Suffering diarrhea for months after antibiotics

[waskdusky]

Hey, I have been suffering from diarrhoea for a few months now, it started after I was prescribed ear infection medication clindamycin & septra, I thought it will go in a week but it didn't go away, I had cramps and watery diarrhea at least 4-5 times a day, past few month's, I have gone to few gastroenterologists, they gave me different medication but none have worked.
These are medications I have taken for diarrhoea as prescribed by doctors
metronidazole, rifaximin, ciprofloxacin, Bacillus clausii, L.Reuteri, imodium. saccharomyces boulardii

I don't know what I should do now, It is still the same as it was before, some did have minimal effect for few days like saccharomyces boulardii but it stopped working after few days

Please suggest what I should do, I just want this to go away as it's really affecting my quality of life, and I'm not that old (25 years old)

Thank you in advance

[specialmom]

I had a tooth issue that required a month of monster antibiotics.  About three weeks or so after, I got extremely ill.  I was very sick for a day or so (like bed ridden sick) and then had horrible diarrhea for a few weeks.  I thought I had C dif!  But began to then think it was the antibiotics I was on for the tooth just doing the gut flora wipe out.  I started doing prebiotic things. I ate sauerkraut, pickles and drank kabocha tea.  And then I took a good probiotic.  I went to the health food store and looked at the refrigerated type and decided for my trial and error experiment of self treating, that I didn't want to spend 60 bucks for something that also looked like I'd have a hard time drinking it.  So, I got a probiotic tablet that I researched for the gut online. I also added in the probiotic yogurt which sure did taste good and may have done nothing.  ha ha.  I upped my fiber.  I literally had whatever I ate run right through me for about three straight weeks.  Then it got less and less.  I self treated.  I don't know that I recommend that and would say seeing your doctor may be best. It IS rough, I know.  I hardly left the house for the cramping and bathroom time could and did happen frequently and at any time.  best of luck. I got better and was worried I wouldn't.  I did have some weight loss which for me, was kind of great. ha ha. but make sure you are eating and getting plenty of fluids.  

[Paxiled]

Only comment is, most yogurt does not have any probiotics in it.  They are used to make the yogurt, but then are killed off by pasteurization.  Really expensive yogurt in good health food stores will add some back in after pasteurization, but those pills you took had billions of organisms in them and the yogurt not so much.  Yogurt is, though, as with other fermented and cultured foods, a good prebiotic.  But it's also dairy, and for most people that might make any digestive problems worse.  Just depends on the person.  

[CurfewX]

It's not possible to determine, for sure, exactly what is going on with your GI symptoms, but it sure sounds like a gut flora imbalance as a result of the antibiotics you were taking.  I don't know how many of those medications you were taking simultaneously, but if you were taking several at once, that could cause more problems than they would solve.

The fact that you improved some on saccharomyces boulardii also points to a gut flora imbalance.   Are you taking any medications or supplements at this time?

[waskdusky]

I wasn't taking all at once, different medications on different appointments, currently taking BioGaia Protectis tablets (L.reuteri)
I was thinking maybe I should take saccharomyces boulardii with L.reuteri but Idk if it might have adverse effects.

[CurfewX]

Unfortunately, probiotics are often a matter of trial and error.  Make sure that whatever you take, you give it time to work, and don't keep switching from one to the other too quickly. I hope you find relief soon.

[Paxiled]

I wouldn't personally focus on reuteri and the saccharomyces at this time.  The reason official guidance is to not give antibiotics for ear infections as they almost always go away by themselves is exactly what's happened to you.  They destroy the flora that protects us and helps our digestion.  The usual advice when taking antibiotics if you have to do it is to take a multi-spectrum probiotic from the refrigerated section of the best health food store in your area.  If it's not refrigerated, they can't hibernate, and so they starve and die.  Interestingly, you don't mention the probiotic that has the most to do with digestion, which is bifidus.  Reuteri is good for preventing fungal infections.  Getting one that has them all in it might help better, but make sure bifidus is prominent.  But sometimes our systems just don't replenish well.  A way to boost that is to feed the good guys, which involves eating prebiotics.  This is food probiotics like, and include fermented and pickled foods such as kim chi, sauerkraut, etc.  That might also help,  Don't take meds that affect digestion too much or for too long ,they also adversely affect the system, like taking meds that reduce stomach acid.  That also leads to imbalances.  I see two possibilities here.  One is to leave the allopathic community behind and try seeing someone from the holistic health community.  You might need to redo your diet, lifestyle, etc. to get back into balance, and docs aren't great at that unless they practice integrated medicine.  You've tried the docs, might be time to try something else.  Another possibility that a few gastroenterologists do in severe cases is transplant someone else's fecal tissue inside you to recolonize your unhealthy system with healthy bacteria.  It's an option that's out there, but I'd try to change your modality first.  Good luck.