Co-amoxiclav - increase in anxiety?

[Freyer]

Hi, my DD9 was prescribed Co-amoxiclav for 5ml x 3 times a day for 5 days following an injury. She was fine whilst taking it (Saturday - Wednesday). I didn’t realise day 5 was the Wednesday, so I gave her another 5ml twice on the Thursday (which would’ve been day 6).

Not long after the second dose in day 6, she said she felt a bit sick (didnt connect this at the time to the antibiotics, as she was eating a dinner she wasn’t overly fond of, so assumed it was that). 2 days later, she had a nightmare and then spiralled into a horrible anxiety all day Sunday and Monday. She is still very anxious today, but not as bad. She was just sobbing, panicky, and just very, very anxious.

Ive spoken with a GP today who has referred her for CBT, but I forgot to mention the course of antibiotics (these were given by the hospital, not the GP).

My daughter is also coeliac and I know this medication is a very, very strong antibiotic, so it has likely stripped her stomach of all its goodness.

Has anyone any knowledge or experience of anxiety being exacerbated by this medication? If so, how long did it take for the anxiety to subside?

Side effects can happen with any medication

I didn’t have any side effects.
does she have a MH history?

best also speak with the DR as there are other medications she can try.

Hi @shalamakooky she did have a tiny bit of anxiety before (just generic childhood anxiety but one that didnt bother her / impact her daily life). This anxiety since stopping the medication has been terrible - full blown anxiety, unable to eat, physically shaking, headaches etc. We had a virtual doctor appointment yesterday, and my poor DD was in tears throughout it. It wasn’t until later on in the evening that I remembered she had just finished the antibiotics and wondered if that had caused these issues. Also, being coeliac, her tummy is very delicate anyway. I’ve tried to call the GP again today to check if there would be a contraindication with anxiety on this medication, but with no luck as they are fully booked.

I’ve been a children’s nurse for years and have never known this side effect and it’s not listed as one in the BNF. We use this antibiotic all the time. Like, all the time. Are you sure there’s not something going on at school or with friends? Or something triggering related to her injury?

Could it be the injury and infection and going to hospital which has causes the anxiety?

I don’t known anything about anxiety but DS has been on this antibiotic in the past week and it has upset his digestive system terribly. Symptoms eased within a day of finishing it.

@TimSamandLulu ah yes, see my daughter is coeliac and I wondered if the gut disruption from the antibiotic could have indirectly affected her mindset.

@Sunnyglowdays she was actually bitten by a dog that came running across at her - a random dog that she had never encountered and it nipped her hand. I have spoken with a MH nurse friend who also suggested the trauma of that could be part of this anxiety. She loves school and was crying on Monday that she just wanted to go back so that it would take her mind off of the anxiety.

@WtafIsThat yes, I have a doctor friend who advised that the antibiotics wouldn’t cause anxiety but may have exacerbated the anxiety that she already had, and, alongside this recent trauma she experienced, things came to a head with it all.

She does seem better yesterday and today, thankfully. She had this irrational fear that if she couldn’t see me, then I would die. It’s so scary to see her affected like this.

Antibiotics can indeed induce anxiety in some people and there are a couple of threads on here about it causing anxiety for adults , I don’t know how common it is but I have had acute onset anxiety in the past from taking doxycycline. I would imagine it would be underreported in children if they are too young to articulate what is happening. I have linked an article below.

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35819136/

I’ve also found this on drugs.com about co-amoxiclav where anxiety was mentioned by 7.7% of users

https://www.drugs.com/comments/amoxicillin-clavulanate/sfx-anxiety.html#:~:text=Anxiety%3A%20mentioned%20by%2070%20users,most%20commonly%20mentioned%20side%20effects.

I took this in January this year and experienced such intense anxiety I had to stop taking it. It could be the ABs, the illness/injury and a lack of good gut bacteria contributing.

It passed but it was absolutely awful at the time!

I was told by a clinical pyschologist ‘normal’ to feel anxious and distressed for up to 6 weeks after a trauma and only if the anxiety continues after this would be some thing which needs treatment.

Thanks everyone. @Healthanxietyisshit yes it totally is awful! She has had another much better day today (7 days since last dose) and she is back to her normal sunny self, which Im so relived about!

Thanks @TheOliveFinch - DD seems to have had quite a few of those symptoms (headache / nausea / stomach pains and the anxiety). It’s reassuring that hopefully now she has stopped the ABs, they should be out of her system and she can rebuild her gut health

@Freyer I was advised to take probiotics with antibiotics in future , I also had a less severe anxiety reaction more recently than the doxycycline taking a different antibiotic for a UTI , but have taken other antibiotics in the past with no problem. Glad your daughter is feeling much better now

Thanks @TheOliveFinch - I have bought her some Danone probiotic yoghurts so hoping that’s something! I usually give her zinc drops but I’ve run out. Hope you are feeling better also 🙂