Erythromycin is killing my stomach! Any tips to help? :(

[cantthinkofaname2021]

I'm on 250mg x2, four times daily. On my third dose and my stomach is cramping and churning, plus I've had diarhea already 😔 and heartburn! I'm limited in what antibiotics I can take due to penicillin allergy and breastfeeding
Does anyone have any tips for relief, will it get better as the course goes on? Is it better to take before or after food?

No advice really as I get the same with it, also extreme hunger (basically feeling totally starved the entire time). Watching with interest as I feel your pain

Yes me too with the hunger, I'm trying to diet too 😔

1)Take with food
2)Take a decent probiotic

Hi,

Sorry you're not well. I'm allergic to a lot of antibiotics too and experience same as you when on this antibiotic. Definitely always eat before taking each dose, drink plenty of water and eat little and often during the day of bland carby foods like bread, crisps, pasta etc. Not too healthy but needs must! Also avoid caffeine and fizzy drinks as that seems to make it worse. Peppermint oil capsules (from Holland and Barrett) may help you.

Feel better soon xx

In my experience, no it doesn’t get better, your body is intolerant to it. I was having cramps, stomach pain, vomiting. The extreme hunger feeling mentioned by pp is your stomach contracting.
I know you’re limited because of your allergy but I’d see your gp to ask about an alternative.

Forgot to say...omeprazole is a godsend when you're on this too. I had severe reflux in my pregnancy and Doctor prescribed me 20mg twice a day which made things so much more bearable..Worth asking for / taking if this is to go on longer for you.

Thank you for all the tips! I had it before but it was 250mg four times a day, so half the dose - still had the constant hunger & churning stomach but no where near as bad, just been on the verge of vomiting :( si will need to ring gp tomorrow

Oh god, that stuff is evil.
Buscopan is good for cramps, bio-yoghurt will help too, also drink half a pint of water with each tablet.
Hope you're feeling better soon.

Another vote for omeprazole.

I throw up like something out of the exorcist with erythromycin, if it doesn't clear up ask the doctor to change it.

I had awful cramps with it. I went back to my GP and got something else (I'm also allergic to penicillin) - so pleased to have an alternative!

I’d see GP for an alternative - I was on it years ago in my twenties and ended up developing a stomach ulcer, because no-one I saw realised that it and my stomach problems were connected. I don’t know whether then the stomach effects were well known, but the stomach damage took months to undo with a lot of medication. It’s a gut motility agonist so if your gastric system responds particularly strongly to it, I don’t think that gets better over time.

See your GP as there are alternatives - I only have to look at a capsule erythromycin to be heaving!
Poor you.

You need pro-biotics (something like activia). How long is the course ?

NB - it acts on the receptors of the smooth muscle of the gut to make it mechanically contract and empty faster, so anything you eat or add to your diet won’t make any difference.