How to Get Rid of Antibiotic Diarrhea

The easiest ways to prevent diarrhea when you’re taking antibiotics

Medically reviewed by Roy Nattiv, MD

Last Updated: March 14, 2023

Changing Your Diet

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Getting Medical Help

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Expert Q&A

Antibiotics can kill good bacteria in your gut along with the bad bacteria causing your illness, meaning you can experience diarrhea as a side effect. Ask your doctor about medications you can take, such as probiotics or an anti-diarrheal. You can also feel better by eating a bland diet, avoiding dairy, and staying hydrated. Eating well while you are taking antibiotics can get your digestive system back on track and have you feeling better in no time.

Things You Should Know

Stay away from foods that usually upset your stomach to avoid frequent bathroom breaks.
Drink lots of water while on antibiotics to help your body stay hydrated while tackling your infection.
Avoid dairy, alcohol, and caffeine when taking antibiotics to help prevent diarrhea.
Ask your doctor if they’d recommend taking a probiotic supplement or anti-diarrhea medication, as both can help ease your symptoms.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Changing Your Diet

1
Take antibiotics with or without food, according to the instructions. Some antibiotics are absorbed better on an empty stomach while some need to be taken with food. Pay careful attention to the instructions that come with your antibiotics.^{[1]
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- In general, taking antibiotics with a meal usually helps to prevent an upset stomach.
2
Avoid foods that usually trigger an upset stomach for you. Trust your own gut. If you know that a certain food or type of food can upset your stomach, don't eat it at all while you are taking antibiotics. Instead, stick to a diet that is blander than usual.^{[2]
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- Fatty and spicy foods are common triggers for an upset stomach.
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3
Drink plenty of fluids to replace the water your body loses. Drink more than you would normally drink in a day. Water is best, but you can also drink juice or soft drinks. Broth can also taste soothing and rehydrate your body.^{[3]
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- Try sports drinks with electrolytes in addition to water.
4
Avoid dairy products while you're taking antibiotics. Dairy is a common culprit that can cause diarrhea. Your digestive tract can become unusually sensitive to it while you are on antibiotics. Temporarily avoid milk, cheese, ice cream, and butter while taking antibiotics.^{[4]
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- Yogurt with live cultures can be an exception. The live cultures can help some people, but not all, digest better.
- Wheat flour may also upset your stomach while you are taking antibiotics.
5
Stay away from alcohol and caffeine while taking antibiotics. Caffeine and alcohol can both aggravate diarrhea while you are taking antibiotics. Stick with water and non-caffeinated, non-alcoholic drinks to stay hydrated.^{[5]
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- It can be dangerous as well as uncomfortable to take alcohol with antibiotics.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Getting Medical Help

1
Take a probiotic supplement with your doctor's advice. Antibiotics kill good bacteria in your gut along with the bacteria causing your infection. Taking a probiotic can add some helpful bacteria back into your gut and help regulate your digestion. You will typically need to avoid taking your probiotic at the same time as your antibiotic so that they don't interfere with each other. If you are taking your antibiotic in the morning and at night, it's safest to take a probiotic at lunch. Ask your doctor for guidance before starting to take a probiotic.^{[6]
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Roy Nattiv, MD
Board Certified Gastroenterologist
Expert Interview. 18 December 2020.}
- Probiotics that are lactobacillus rhamnosus-based and saccharomyces boulardii-based are usually the most effective for treating diarrhea.
- You can also get probiotics through fermented foods and drinks like yogurt, kefir, kombucha, kimchi, and sauerkraut.
2
Ask your doctor about taking anti-diarrhea medication. Medications like Imodium can help relieve diarrhea, but it can also prevent your body from eliminating toxins. Ask your doctor if Imodium is safe to take with your antibiotics. Do not take Imodium without talking to your doctor, since you could make clostridium difficile infections worse.^{[7]
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- Always ask your doctor first before you start taking another medication or supplement with antibiotics.
3
Call your doctor if your diarrhea persists or gets worse. If you’re taking antibiotics currently, have taken them in the past 3 months, or have been hospitalized within 3 months of your diarrhea, you may be suffering from C. difficile colitis. Seek medical care if your diarrhea persists. If you have diarrhea more than 5 times a day, a fever, pain in your abdomen, or blood in your stool, these could all be signs of a complication. Call your doctor right away and describe your symptoms.^{[8]
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- The most common antibiotics that cause diarrhea are cephalosporins, penicillins, and fluoroquinolones.
- Also talk to a doctor if your diarrhea doesn't go away after you stop taking antibiotics.

Expert Q&A
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Question

Can probiotics help with diarrhea caused by antibiotics?

Roy Nattiv, MD
Board Certified Gastroenterologist
Dr. Roy Nattiv is a Board-Certified Pediatric Gastroenterologist in Los Angeles, California. With over 20 years of experience he specializes in a broad range of pediatric gastrointestinal and nutritional illnesses such as constipation, diarrhea, reflux, food allergies, poor weight gain, SIBO, IBD, and IBS. He completed his pediatric residency at the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore, Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York, and his fellowship at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). While at UCSF, he was a California Institute of Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) fellowship trainee and was awarded the North American Society for Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology, and Nutrition (NASPGHAN) Fellow to Faculty Award in Pediatric IBD Research. Dr. Nattiv received his undergrad degree from the University of California, Berkeley, and his medical degree (MD) from the Sackler School of Medicine in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Roy Nattiv, MD

Board Certified Gastroenterologist

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Yes, we often have patients take a probiotic while they take antibiotics. The probiotic that we typically recommend is Lactobacillus rhamnosus, or some other lactobacillus.