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Single course of antibiotics can mess up the gut microbiome for a year

arstechnica.com

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Re: Single course of antibiotics can mess up the gut microbiome for a year

#11

Post by omarqureshi »

Jack000 wrote: post #5
tghw wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My father ended up on months-long rounds of antibiotics and started taking probiotics as a result. He also said it helped some similar digestive problems he's had for years.

Is there a difference between prescription probiotics vs say probiotic yogurt or over the counter supplements? I've also had digestive problems for years that may have been the result of antibiotics.

In the UK at least, doctors may advise you to take probiotics but do not write you up a prescription for it as it is considered experimental.

I'be personally used acidophilus lactobacillus after an oral yeast infection which I got after taking preventative antibiotics (took pretty much everything - azithromycin, flucloxacillin and ciprofloxacin) for a severe bout of reactive arthritis and it seemed to make a difference. However I was still very messed up for at least 6 months.

Re: Single course of antibiotics can mess up the gut microbiome for a year

#12

Post by s_q_b »

justboxing wrote: post #7

Ask HN: Any proven natural (without meds) ways to "reset" and restore gut flora? Context: I grew up in India and to this day, there is a tendancy by Doctors to prescribe Antibiotics for anything, even cold viruses and non-bacterial illnesses. Erythromycin is 1 such antibiotic that Indian doctors prescribe for things such as the common cold, cough and similar seasonal illnesses. Due to this, I've developed a lot of fo…

To add to the anec-data, conversely, I was refused antibiotics for years in the United States as a child, and it was only after switching physicians and careful monitoring that they realized my sinuses were severely infected.

I've been put through the gamut of antibiotics since, and noticed no change in digestion, temperament, allergies or any other adverse effects.

Re: Single course of antibiotics can mess up the gut microbiome for a year

#13

Post by sparkie »

haswell wrote: post #4

I went through my entire childhood without ever getting sick enough to need antibiotics. Then, I managed to catch strep in my early 20s, and went on a course of antibiotics to take care of it. This is of course purely anecdotal, but the following year was pure hell from a digestive system standpoint, and looking back, I'm pretty sure it was tied to that course of antibiotics. Thankfully, things cleared up on their ow…

Had similar experience. Had allergic reaction to penicillin first prescription, which triggered my full body to come out in itchy hives. Went through 3 courses of different antibiotics until I was fit enough to get out of bed. Had bad guts for a couple of years following, which was usually an alternation between diarrhea and constipation. Sometimes I'd sit on the throne several times a day and no movement, except mucus or eventually, blood, as I'd developed piles.

I went on a super high fibre diet, ate as much low calorie food as I could a day to keep things moving. Ate lots of fermented foods, mainly dairy, sauerkraut, cured meats. Eliminated sugar, took up cycling to work to get fit. I've not been ill since, my bowels are moving, and piles are gone. Not the most pleasant story, but thought I'd share it.

Re: Single course of antibiotics can mess up the gut microbiome for a year

#15

Post by svachalek »

harigov wrote: post #8
justboxing wrote: post #7

Ask HN: Any proven natural (without meds) ways to "reset" and restore gut flora? Context: I grew up in India and to this day, there is a tendancy by Doctors to prescribe Antibiotics for anything, even cold viruses and non-bacterial illnesses. Erythromycin is 1 such antibiotic that Indian doctors prescribe for things such as the common cold, cough and similar seasonal illnesses. Due to this, I've developed a lot of fo…

Isn't that what probiotics is for?

In theory. I can't remember the source but I've read that studies have shown some benefits while probiotics or yogurt are going through your system, but no lasting "colonization" of the bacteria. I have an irritable gut and I've never really noticed either yogurt or probiotics having an effect on that in either direction. (Antibiotics really screw it up for a while.)

Re: Single course of antibiotics can mess up the gut microbiome for a year

#16

Post by Natsu »

hammock wrote: post #14

What are "probiotics"? How do we know which bacteria are the ones we need, and do all probiotics contain the same cocktail or different strains? Seems like saying "take probiotics" is insufficient.

You're right. I think there was a startup on here that had done a clinical study of some formula of theirs with many specific microbes.

In my case, I used a probiotic that contains only Lactobacillus GG (15B cells) and saw improvement after a course of antibiotics. My doctor recommended that when I asked, but said that it wasn't a prescription, just that he'd heard good reports from his patients.

For myself, I took them regularly for a couple weeks afterwards, then sporadically after that as constant usage doesn't appear to be required, at least for me.

Re: Single course of antibiotics can mess up the gut microbiome for a year

#17

Post by Natsu »

omarqureshi wrote: post #11
Jack000 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is there a difference between prescription probiotics vs say probiotic yogurt or over the counter supplements? I've also had digestive problems for years that may have been the result of antibiotics.

In the UK at least, doctors may advise you to take probiotics but do not write you up a prescription for it as it is considered experimental. I'be personally used acidophilus lactobacillus after an oral yeast infection which I got after taking preventative antibiotics (took pretty much everything - azithromycin, flucloxacillin and ciprofloxacin) for a severe bout of reactive arthritis and it seemed to make a differen…

That's the same thing they did here. I asked for a brand that other patients had reported success with and ended up with capsules containing 15B cells of Lactobacillus GG.

Re: Single course of antibiotics can mess up the gut microbiome for a year

#18

Post by Natsu »

aaronbrethorst wrote: post #9
justboxing wrote: post #7

Ask HN: Any proven natural (without meds) ways to "reset" and restore gut flora? Context: I grew up in India and to this day, there is a tendancy by Doctors to prescribe Antibiotics for anything, even cold viruses and non-bacterial illnesses. Erythromycin is 1 such antibiotic that Indian doctors prescribe for things such as the common cold, cough and similar seasonal illnesses. Due to this, I've developed a lot of fo…

Fecal transplants seem to have a high success rate of fixing some gut health issues[1]. I've never tried one, though. I take probiotics on a daily basis, but research is much more scant for them[2]. That said, I notice a marked difference when I stop taking them for a few days. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fecal_bacteriotherapy [2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Probiotic#Research

Odd, my own anecdata is that I took Lactobasillus GG after antibiotics and saw great improvement. But I only seem to need to take it sporadically as a boost after first taking it daily for some weeks on the theory that this would help get a culture established and the rest would be occasional maintenance.

Obviously, it's not at all scientific, so I have no idea what might work for others.

Re: Single course of antibiotics can mess up the gut microbiome for a year

#19

Post by davidw »

s_q_b wrote: post #12
justboxing wrote: post #7

Ask HN: Any proven natural (without meds) ways to "reset" and restore gut flora? Context: I grew up in India and to this day, there is a tendancy by Doctors to prescribe Antibiotics for anything, even cold viruses and non-bacterial illnesses. Erythromycin is 1 such antibiotic that Indian doctors prescribe for things such as the common cold, cough and similar seasonal illnesses. Due to this, I've developed a lot of fo…

To add to the anec-data, conversely, I was refused antibiotics for years in the United States as a child, and it was only after switching physicians and careful monitoring that they realized my sinuses were severely infected. I've been put through the gamut of antibiotics since, and noticed no change in digestion, temperament, allergies or any other adverse effects.

Don't get the downvotes. Sinus infections are a serious quality of life issue for some of us. I've had them drag on for weeks, then after a day of antibiotics, I feel like a new man.

Re: Single course of antibiotics can mess up the gut microbiome for a year

#20

Post by mangeletti »

Natsu wrote: post #16
hammock wrote: post #14

What are "probiotics"? How do we know which bacteria are the ones we need, and do all probiotics contain the same cocktail or different strains? Seems like saying "take probiotics" is insufficient.

You're right. I think there was a startup on here that had done a clinical study of some formula of theirs with many specific microbes. In my case, I used a probiotic that contains only Lactobacillus GG (15B cells) and saw improvement after a course of antibiotics. My doctor recommended that when I asked, but said that it wasn't a prescription, just that he'd heard good reports from his patients. For myself, I took t…

If anyone knows the name of that startup, please do tell.
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