How to Prevent Colitis While Taking Clindamycin
Clindamycin is an antibiotic used to treat a variety of infections, such as of the skin, respiratory tract, heart, abdomen and teeth. According to Medline Plus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicine, some antibiotics, such as clindamycin, can induce colitis as a side effect, which is inflammation of the large intestine or colon. This type of colitis is referred to as Clostridium difficile colitis, pseudomembranous colitis or antibiotic-induced colitis, and it can be life-threatening if ignored.
Instructions
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Take a probiotic pill while taking clindamycin in order to prevent antibiotic-induced diarrhea. HealthKey reports that the probiotic creates positive bacteria that counteract the negative effects that antibiotics can cause in the intestines.
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Take a vitamin K and a zinc pill while taking clindamycin. Vitamin K can help prevent bleeding in the bowels and zinc can focus the clindamycin on the area for which it is intended, according to Truestar.
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Stop taking clindamycin as soon as you get severe diarrhea with watery or bloody stools, stomach cramps, or fever, and call your doctor immediately. The medication should be stopped as soon as possible, though the symptoms can still last up to several months.
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Continue use if you have mild diarrhea, which, according to eMedTV, is a common short-term side effect with no lasting implications. Continue to watch the symptoms closely in order to detect more serious conditions.
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Tips & Warnings
Talk to your doctor about the risks of clindamycin, and tell your doctor if you've experienced colitis or any other condition that affected your stomach or intestines. According to Medline Plus, clindamycin should only be used for serious infections that cannot be treated by other antibiotics.
If you do have colitis symptoms after stopping the clindamycin, talk to your doctor about steps you can take to reduce the symptoms and increase your comfort as much as possible.
