

On 9/26/2014 Shelbelle said:

Excellent choice for tooth infections. Do not lie down for a while after taking it, causes terrible indigestion. Also can cause diarrhea, beware.

ITA. I would also recommend that you ask/talk to your doc about adding a probiotic to your treatment. Best wishes.

[worldglobetrotter]

I had a bone infection and this was the only medication that worked for me. Cleared it right up. I'm a diabetic, too, and can relate to the slow healing process. It also cleared my skin right up. Bonus.

[kismet]

I was given this when I had two knee replacements. Then I got a urinary infection right after one of the surgeries. I was put on this a week after my surgery and I had no side effects. I have it here all the time just in case I need it.

[adelle38]

On 9/26/2014 kismet said:

I was given this when I had two knee replacements. Then I got a urinary infection right after one of the surgeries. I was put on this a week after my surgery and I had no side effects. I have it here all the time just in case I need it.

It's very dangerous to have antibiotics on hand ""just in case"". Did your doctor say it was ok because Clyndamycin is one most likely to have serious side effects?

[kismet]

Yes, my doctor gave them to me. With knee replacements I have to take an antibiotic before a dental appointment and anything that requires medical care like if I cut myself and had to go to the ER. I had to take 2 before my colonoscopy last year. If I didn't take them I could get an infection that would go to my knees. My mom had knee replacements and got an infection that went to her knees and she was in the hospital for awhile.

[Pook]

Just take acidopholous with it or eat yogurt and no problems. I take it since I am allergic to penicillin.

[puglet1]

Allaries, you may have seen the recent thread on C. diff. Unfortunately, clindamycin (Cleocin) is highly implicated in C. diff. infection. That's not to say you would get it if you took it, it's just that much more likely to occur than with other antibiotics.

There are almost always alternatives to these higher-risk drugs. Clindamycin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic, which is a reason it presents a higher risk. Please ask your doctor and pharmacist if there is a narrow-spectrum antibiotic (less risky alternative) that can be prescribed for your situation.

If your problem is dental-related, I know there are alternatives. In fact, when I needed an antibiotic for a tooth infection, knowing my antibiotic history, the dentist made a "pack" of the antibiotic to place directly around my tooth and gum area. She crushed the capsule in order to make the pack. By doing this, the antibiotic treated the infection locally instead of the antibiotic being taken orally and absorbed in the gut.

Of course, make sure you take a good probiotic and that you don't take it at the same time as your antibiotic.

There is a "pecking order" of antibiotics more likely to cause C. diff. infection. I googled it below, but you can do your own research (Cephalosporins, for example, are a class of drugs and you can google "cephalosporins" to see which drugs are listed in that class).

Also, in general, to everyone, the more occasions in which you take an antibiotic, even over time, the greater the risk for a C. diff. infection.

--------------------------------

Which Antibiotics Cause C. difficile Colitis?

Although the antibiotic clindamycin (Cleocin) has been widely recognized as causing C. difficile colitis, many commonly prescribed antibiotics also cause colitis. Examples of antibiotics that frequently cause C. difficile colitis include:

• ampicillin,
• amoxicillin, and
• cephalosporins (such ascephalexin [Keflex]).

Antibiotics that occasionally cause C. difficile colitisinclude:

• penicillin,
• erythromycin,
• trimethoprim (Primsol), and
• quinolones such as ciprofloxacin (Cipro).

Antibiotics that rarely if ever cause C. difficile colitis include:

• tetracycline,
• metronidazole (Flagyl),
• vancomycin (Vancocin), and
• aminoglycosides (such as gentamicin [Garamycin]).

[adelle38]

On 9/27/2014 kismet said:

Yes, my doctor gave them to me. With knee replacements I have to take an antibiotic before a dental appointment and anything that requires medical care like if I cut myself and had to go to the ER. I had to take 2 before my colonoscopy last year. If I didn't take them I could get an infection that would go to my knees. My mom had knee replacements and got an infection that went to her knees and she was in the hospital for awhile.

I never knew that. Is this for all people with knee replacements and how long do you have to continue this process?