How to restore intestinal microflora after taking antibiotics. Possible consequences of taking antibiotics

Antibiotics are drugs that are prescribed in severe cases of diseases caused by bacterial microorganisms. They can help avoid complications with sore throat, otitis media, pneumonia, and purulent infectious processes. They are used when the human immune system cannot cope with the causative agent of the disease. But the consequences of taking antibiotics sometimes themselves become the cause of taking medications.

Adverse reactions of antibiotics

Adverse reactions are disturbances in the functioning of the body caused by taking a drug. Antibiotics often cause malfunctions of various organ systems. As a rule, their negative effects disappear after the end of use, but sometimes the body needs help in recovery. There are low-toxic groups of antibiotics, for example, penicillins, and potent ones. But the degree of their influence also depends on the human body.

The negative effects of the antibiotic will be minimal if you follow the doctor’s recommendations and follow the instructions for the drug. The doctor will determine the optimal dose, time and method of taking the medicine. You can help your body avoid side effects by following the following rules for using antibiotics:

• take the drug regularly, at the allotted time;
• take the tablet with boiled or mineral water;
• do not consume fatty and fried foods, alcoholic drinks, stick to a light diet.

Indigestion and its consequences

Taking antibiotics may be accompanied by negative reactions from the gastrointestinal tract: flatulence, constipation, diarrhea, nausea. These side effects are common to many broad-spectrum drugs. They are caused by the irritating effect of the drug on the mucous surface of the digestive organs. Such disorders appear after taking antibiotics in the form of tablets or capsules. They can be avoided by taking the medicine after meals or by injection.

After completing a course of antibiotic treatment, the functioning of the digestive system most often returns to normal. If this does not happen, it means that the intestinal microflora was disturbed. This condition is called dysbiosis. It arises due to the fact that many antibiotics have a depressing effect not only on pathogenic microorganisms, but also on the natural inhabitants of the intestine, which are necessary for its normal functioning. Over time, dysbiosis goes away on its own. Special preparations – probiotics – will help restore the normal microflora of the body faster. Sometimes the doctor prescribes them immediately together with an antibiotic.

In addition to discomfort from the digestive system, dysbiosis can have more serious consequences for the body. It is in the intestines, during the normal functioning of microorganisms, that some vital vitamins and parahormones are synthesized: folic acid, biotin, vitamins B and K, serotonin. Therefore, with dysbacteriosis, vitamin deficiency often develops, which negatively affects the functioning of various organs and systems. Thus, vitamin K deficiency causes nosebleeds, periodontitis, and subcutaneous hemorrhages. To avoid this, multivitamin complexes are taken during antibacterial therapy.

Allergy

Before prescribing an antibiotic, the doctor must check with the patient about the presence of allergic reactions to drugs. But it happens that the patient was not aware of the immunity of a certain drug. Any antibiotic can cause allergies, but most often they are caused by cephalosporins and penicillins. Allergy symptoms appear between 2 days and 2 weeks after the start of antibiotic therapy. The main ones are:

• skin hyperemia;
• rash;
• itching and burning;
• eczema;
• acne.

The greatest danger for the patient are such manifestations of allergies as anaphylactic shock (causes suffocation), hemolytic anemia (destruction of red blood cells - blood elements involved in oxygen metabolism), Stevens-Johnson syndrome (skin and mucous membranes become covered with blisters). These conditions can be fatal. Therefore, in case of any allergic reactions, the prescribed drug is replaced with a drug from another group of antibiotics.

Candidiasis

Taking antibiotics can disrupt the microflora not only in the intestines. Fungi of the genus Candida are natural inhabitants of the mucous surface of the vagina and mouth. In small quantities they do not cause discomfort. The growth of their population is restrained by beneficial bacteria that also inhabit these mucous membranes. But if the bacteria die, the number of fungal organisms increases and the disease candidiasis, or thrush, develops.

Symptoms of candidiasis are itching in the genital area, white cheesy discharge, unpleasant odor, pain during urination and sexual intercourse. When thrush occurs in the mouth, it appears as a white coating on the tongue, cheeks and gums. Candidiasis develops both during and after taking antibiotics. For treatment, local antifungal drugs and immunostimulating agents are used.

Intoxication of internal organs

Antibiotics negatively affect the functioning of many organs. This occurs both due to the toxic properties of the drug itself and due to poisoning of the body by particles of destroyed bacterial cells. The liver and kidneys suffer the most after a course of antibacterial therapy. Violation of their work is manifested by the following symptoms:

• pain in the lumbar region;
• thirst;
• change in the amount of urine up or down;
• a blood test shows elevated levels of urea and creatinine;
• fever;
• jaundice;
• weakness and loss of appetite;
• dark-colored urine, colorless feces.

Some antibacterial drugs have a particularly negative effect on the functioning of the nervous system. After taking them, you may feel sick and dizzy, and sleep disturbances may occur. The most serious consequences are damage to the nerves: auditory, visual, vestibular apparatus.

What should you do after taking antibiotics?

After completing the course of antibiotic treatment, it is necessary to restore the intestinal microflora. This will not only eliminate discomfort, but will also normalize vitamin metabolism and the state of the immune system. To do this, you should take probiotics - biological supplements containing beneficial microorganisms (bifidobacteria and lactobacilli). Examples of such drugs are Linex, Bifiform, Acipol, Hilak-Forte.

In order for the beneficial bacteria from probiotics to colonize the intestines, it is necessary to adjust the diet. Every day you should eat foods rich in fiber, fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as dairy products. Probiotics can be taken for a long time and will not harm the body. It is more effective to use them after completing a course of antibacterial therapy for several weeks. Some drugs contain beneficial bacteria that are not affected by the antibiotic. They can be taken during the main treatment, for example, when it is long-term or there are already problems with the digestive system.

Taking antibiotics, the consequences of which can be very unpleasant for the body, should be supervised by a specialist. Then the harm of this category of drugs will be minimal.

Antibacterial drugs are used in modern medicine to treat a huge number of diseases. And it often happens that patients take them without a doctor’s prescription. But still, taking these drugs in such a way can have a significant impact on the human body if you do not follow the rules of administration and dosage. And the question of whether the cycle goes wrong after antibiotics worries many women.

What drugs are considered antibiotics?

Antibiotics include all medications that suppress pathogenic microorganisms in the human body. But they often also affect normal microflora, so some doctors believe that using antibiotics can do more harm than good. At the same time, the discovery of these medications saved a huge number of lives at one time.

Taking antibiotics can cause the following side effects:

• allergy,
• imbalance of microflora,
• malfunctions of the digestive system.

But if they affect such a significant part of the body, then could they be the reason that the cycle is disrupted after administration?

Menstrual cycle after taking antibiotics

When treating a disease with antibiotics, the cycle may be disrupted, but drugs are not most often the cause of this phenomenon.

• The disease itself, which is treated with these medications, may well cause the cycle to go wrong. Microorganisms that cause the disease also cause inflammatory processes or the formation of pus. If all this happens in the reproductive system or somehow affects it, then most often the cycle gets disrupted after all these processes, and not from taking the medicine.
• After surgery, the doctor may prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection from entering the body, which is very weakened during this period of time. Also, the cycle may be disrupted due to excessive anxiety before a complex operation.
• Stress, triggered by an upcoming operation, preparation for some kind of study, or simply caused by the fact that a woman is sick, can cause hormonal imbalance and the disruption of the menstrual cycle.

• Pregnancy, which causes disruption of the menstrual cycle, may occur due to the fact that the effectiveness of oral hormonal contraceptives decreases while taking antibiotics.

Duration of the menstrual cycle while taking antibiotics

A doctor who prescribes antibiotics to a woman usually warns that taking them often disrupts the menstrual cycle. The fact is that the use of this group of drugs also kills beneficial microflora in the body, including in the vagina. And although this organ of the reproductive system does not directly affect the menstrual cycle, there may still be an indirect effect. The close relationship of the organs of the reproductive system leads to the fact that an imbalance in the vaginal microflora then leads to malfunctions of the ovaries. Sometimes this is the reason for later maturation of the egg.

Also, a delay in menstruation may occur because these medications affect the functioning of the central nervous system. Strong drugs are quite capable of slowing down the functioning of this system, which will directly affect the functioning of the pituitary gland, which is responsible for the production of hormones.

Then other organs responsible for the production of hormones are included in this chain, and the lack of estrogen and progesterone leads to slower maturation of the egg and endometrium.

Sometimes it happens that after taking antibiotics, menstruation occurs earlier than it should. But, most likely, this is not caused by the drugs, but by the inflammatory processes that they are designed to cure.

Is it necessary to take antibiotics during menstruation?

Having learned whether the menstrual cycle is disrupted after antibiotics, many women may think about the advisability of such treatment. That is why it is not recommended to start treatment with this group of drugs without consulting a doctor. A specialist is able to assess all the risks and understand what is more dangerous for a woman’s body – disruption of the menstrual cycle after taking medications or the spread of infection.

When inflammatory processes affect the organs of the reproductive system, it is most often worth starting treatment with antibiotics without waiting for the end of menstruation. During this period, the body is cleansed not only of the endometrium that is no longer needed, but also of other elements. Therefore, along with menstruation, microorganisms killed by the pills may well be removed.

The question of using these medications during menstruation becomes more acute if the doctor has prescribed treatment with local medications - suppositories, creams or solutions. In this case, it makes sense to wait out menstruation and then start therapy. The fact is that rejected secretions can significantly interfere with the full absorption of the active substance, and this will make the treatment less effective. At the same time, a small dose of the active substance, which does enter the body, can provoke antibiotic resistance, and as a result, the disease becomes chronic.

But there is also a small benefit from taking this type of medication during menstruation. The fact is that they usually have a slight analgesic effect. This effect is small, but it is enough to reduce or relieve pain symptoms that often occur in women.

How does the nature of menstruation change after antibiotics?

Taking drugs from this group can cause not only a disruption in the cycle, but also a change in the nature of the discharge. The effect of medications on this is also indirect, through stress and the influence of the disease itself on the reproductive system.

Therefore, there is no direct dependence on what antibiotics were prescribed and what menstruation began after that. When treating inflammatory processes in the reproductive system, the next menstruation may become even closer to normal than before.

But still, taking these medications can cause the appearance of clots in the discharge, an increase or decrease in the volume and other abnormalities in the cycle.

Don't worry if your next period after taking medication turns brown. This is due to increased blood clotting caused by antibiotics. At the same time, the consistency of the discharge should also increase. Denser and thicker blood stays in the body longer and has time to oxidize during this time, which is why menstruation takes on this hue. But if in the next cycle the discharge continues to look like this or begins to get confused, then you should consult a doctor.

Scanty periods appear not because of treatment, but because of an infection in the body or due to severe stress. Simply, under the influence of these factors, the endometrium does not develop enough.

How to minimize the consequences?

You can reduce all the negative effects of taking antibiotics if you follow the following recommendations.

• Take vitamin complexes that will help activate the immune system and contribute to the speedy recovery of the body after illness.
• Strictly follow the treatment regimen prescribed by the doctor. You should not end therapy earlier if the main symptoms have already disappeared, because this can provoke a relapse of the disease and the emergence of resistance to the prescribed medication. But it is also not recommended to continue taking medications after completing the course of treatment.
• If your menstrual cycle is delayed by more than a couple of days, you should inform your doctor. If excessively intense periods appear during treatment, you should call an ambulance.
• To return the microflora to a normal state, it is necessary to take probiotics and prebiotics, which are prescribed by the doctor. It’s better to start doing this before your periods start to slip. After all, sometimes you can completely avoid problems with the menstrual cycle.
• To prevent unwanted pregnancy, take additional precautions and do a test after finishing treatment.

Menstruation that begins after antibiotic treatment is unlikely to be completely normal. But medications are not always the reason why the cycle goes wrong. Therefore, if in doubt, it is better to contact a gynecologist and undergo all the necessary diagnostics. It is especially important to visit a doctor if there are other unclear symptoms, because they may indicate some hidden disease.

Good day, dears! I'll tell you one story. My friend’s daughter became very ill with pneumonia. The doctor convinced her to put the girl in the hospital and insisted on treatment with antibiotics. My friend - not at all. She says that too many complications arise after antibiotics, and she remembers how difficult it was for her to get her intimate area in order. And if the child has this, what if there is infertility? They barely convinced her.

And I understand that many women are afraid of such complications, but now they often have to be treated with antibiotics. This case prompted me in today’s article to analyze why thrush occurs while taking antibiotics, how it can be effectively dealt with or avoided altogether. Let's get started!

Friends, read the article further, there will be a lot of interesting things in it! And anyone who wants to: restore their health, get rid of chronic ailments, start eating properly and much more, starting from today, go to this and get FREE video lessons from which you will learn:

• The cause of infertility in modern married couples.
• How to feed a child?
• How does a piece of meat become our flesh?
• Why do you need protein?
• Causes of cancer cells.
• Why is cholesterol necessary?
• Causes of sclerosis.
• Is there an ideal protein for humans?
• Is vegetarianism acceptable?

How are antibiotics and fungus related?

You probably know how they have long said about antibiotics: “They cure one thing, they cripple another.”

Why? Antibiotics destroy microbes and inhibit their development and growth. Basically, of course, these are pathogenic microorganisms, but our beneficial microflora also comes under attack (saprophyte bacteria, bifidobacteria, lactobacilli are destroyed). Dysbacteriosis develops - a violation of the natural bacterial balance, and immunity decreases.

First of all, this affects the intestines and genitourinary area. And in humans there are always small quantities of pathogenic bacteria and viruses. For the time being, they are inactive, they are held back by the immune system. But as soon as it weakens, the almost unhindered development of all kinds of intestinal infections begins, and “colds” (herpes virus) appear. AND .

No, of course, this is not a 100% guarantee that if you take antibiotics, you will get candidiasis. There are factors that increase your chances of developing thrush.

What predisposes to the development of candidiasis

1. Independence. Seriously, sometimes it's bad. Just take it, choose your own medicine on the advice of your grandmother-neighbor (or look it up on the Internet, even better). This is fraught not only with dysbacteriosis and thrush, but there is every chance that you are treating with the wrong thing and the disease will only progress. Therefore, treatment must be prescribed by a specialist.
2. Lack of control. You may have purchased a lower quality analogue, or you are taking antibiotics without a prescription. Let's say you are told to take medicine three times a day, half an hour before meals. Do you remember that last time similar drugs could be taken regardless of meals. This scheme is simpler, so you do it this time too. Or it is recommended to drink it with water. But why, if it also goes well with tea? Or even with coffee. Or do you think that the faster you drink the entire course, the faster the disease will go away. What absolutely cannot be done. All these manipulations with the antibiotic regimen do not act as gently on the body as we would like.
   
3. Failure to follow recommendations. Many diseases are treated comprehensively. That is, taking antibiotics must be combined with appropriate treatment, and a special hygienic regimen is prescribed, such as temporary abstinence from sexual intercourse. At the same time, the doctor prescribed an antifungal drug, prebiotics, and immunostimulants. Many people neglect this, believing that the essence of treatment is antibiotics, and everything else resembles siphoning off money. And nutrition – who cares about it anyway? You can follow a diet for a couple of days until you get tired of it, why take longer? And then what happens is that the thrush started.
4. Poor hygiene. Insufficient or excessive. You can be careless about such banal hygienic rules as, for example, changing your underwear daily, washing (and for women in the right direction, from front to back, and not vice versa), changing pads every 2 hours. Or, on the contrary, wash yourself too hard and often, use harsh soaps, thereby drying out the vaginal mucosa. And if you add the depletion of beneficial microflora after antibiotics, then these are excellent conditions for fungus.
5. Poor nutrition. This is an abundance of sweets, flour products, fast carbohydrates and a lack of strict diets with protein deficiency.
6. Fashion. Frequent wearing of synthetic underwear, skinny trousers, leggings, short skirts and waist-length jackets in winter, which cause hypothermia, all provoke fungus.
7. Bad habits. Cigarettes and alcohol are the best friends of poor immunity.
   
8. Chronic diseases. Candidiasis occurs more quickly if there are endocrine disorders, hypothyroidism, malfunction of the ovaries, even during pregnancy). Or diseases of the digestive and urinary organs.
9. The fungus really loves overweight people. Metabolic processes are disrupted, immunity is weakened. Perfect.
10. Stress. Any stressful situations, force majeure, overexertion also reduce the protective abilities of our body. It happens that you’ve almost finished the entire course of antibiotics and everything is fine. And then I stayed at work late, and thrush appeared.

How to be treated with antibiotics correctly to avoid such complications

• Follow doctor's instructions exactly. What, how, when, how many times - everything is important. And do not neglect the recommended antifungal drugs (suppositories, tablets, etc.), immunostimulants.
• To eat well. It is worth replacing all kinds of sweets with fruits and vegetables, be sure to consume milk and dairy products, and protein foods.
• Wear natural underwear, skirts, and loose trousers.
• Maintain a hygienic regime. Washing should be done twice a day, and it is better to use special intimate hygiene products.
• Get enough sleep, try not to overwork, try to remain calm and have a peaceful frame of mind. Walking in the fresh air, gymnastics, and spiritual practices will help you with this.
• Take vitamin and mineral complexes.

However, what to do if thrush has already appeared? How to treat?

In addition to taking antifungal medications, your doctor may prescribe prebiotics (drugs that contain bifidobacteria and lactobacilli).

If candidiasis appears in a rather aggressive form, then injections of vitamin preparations and antifungal medications for oral administration may be prescribed.

And douching with herbal decoctions (chamomile, calendula, oak bark, buckthorn), and a soda solution (1 tbsp per 1 liter of water) helps a lot.

Do not forget that the best protection against all diseases is love for yourself and others.

Antibiotics are highly effective drugs that help cope with the most complex and dangerous bacterial infections. Antimicrobial drugs can quickly eliminate bacterial inflammation and reduce the risk of complications.

However, taking potent medications is almost always accompanied by side effects of varying severity. Some of them disappear after discontinuation of the drug, while others require thorough treatment.

Such negative phenomena occur due to the diverse toxic effects of drugs on the body. The degree of severity and reversibility directly depends on both the patient’s health status and the characteristics of the pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics of the drug itself. Antimicrobial agents are divided into several groups, some of which are less dangerous in terms of side effects, while others often cause various complications from treatment. Most often develop:

• Dyspepsia and intestinal dysbiosis are various digestive disorders associated with the negative effect of drugs on internal organs and intestinal microflora (for example, constipation or diarrhea after antibiotics, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, etc.).
• Disorders of nervous activity due to the toxic effects of the drug on the central nervous system.
• Allergic reactions are a natural result of increased sensitivity to the components of the drug. Severity ranges from minor skin rashes to life-threatening anaphylactic shock.
• Superinfection is a rarer phenomenon caused by a change in the balance of natural microflora and decreased immunity.
• Thrush – develops as a result of increased proliferation of fungi of the genus Candida.

Is it possible to prevent or reduce the harmful effects of ABP?

Yes, if you strictly follow the rules and regimen for taking medications, do not self-medicate, and additionally take vitamin complexes and probiotics. As a rule, these simple measures speed up recovery and protect the body from the negative effects of medications.

Possible consequences of taking antibiotics

They are very diverse, and sometimes even an experienced doctor is not able to predict how the patient’s body will react to a particular medicine. As a rule, generally healthy people who rarely get sick and have a strong immune system are much less likely to complain of side effects.

If the defenses are weakened, especially by frequent use of antibiotics, the reaction can be very strong. Children whose immune systems are not yet fully developed, elderly people, and those with a history of chronic diseases are also at risk. What consequences can antibiotic therapy lead to?

Stomatitis after antibiotics

This disease is an inflammation of the mucous membranes of the oral cavity with the development of redness, swelling and the appearance of ulcers. Antibacterial agents, especially those taken for a long time, change the composition of the natural microflora in the mouth and negatively affect the state of the immune system. As a result, the mucous membrane becomes very vulnerable to pathogenic microorganisms: fungi, viruses and bacteria, without encountering obstacles, begin to actively multiply, causing inflammation and ulceration, especially often in young children.

The disease is accompanied by severe pain during talking or eating, itching and burning, and, less commonly, fever.

This condition requires immediate treatment in the form of fungicidal, antibacterial or antiviral agents, as well as symptomatic therapy to reduce swelling and pain. Only the attending physician can choose the right medications, and self-medication in this case will only worsen the condition.

The appearance of plaque on the tongue

As you know, the condition of this organ often allows one to judge about any disorders in the body. Normally it is pink, moist, without cracks, but pathological processes can cause the following changes:

• A white coating on the tongue after taking antibiotics indicates an imbalance in the natural microflora and the proliferation of a fungus of the genus Candida. Candidiasis of the oral cavity is accompanied by itching, burning, and when trying to remove whitish deposits mechanically, the mucous membrane bleeds. Treatment in this case is carried out using fungicidal drugs taken orally (medicines based on them), vitamins and treating the mouth with antiseptics.
• A brown tongue after taking antibiotics indicates dysfunction of the liver or digestive system as a whole. Plaque of this color is a consequence of hepatitis, cholecystitis, peptic ulcer, colitis and dysbacteriosis. Advanced candidiasis can also cause darkening. Treatment is prescribed in accordance with tests and medical examination results.
• A red tongue from taking antibiotics, especially if the redness is localized at the edges and in the center, is a sign of an allergic reaction. In this case, it is often accompanied by other characteristic external manifestations (skin rash, swelling, itching). It can be eliminated by stopping the drug or replacing it with a less toxic one.

Any change in the color of the tongue or the appearance of plaque on it is a reason to consult a doctor.

Only a specialist can reliably determine the cause of the phenomenon and prescribe appropriate therapy.

Superinfection

This term refers to the increase in the number of resistant pathogens during antibiotic therapy for another infection. Superinfection after antibiotics is a fairly common occurrence, since the drug used destroys microorganisms indiscriminately, disturbing the balance of microflora. As a result, some groups of pathogens, resistant to the medicine used and no longer restrained by beneficial bacteria-symbionts, begin to actively multiply - in this case, endogenous superinfection occurs (such as candidiasis).

If an organism weakened by antibiotic therapy is attacked from the outside, we are talking about an exogenous superinfection, which is usually called a complication. Treatment is carried out in accordance with the results of bacterial culture using antimicrobial agents appropriate to the diagnosis.

Hair loss after antibiotics

It should be borne in mind that antimicrobial drugs do not directly affect the condition of the hair. However, cases of alopecia during or after antibiotic therapy are sometimes recorded, which allows us to judge the presence of an indirect connection.

Indirect causes of hair loss can be:

• general stressful state of the body during illness, which is typical not only for bacterial infections;
• dysbacteriosis and associated vitamin deficiency and decreased immunity, as a result of which the hair follicles do not receive sufficient nutrition and die;
• impaired absorption of vitamins and minerals in the intestines due to dysbiosis;
• superinfection (for example, fungal) that affects the scalp in women, men and children.

Maintenance therapy during antibiotic treatment will help prevent baldness. It is recommended to take vitamin complexes, since dysbiosis leads to a deficiency of B-group vitamins synthesized in the intestines, as well as pre- and probiotics.

Bowel disorders: what to do if you have constipation after antibiotics

One of the most common side effects of taking ABP is antibiotic-associated diarrhea. In severe cases, severe diarrhea may develop up to 10-15 times a day.

Constipation may also occur. It goes away quickly with an appropriate diet and probiotics, but if bowel movements are still difficult 5-7 days after treatment, serious complications from taking antibiotics are likely. This condition requires contacting a doctor to diagnose the cause and take appropriate measures. Proper nutrition will help to avoid digestive problems and prevent constipation both during and after treatment for ALD.

The diet should consist mainly of vegetables, fruits, fermented milk products, and lean meat. “Heavy” fried, salty and spicy foods, as well as sources of fast carbohydrates should be eliminated for a while. In addition, drinking plenty of fluids and taking probiotics are mandatory.

Discharge after antibiotics in women

Representatives of the fair sex often complain about the appearance of various discharges after antibiotic therapy. This phenomenon is caused by dysbiosis, which affects not only the intestines, but also the vagina, where there is its own natural microflora. Most often, broad-spectrum antimicrobial agents provoke candidiasis, accompanied by discomfort in the genital area and a characteristic cheesy white discharge. In this case, the gynecologist prescribes oral medications such as Fluconazole ® or suppositories (tablets) for topical use.

Less commonly, other pathogens may become active. The development of colpitis, ureaplasmosis and other vaginitis is likely. If, after taking antimicrobial drugs, any pathological discharge of an unusual color appears (normally they are transparent), with or without an unpleasant odor, as well as itching, burning and pain, you should immediately contact a gynecologist. The doctor will prescribe a bacteriological examination and appropriate treatment.

Other consequences

Other side effects of antibiotics may occur as a response from different body systems. Patients often complain of headaches, sleep problems, nervousness, and depression, which is associated with the negative effects of drugs on the nervous system. Particularly dangerous are ototoxic ABPs (aminoglycosides, for example), which negatively affect the vestibular drug and auditory nerves.

Allergic reactions of varying severity often occur, especially with self-medication or inattentiveness of the doctor. We must not forget about the teratogenic effect of some antibiotics on the fetus, which requires a particularly careful approach to the treatment of bacterial infections in pregnant women. When using fluoroquinolones, damage to connective tissue (tendons) is likely, which also needs to be taken into account when prescribing. Sometimes renal and hepatic dysfunction also develop due to the increased load on these organs during therapy.

If antibiotics don't help

It happens that antimicrobial drugs are powerless against infection. With what it can be connected? There are several probable reasons, and each of them requires separate consideration:

• – immunity of the pathogen to the drug. It is associated both with the incorrect selection of medication and with the formation of addiction. That is, with frequent use of the same drug, pathogens become resistant. To cure such an infection, you will need to do a bacterial culture to identify the specific strain.
• Self-medication is the most common reason, since without special education and access to diagnostic tools it is impossible to choose the right medicine. In addition to the lack of therapeutic effect, such “independence” is fraught with superinfections and complications.

Today you cannot do without antibiotic treatment, but you can reduce the risk of their harmful effects on the body. To do this, you need to consult a competent doctor, do not self-medicate, and strictly follow the instructions. A healthy lifestyle and diet during antibiotic therapy are also important. In addition, special preparations of live lacto- and bifidobacteria - probiotics - will help support the body.

Drugs of this pharmaceutical group require a balanced approach to prescription, but there are cases when you cannot do without them. These are bacterial infections that cause an inflammatory process with purulent discharge, tissue damage, and a rise in temperature.

Diseases for which antibiotics are used:

Otitis media,

Streptococcal acute tonsillitis,

Peritonsillitis,

Epiglotitis,

Bacterial sore throat.

Viral diseases are not treated with antibiotics due to the futility of such measures. It should be remembered that antibacterial drugs are prescribed only by a doctor, taking into account side effects and contraindications.

Is it possible to take antibiotics and antivirals at the same time?

It is acceptable to take these drugs at the same time if superinfection occurs. This situation occurs during primary viral infection. The invasion of viruses weakens the immune system, against the background of which pathogenic microflora is activated.

Superinfection occurs during the development of secondary bacterial pneumonia against the background of ARVI, or during HIV infection. When a person is infected, bacterial diseases also become active.

The human body reacts by increasing temperature to infection by viruses and microbes, to the development of tumor processes, etc. The immune system initiates a similar reaction. Before starting antibiotic treatment, the cause of hyperthermia should be determined. Only a doctor can make an accurate diagnosis.

Pain and sore throat, cough, chills are characteristic signs of influenza and ARVI, in 90% of cases caused by viruses, not bacteria. Taking antibiotics for these symptoms is not only useless, but also dangerous - immunity will decrease and beneficial microflora will be destroyed.

If a combination of a viral and bacterial infection is diagnosed, the doctor prescribes antibacterial drugs. Determining this fine line is not easy even for a specialist with a medical education. One of the signs of bacterial infection is hyperthermia, which does not decrease within a week, or temperature fluctuations.

When prescribing an antibiotic, the doctor focuses on clinical symptoms and laboratory results. If the drug is prescribed correctly, after 1.5-2 days the temperature begins to decrease. The lack of positive dynamics indicates that the antibiotic was prescribed incorrectly and needs to be replaced. If the course of treatment is completed too early, the disease may become chronic or relapse.

Is it possible to cure a sore throat without antibiotics?

Treatment of bacterial tonsillitis, which is diagnosed in 90% of cases of this disease, must be carried out with the use of antibacterial drugs. It is caused by the pathogenic bacterium beta-hemolytic streptococcus group A. Symptoms of bacterial tonsillitis: severe pain when swallowing saliva and food, purulent deposits on the tonsils.

Complications of sore throat when refusing antibiotics:

Peritonsillar abscess is a formation filled with pus that causes high fever and severe pain in the throat.

Acute rheumatic fever - affects the brain, heart, bone and joint apparatus.

Acute glomerulonephritis is a disorder of urinary function due to an inflammatory process in the glomeruli of the kidneys.

The frequency of taking these drugs is not regulated. If, during an illness, while taking antibacterial drugs, the symptoms of the disease do not disappear, there may be an incorrect diagnosis. Here it is already necessary to re-use antibiotics, and clarify the diagnosis by conducting laboratory tests.

The type of bacteria that led to re-infection and their sensitivity to antibiotics is determined by culture of physiological body fluids (urine, feces, sputum, scraping of the mucous membrane). If the disease is viral in nature, even frequent use of antibacterial agents will not give any result.

3 consequences of frequent use of antibiotics:

It is important to know that frequent use of drugs in this group will lead to addiction, and in a serious situation they will not affect the causative agent of the disease.

With frequent use, allergization of the body increases.

Antibacterial agents cannot differentiate “bad” bacteria from “good” ones, and act with equal intensity on pathogenic and beneficial microflora. Therefore, dysbiosis becomes a frequent companion of patients who abuse antibiotics. Diarrhea, bloating, and unstable stools often occur as a result of frequent use of such drugs.

After what period of time can you take antibiotics again?

You don’t have to make any gaps between courses at all, if necessary. The only condition is a mandatory change of drug. If an antibiogram was done at the beginning of the disease, then by the end of the first course of treatment it will already be ready, and the prescription will be justified.

How many times a year can you take antibiotics?

In case of emergency, antibacterial drugs are taken repeatedly, repeating courses of treatment one after another. Naturally, repeated courses of treatment are carried out with various drugs to prevent resistance to bacteria. With frequent courses of treatment, the body needs to be supported by taking vitamin supplements, hepatoprotectors, and probiotics.

How soon can I get tested after antibiotics?

The effectiveness of treatment is monitored 2-5 days after the end of the course of drug therapy. Bacteriological culture of urine for flora will give objective indicators if taken no earlier than 10-14 days after finishing taking antibacterial agents. These drugs have a minimal effect on blood tests - a shift in the leukocyte formula and ROE indicators is possible.

What to drink with antibiotics for microflora?

Normalization of beneficial microflora is carried out by lacto- and bifidobacteria contained in probiotics and prebiotics. These biological products are not taken simultaneously with antibacterial agents, since the active substance of the drug will destroy beneficial bacteria along with the pathogenic flora. They are consumed no earlier than 2 hours later, or the flora is restored after completing a course of antibiotic therapy. It is advisable to take biological products for at least 14 days, ideally up to 30 days. In most cases, the patient’s immunity itself restores the balance of microflora.

10 rules - how to take antibiotics correctly

You should take medications only as prescribed by your doctor. It is important to remember that antibacterial agents are used only in exceptional cases. The main indication for their use is a severe form of bacterial infection that cannot be treated on its own.

Signs of acute bacterial infection:

• Purulent process;

  Persistent and prolonged hyperthermia;

  Changes in the blood count - pronounced leukocytosis, shift to the left in the leukocyte count, increased ROE;

  Deterioration of the patient's condition after a temporary improvement in health.

Viral infection with ARVI, influenza, and intestinal disorders is not treated with antibiotics.

It is necessary to record information about previously taken antibiotics. Information about previous courses of treatment with antibacterial drugs, time of administration, diseases, side effects, the presence or absence of allergic manifestations, dosage is very important. Such data is especially valuable for a pediatrician. Using this data, the doctor will be able to more accurately select medications if necessary.

There is no need to insist on prescribing antibiotics when visiting a doctor. It is quite possible that the doctor, playing it safe, will prescribe the drug at the patient’s request. It is possible that such a measure will speed up recovery, but will bring negative consequences. It’s also not worth replacing medications on your own with more “effective and powerful” ones. They may have a different composition and dosage.

Before choosing an antibiotic, you need to undergo a bacterial culture test. Determining the causative agent of the disease by bacterial culture to determine sensitivity to antibiotics will allow you to accurately select the drug. The only negative is that the study takes from 2 to 7 days.

Strict adherence to the frequency and time of taking the medication is required. To maintain a constant concentration of the active substance in the patient’s blood, the frequency and time intervals between doses of the antibiotic must be observed. Taking the drug three times does not mean that it is taken during breakfast, lunch and dinner. This condition means an 8-hour period of time between taking the medicine. Two-time dose – 12-hour period.

The length of time you take antibiotics is determined by your doctor. On average, this period is 5-7 days, in some cases it reaches 10-14 days. Long-acting antibacterial drugs (Sumamed, Hemomycin, Azithromycin, Ecomed, Azitrox, Azicide, Zi-factor) are taken once a day for 3-5 days. In some cases, the following regimen is used: 3 days of taking the drug with 3 days off, 3 times.

The course of treatment cannot be interrupted. Even if the patient feels a persistent improvement in his condition, the medication cannot be interrupted. The course of treatment is extended for 2-3 days after recovery. And, conversely, if the effect of taking the drug is not felt within 3 days, then the causative agent of the disease is not sensitive to this antibiotic and it should be replaced.

You cannot independently change the dosage prescribed by your doctor. Too small a dose causes bacterial resistance, too much leads to an overdose and side effects.

Taking antibiotics depends on the timing of meals. Instructions for the use of antibacterial drugs clearly define their dependence on the time of food intake:




• While eating;

  1-1.5 hours after a meal or an hour before a meal;

  Take the medicine only with clean still water;

  Most antibiotics should not be taken with tea, coffee, fruit or vegetable juices, milk or dairy products, although there are exceptions to this rule.

During treatment with antibacterial drugs, be sure to take probiotics. To restore the normal balance of intestinal microflora, probiotics are taken: Linex, Acipol, Narine, Rela Life, Rioflora-Immuno, Gastrofarm. The need for such measures arises because antibiotics destroy beneficial microflora. An additional measure is the consumption of fermented milk products. For the best effect, you should take probiotics in between taking antibacterial drugs or after a course of treatment.

About the doctor: From 2010 to 2016 practicing physician at the therapeutic hospital of the central medical unit No. 21, the city of Elektrostal. Since 2016 he has been working at diagnostic center No. 3.