Flucloxacillin antibiotics- how long does they normally take to kick in?

[CrocodileDundee]

Had a laparoscopy almost 3 weeks ago, since then I have had one thing after another...starting to think I am very unlucky!

My wound started leaking and smelling a bit over the weekend so I went to my GP on Monday morning and was started on 500mg of Flucloxacillin 4x a day for a week, but told to go back if they didn't seem to be working. The doc also sent off a swab and said she will give me a call if anything unusual shows up or if I need a more specific antibiotic.

Last night and today I have felt really sick and have had a bit of a dodgy tummy, which I presume are a result of the antibiotics. Wound doesn't really look like it is improving much but I know it is probably still early days. Just wondering when I should start to see an improvement, if anyone has any experience of taking this antibiotic.

Bored with feeling ill now and just want to get back to normal!

Does they?? Sorry about that! My brain appears to have also stopped working!

between 48-36 hours ish.

Good stuff, hopefully I'll start to see a bit of an improvement tomorrow night then? Fingers crossed!

When I had a cyst, I was given a 7 day course. Even by 5 days, there was not much change, and it was not until 6-10 days from starting the course that the cyst got smaller and eventually disappeared.

That's interesting Tink, I'll finish the whole course and if there isn't any improvement after that, then I'll go back, unless I hear from them before hand.

Just a bit confused as the doc said to ensure I go back if it doesn't seem to be clearing up, but didn't give any indication of a timescale.

I had not needed ABs for years, thank goodness after my terrible first ever bad reaction to ABs which were Metronidazole. But last Dec. I had a tooth infection and was agony. The pain didn't go away until I finished the course after 5 days. I chose Clindamycin this time and was OK with lots of water to swallow with.
Had to wait until January to have the tooth out, and dentist said there was still some infection there in the gum. I don't know why the ABs hadn't got rid of the infection. But it happens sometimes. You must keep going to Doc if you know it is not improving.

Thanks digerd, that's sounds horrible, tooth/gum pain is honestly the worst type of pain there is, you must have been in agony.

My surgery has drop in appointments, which is quite lucky, so I think if I haven't seen any improvement by Friday I will pop along for the Friday afternoon session, rather than wait over the weekend.

Well I had a call from my surgery today to say that the results from my swab had come back and the Flucloxacillin wasn't effective on the type of infection, so basically I have been taking it for 5 days and it's been doing nothing and the infection has been getting worse.

I am now taking metronidazole which from what I have read starts to work quite quickly, so hopefully by the end of the weekend I will have noticed an improvement as I am due back at work tomorrow, although I am still not feeling 100% but I assume that is the infection playing a part in making me feel rotten too.

Oh no, not the intolerable Metronidazole. < grimace face> They are very strong and hope they work, and you do not get the side effects, that I got.

main side effects for some people are intestinal, digestive problems, but not everyone is affected.
Good luck

Thanks digerd, I have only had 3 so far, but not experience any problems yet (apart from still being able to taste them hours after taking them..yuk!!) so fingers crossed!

Did you start having problems with them right away or did they take a while to develop?

I am thinking about asking the Dr for another week off work, as realistically I am thinking I can't go back with my wound still infected, but if I start to develop side effects from the tablets I definitely don't want to go back, my office is a long way from a toilet!! Beginning to feel like a complete hypochondriac now!

Hi, just wondering if the final antibiotic worked and you well now… I’m experiencing the same issue.
Had a laparoscopy 3 weeks ago. And 2 days ago started to feel a rash and the incision are infected. Dr prescribe me Flucloxacillin 4x days 500mg. I’m already with 24h since 1st dose… can’t really tell if is going any thing obviously still very early. Let me know who you got on.