Bowels and antibiotics question...

[IcouldstillbeJoseph]

I'm 18 wks preg (therefore can't take Imodium) and have just been discharged from a wk in hospital with pneumonia.
Whilst an inpatient I obviously had IV abx but now am on oral... Penicillin and clarithromycin
Now, only day 1 and the bowels are already a bit dodgy...
Any wise mumsnetters got any tips how I can avoid eye-of-needle scenario - and worst case scenario, having to go back in for IV's?
I have to take them for another 10 days....

I'd try & replace the bowel bacteria that's been knocked out by the antibiotics by taking probiotics; Yakult -type drinks or tablets containing the highest dose of bacteria I could find.

It might improve as your body gets used to them. Give it a few days. If things do not improve, then tell your doctor asap. It's possible you could have some infection from the ones you were on in hospital, though it is probably just a reaction to these ones.

Don't take immodium or anything. Taking a strong probiotic tablet in between each dose could help. Yakult won't do an awful lot but you can get some decent tabs from H&B or, more likely, an independant health food shop. 'D'tecta' brand are very highly thought of. ('a-biotica' is one of their products)

Oh and if you get any sort of bleeding, or bad diarrhoea, stop them immediately and ring up for advice.

What member said.

Thank you
I've been taking each dose with an Actimel but I sense this may be generally considered pointless??

Actimel is not enough to replace a whole gut full of flora. Get capsules which have a big enough dose to help repopulate your gut. Also if you are constipated, do drink plenty of water etc.
I hope you recover speedily from the pneumonia. All the best

Yes, the antibiotics will kill everything in the actimel as well as what's already in your stomach/lower down.

Take a probiotic in between each dose - sort of midway - if you can. but mainly take them after the course is finished to help repopulate.

Oh yeah that makes sense about not taking the Actimel at the same time.. Duh.
Thank you all.

You don't know unless someone tells you...or you've been there

I wish I didn't know so much about this stuff!!!