Erythromycin is the work of the devil! Advice please!

[JammyDodgersandPeas]

I'm on dose 2 of a week's worth of erythromycin to treat a chest infection and I feel utterly vile. The nausea on top of a very rattly chest is seriously not fun. I'm going to ring the GP in the morning to see if I can get an alternative but do I need to take the next two doses tonight and in the morning?

Don't want to contribute to antibiotic resistance but I feel more ill than I did before!

No real advice. But I always think that I must be really I’ll if I do not mind the medicine - conversely, when I start to hate the taste etc of the antibiotics, they must be working and I’m on the mend.

get well soon

This happened to me, had them prescribed to treat post covid pnemonia. I was also breastfeeding a newborn at the time with associated sleep deprivation. I thought I was going to bloody die!

I persisted with the erythromycin, are with every dose and drank A LOT of water, which significantly improved the side effects. They did shift the covid/pneumonia symptoms so worth it if you can hang on. Vile though, you have my sympathy on all fronts.

Thanks @Alphabet1spaghetti2 - I remember that feeling with the taste of liquid antibiotics as a kid when I had an ear infection!

Sympathies, I can’t take erythromycin even with anti sickness drugs, my body literally ejects every dose. Clarithromycin is fine for me though and I think better tolerated generally so you could ask to swap for that?

That really does sound horrific @PineappleBrazilNutsandMaccasFries ,just what you need with a newborn! I've been trying to eat as much as I can, but I think I could probably drink more, I'll try that. Thanks

Sorry it was so bad for you @RunRaggedRightNow@RunRaggedRightNow

@JammyDodgersandPeas hopefully it will help. I think I tried drinking loads after googling in desperation and reading an old MN thread. They are awful but I just had to keep going with them as had been ill for about 4 months at that point 😵‍💫

I hate it & can't tolerate it. I had it prescribed once for a chest infection and was constantly sick, knocked out & lost loads of weight. Freinds were shocked. Never again, sympathies OP.

Stupid clumsy fingers! Sorry it was so bad for you @RunRaggedRightNow

Thanks for the advice, I'll ask the GP about clarithromycin tomorrow

Erythromycin is how I lost the last half stone when I was super fit in my 20's but couldn't shift the last bit of weight

You have my sympathies xx

You'll be better off to take it on an empty stomach with a good amount of water straight away. Keep with it.

I managed two doses before spending the entireeeee night vomiting violently. I will never forget it and will never take it again. I think if it's not agreeing with you stop now!

I could do with losing a bit of weight @Iizzyb but I'm not sure this is the way I'd want to do it!

Appreciate all the advice, thanks vipers!

it always gives me massive mouth ulcers after a couple of days taking it, horrible stuff. I’m allergic to one type of penicillin so always seem to end up with erythromycin, horrible stuff and it takes weeks to get rid of the ulcers after I stop taking it.

Never again, hideous chest infection then the added glory of vomiting non stop for 11hrs. It was beyond awful. I thought I was going to need an ambulance.

DH rang the GP in the morning and complained and he never does that. I thought I was going to die.

I just couldn’t stop vomiting. Awful stuff. The GP told me not to take another and I said I’d take my chances with the chest infection.

Im allergic to it, did something to my central nervous system and I didn't sleep for days, and had terrible racing heart. I would stop taking it and ask the GP for something else.

No advice but you have my sympathies. I've just completed a week's course of doxycycline for a stubborn chest infection and like you, I felt worse on it and still feel miserable.

If you're still feeling really bad, would it be doable to have an interim check at GP to at least reassure you that it's doing what it's supposed to.

I took it for a dental infection. It was almost worse then the toothache. Terrible stomach pain and weird waves of nausea, almost like severe hunger pangs. I stuck it out but was advised to reduce my dose. So 3 a day instead of 4 over a longer time frame.

Probiotics help.
I had pneumonia a few years ago and, whilst vile, it did clear it (after other antibiotics didn't). Try eating/not eating/water etc. And definitely get probiotics as it helps with the side effects.

Is there a reason they gave you that one first?

My DD had to take it and it made her vomit so much that she ended up being admitted to hospital with dehydration. They did suggest clarithromycin as an alternative but I think tha can have the same side effects.

Take it with milk.

I'm also allergic to it. Made my face swell up and my eyes would barely open properly 😒 Now I just take amoxycillin for everything mostly!

Clarithromycin is the alternative but more expensive.

I had bad nausea, upset stomach, etc. I was so bad I had to go to A &E. They have me anti vomiting stuff intravenously then once settled, tablets. Perhaps ask for this? I also find eating something heavy like porridge beforehand helps a bit.
am on Amoxicillin and Clarithromycin. I react same way to erythromycin. Often makes me worse the first three days