Antibiotics: Side Effects And Alternatives

With all my recent health problems and possible further causation pointing toward prescription and over-the-counter medication, I decided to post a thread to inform people of the possible and probable dangers of acetominophen (Tylenol and many narcotic painkillers) and ibuprofen (Advil and other NSAIDs) with long term use and/or inadequate dosing procedures. That has also spurred me to start a thread concerning the use of antibiotics.

For me, it all started with a toothache. A small (ulcer-like) pain on my gums followed by rapid swelling of the gums, but not surrounding facial tissue. I should have known by now, since I have dealt with this once before, that I should have worked harder and researched faster before landing myself in a situation that includes a belly full of pills. But, sometimes things are complicated and just can't seem to be dealt with right away as you most certainly would like.

It's a long story of how my symptoms have progressed over the past month and a half or so of me dealing with this problem. Profuse gum swelling, extreme pressure headaches, sudden pupil constriction and dilation, heart palpitations... the list goes on and on. I would rather talk less of my personal health issues here and focus more on the effects of antibiotics on the human body, the population as a whole, and alternatives to antibiotics which may very well be much more effective, providing short term benefits and long term resistance to further infection and various other health complications.



Antibiotic experience and side effects: A personal recollection.

Doxycycline

First off, I'll mention that I've been through 1 and 1/2 rounds of the antibiotic Doxycycline. Starting the second half of the treatment around a week and a half after finishing the first. Now, doxycycline is a strange and quite tedious drug. First of all, you're supposed to take the drug on an empty stomach (roughly 2 hours after eating). While taking it, you aren't supposed to eat (or drink) anything with magnesium or 'aluminum containing antacids' in it in order for the drug to work to it's full potential. Alongside that, you're supposed to watch for food and drink containing calcium, iron, and zinc. So basically, if you want doxycycline to work to it's full potential and do it's job correctly and efficiently, which is very important depending on what sort of infection you're dealing with... just plan on basically not eating at all for a good 4-5 hours when dosing.

I have taken doxycycline in the past with no problems. It is actually less likely to cause AID (Antibiotic Induced Diarrhea, which is very not fun and can become quite dangerous depending on the severity and age of the patient, etc) which I find very interesting, seeing as it's recommended to take it on an empty stomach. Though I believe this can occur on virtually any type of antibiotic even weeks or months after treatment because the word 'Antibiotic' literally translates to 'anti = no; bio = life.' To a certain degree, these drugs cannot differentiate between good bacteria and bad bacteria, especially in terms of gut flora (microbes in the intestines that regulate nutrient and chemical absorption and waste removal).

Shortly after starting the second round of doxycycline treatment, I began having adverse effects which I had not experienced in the past. Doxycycline being one of the few antibiotics that my body can tolerate. The pressure headaches were worsening, I began having a lengthy round of moderately strong heart palpitations, and the swelling under my jaw (a lymphatic node [one of many] if memory serves correct) had not gone down and the lymph nodes directly beneath my ear began to swell substantially. Some of these symptoms may or may not have been caused or exasterbated by the use of Ibuprofen at the time, which I covered in a thread created a few days ago.

Upon beginning my research, one of the first things I thought of to do was to pull out my giant bag of old pill bottles. Initially to figure out which antibiotic is was that caused me severe problems with heart enlargement (which I will discuss further on) to make sure I don't take that again. It was obvious that the doxycycline was not doing it's intended job, To my surprise, I found about 9 empty bottles of doxycycline! This caused me to conclude that my body has now built up a strong resistance to the drug and it's intended effects on battling infection now aren't as strong as initially thought.


Clindamycin

I found that Clindamycin was one antibiotic I had used in the past with minimal side effects and had only taken one round of in the past. I am currently in the process of finishing treatment with the drug and am planning on having dental work done (the more the merrier at this point) in the very near future to hopefully relieve me of these terrible ailments I'm dealing with.

Clindamycin is widely known to have more potential side effects than some other forms of antibiotics. Mainly, the possibility of AID (Antibiotic Induced Diarrhea) which also has the potential to lead to D. Clostridium. A severe deficiency in gut flora which causes distress in the bowels and I believe is classified as a disease. I have not done much research in this department yet, but studies show that eating greek yogurt or taking a probiotic supplement in between doses of antibiotics (timed appropriately so as the antibiotics don't target the probiotics ingested and 'inserted' into the gut) significantly reduces the possible onset of AID and/or D. Clostridium disorder.

More lesser known information on Clindamycin is that it is one of the very few antibiotics that has the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB for short), which may have had an effect in relieving me of the extreme pressure headaches, along with neck and spine pain I was experiencing. On the down side, I may now be showing symptoms of AID during treatment, which could be caused by the somewhat long term use of various antibiotics in close proximity of each other.


Cephalexin (aka Keflex, a sulfur based antibiotic)

A few years ago, I experienced swelling of a lymphatic node located beneath my armpit. At the time, I was unaware of my tolerance to some medication other than what I know of my family history concerning allergic reactions. Upon taking the drug, after roughly 6 doses? I had begun experiencing chest pains and it felt as if my heart was expanding or swelling. I had told a few family members about it and I thought it might be best to see if they dissipate over time. Thinking maybe there was something the antibiotics were attempting to rid my body of. (A stupid, but perhaps somewhat rational idea?) I'm glad I didn't. My grandmother was the one that advised me I should stop taking them. It took a few days for the symptoms to disappear, but I have a feeling that my taking that drug may have caused irreversible damage to my heart.

I believe sulfur/sulfa-based medications are some of the most prone to adverse side effects. I could be wrong. This is something I also haven't done extensive research on. This was back when 'smart phones' were just becoming the next big thing and I tend to do a lot of my research 'on the fly.'


Erythromycin (aka Ery-tabs and various other cute nicknames)
[not to be confused with Eerie, the nickname of a member here in the forums.]

I had taken Erythromycin around the same time as my experience with Cephalexin and also may OR may not have experienced severe adverse side effects because of it. I'm unsure, because at the time I may have also been taking ibuprofen, and on an empty stomach sometimes at that. Shortly after or during my treatment with Erythromycin, I was hospitalized due to gastrointestinal bleeding. While AID and D. Clostridium disorder are somewhat common with the use of antibiotics, GI bleed is uncommon. I'm thinking it may have been a combination between the Erythromycin and possibly taking Advil on an empty stomach.




It is a well known fact in the medical community that between the over-use of antibiotics for various ailments (many times when they aren't needed) and the use of antibiotics in livestock and farm animals (which in turn we ingest), not to mention the flushing of pills and even simple human waste into our water reservoirs has proven the theory of decline in the effectiveness in antibiotic treatment. While antibiotics do in fact kill harmful bacteria, there is always a small portion of bacteria left over after treatment that eventually becomes more and more resistant to these treatments.

Have you ever had any side effects occur from the use of antibiotics? What are your views on antibiotic use?

 

I'll be updating this as I go along with my research and provide links later on for further knowledge on natural supplements and alternatives. If you have anything to add that could be useful, please share!


Alternatives to Antibiotic Treatment: Various natural ways to boost your body's autoimmune response.


Caution: Consult with your doctor or a nutritionist before adding any sort of natural supplementation to your diet. I provide the knowledge to the best of my ability from research I have gathered personally. I am not a professional by any means. Always do your own research before commiting to anything that deals with your health. Even doctors themselves may lack certain knowledge about natural supplements, prescription medication, and the way it may effect your own body.

Most natural foods are best consumed raw (if tolerable) with some exceptions concerning cruciferous vegetables and other various foods. Kale, being one of the cruciferous vegetables (basically meaning leafy greens), is best eaten after being slightly steamed, heated, or sauteed to prevent potential stomach upset and better absorption of the nutrients contained within. Kale also contains a large amount of vitamin A (spinach contains a vast amount as well). It is possible to undergo vitamin A toxicity which can result in health complications in severe cases. While many foods have great potential health benefits, adverse and potentially severe side effects from over-absorption of nutrients can occur. I'm definitely not stating this to scare you away from exploring natural health remedies, but as a warning to be careful and cautious and definitely take things slow as your body becomes aware of these nutrients and eventually, efficiently puts them to use!


Garlic

For hundreds, if not thousands of years, garlic has been known to be one of the most potent allies to promoting general well-being and ridding the body of infection. Allicin, the most potent of many healing attributes associated with the garlic bulb, is created upon crushing or slicing garlic cloves and being exposed to oxygen. While the clove is uncrushed, this nutrient is known as Allin. Allicin is rapidly oxidized when exposed to oxygen and starts to form within 5-14 minutes and also rapidly breaks down and deteriorates after and/or during that length of time.

Garlic can be used orally and even topically/externally for some forms of skin conditions. You can slice a clove in half and place it on an infected tooth to draw out infection, crush and swallow whole cloves (TIMED APPROPRIATELY. One or two cloves per day to start with.) to deal with internal infections, and even create garlic oil to battle many various infections of the ear and skin conditions.

Garlic (and/or allicin and possibly it's other micronutrients) also has the potential to cause apoptosis in reference to streptococcus (strep throat), staphylococcus (staph infection, including antibiotic resistant strains), and even cancer cells! Apoptosis is another way of saying cell death or destruction of cells. When ingested and metabolized, the human body utilizes these micronutrients and targets harmful bacteria and essentially begins to destroy it.

IMPORTANT: It may be helpful to mention that garlic also acts as a blood thinner. While it does have the potential to help battle infection, it would be wise to be wary of this if you're intending on undergoing any sort of surgery or have certain kidney or liver issues. Including those you may not be aware of.

Garlic is also mildly spicy. If used orally for lengthy periods or ingested as minced garlic in water, it can cause irritation and even moderate burns of the gums or other exposed soft tissue. If used for an infected tooth, it's usually best to slice a piece of garlic and place the exposed part of the clove directly on top of the tooth rather than anywhere on the gums. I have not yet found any information related to the placement of raw garlic on various types of fillings. Use with caution.


Yogurt
(Blended yogurt, Greek yogurt, kefir, and probiotics)

Many types of yogurt, kefir, and probiotic supplements restore the balance of microbiotic flora in the gut and digestive tract. The main area where our bodies absorb nutrients, medicines, and even harmful bacteria that can make us sick.

While probiotic supplementation can provide the body with great benefits (especially after the use of antibiotics which tend to destroy good and bad bacteria contained within), too much of a good thing isn't necessarily a good thing.

With overuse of probiotic supplementation, it is theorized that the body may begin to rely on these probiotics. Once that begins to happen, without supplementing probiotics on a regular basis, the body could begin having a hard time utilizing the digestive process on it's own. It is not known if this effect is permanent or the body gradually balances itself over time (as far as I know).

Yogurt and related products containing probiotics could be very beneficial to boosting the body's autoimmune response to harmful bacteria and ridding itself of free radicals. But, as I've stated, too much of a good thing isn't necessarily a good thing. It's recommended for a person to eat only one cup of yogurt per day unless directed otherwise by a knowledgable professional, as it also contains other nutrients in moderate amounts.

Worst case scenario, you'll probably find yourself sitting in the bathroom more than usual.

I like to make waffles and spread greek yogurt over the tops for breakfast sometimes followed by a cup of coffee or pour kefir on top of breakfast cereal. I was drinking kefir by itself for some time, but noticed some stomach upset. I believe the body tends to better absorb it when added to something it can be absorbed with.


Vitamin C

 

I for one believe that antibiotics should be postponed until much later stages in life unless absolutely necessary. That may help to prevent the building up of a resistance to these drugs over time. The elderly are far more susceptible to infectious illness and gain a much greater benefit to the use of these drugs. However, it does seem necessary (to a certain degree) to use antibiotics in livestock and poultry as they too are very susceptible to various illness and disease which in turn may be transferred to us humans upon ingesting infected / diseased animals.

I know what you're thinking. If they were kept in safer, cleaner, more sanitary habitats, then we wouldn't need to inject antibiotics into them. Though, I'm not sure that's entirely true either. It does make a difference, certainly I won't deny that at all. But certain animals do seem to be more prone to sickness and disease regardless of circumstances and/or living conditions. Though that does add to their prone-ness substantially.

I think if antibiotics were limited more to the elderly unless deemed absolutely necessary, they may have a much greater impact when needed. Then again, it's hard to tell when one in fact 'does' need an antibiotic to battle an infection that could be more serious than initially perceived.

 

Most BIG PHARMA stuff is garbage and potentially dangerous.... Finding alternatives is always a good thing!


A good thread you posted here!!!

 

I agree. Wealthcare. But certain pharmaceutical medication does have beneficial purpose. Some claim it's one of the reasons dying age has increased so vastly over the years. (Not sure what the correct term for that is. Dying age and age of death sounds so morose lol.) Along with certain anti-psychotics and anti-depressants. Some people do function much better on a correct medication plan. The real problem is trial and error and doctors' neglecting to keep in touch with their patients to make sure they are in fact working efficiently and not producing adverse side effects for the patient. I also know quite a few people that 'claim' they feel better on a seemingly random cocktail of prescription drugs... but that's only after they've experienced so many adverse effects of drugs they were previously prescribed. Sometimes those effects last the rest of their lives! Or at least it seems so to me. I don't see their mental issues/habits changing over time. That all traces back to their physician's awareness and pharmaceutical spectrum.

But back to antibiotics! To a certain degree (considering the state of being the world and it's inhabitants are in, including pollution, disease, etc etc etc) antibiotics are needed for certain illnesses, parasites, growths. While it is convenient and puts our minds at ease that we may simply be prescribed antibiotics for our young ones to quickly and easily rid them of certain ailments, pharmaceutical companies (in response to greed imo [beyond simply 'maintaining' from a business standpoint]) have resorted to tactics that deal with propaganda, pushy advertisement, and the release of potent pharmaceutical 'medication' before being properly and adequately tested. Making us the proverbial guinea pigs. Not to mention over-medication of the populace, which further enforces my view of their shallow greedy ways.

I'm trying to stay unbiased, but it's blatantly obvious what's going on just beyond the horizon of the medical community. Now that I've re-instated my point... Over-medication.

Antibiotics aren't like other drugs. To a certain degree they are I suppose... but overuse of antibiotics rapidly builds a resistance to the drugs. Even so far as to pass that same resistance down through a family's bloodline generation to generation. Sort of a 'global' resistance. Over time they become less and less effective and the ability we have to combat certain illnesses decreases each time we use them.

I'm all for using more natural methods to fight infectious disease. The right way. And limiting antibiotic use to those who have no other option or if deemed effective with the more elderly population. But it seems that 'big pharma' doesn't see it that way, for obvious (and less obvious) reasons.

 

exactly , you said it right, and thanks for sharing

antibiotics not only destroy the harmful bacteria but also the benefitial.
That is why you get diarrhea afterwards.
millions of benefitial bacteria that make up your imune system and are located in your intestines are destroyed simply by 1 course of antibiotics. Now, they surely will repopulate . But it takes approximately 1 year until your good/bad bacteria balance settles. This is something no doctor is telling his patient. But they prescribe it like candies. My friend has got an insect bite lately and was prescribed antibiotics imediately. Now he got diarrhea and a distented gut. He never knew that this is because of the antibiotics.

Apart from that there is another problem : The bacteria get resistent to whatever type of antibiotics they come in touch with. Even once. Doctors , never ask their patients whether they had taken that certain type of anibiotics before in their lifetime. If you take the same antibiotics a 2nd time, it will not work.
Having said that, some studies and experts claim that 1 (ONE) single course of antibiotics in your whole life is enough to throw your good/bad bacteria-ratio out of balance.