How to recover after taking antibiotics

The effect of antibiotic therapy on immunity

The body's own defense is not omnipotent. She remembers the signatures of viruses well, but they belong to intracellular parasites. Among the general variety of immune agents, their membranes are permeable only to interferons and lymphocytes.

The situation is similar with bacteria. Having a larger set of tools for destroying them than in the case of viruses, she is not able to remember every one. And it has absolutely nothing to oppose to worms or single-celled organisms like the malarial plasmodium.

Antibiotics are created by analogy with immune bodies, replacing them in cases of loss of functionality or decrease in volume in the blood/lymph. They even have a common drawback with immune defense - the lack of an antiviral effect (they mutate too often, neutralizing all efforts to develop remedies for them).

Immunosuppressive effect

It should be understood that antibiotics are natural or artificially synthesized substances that can affect the growth and development of bacteria. Unfortunately, the beneficial microflora of the body is also destroyed, so its restoration after a course of antibacterial therapy is mandatory.

Only a doctor should decide whether to take antibiotics. It is he who selects the necessary drug, release form, dosage and sets the duration of treatment. Antibiotics are most often prescribed for:

• Pneumonia;
• Tuberculosis;
• Blood poisoning;
• Acute gastrointestinal infections;
• Postoperative complications;
• Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

The main contraindications for taking antibacterial drugs are early pregnancy and infancy.

In order to minimize the negative consequences of taking antibiotics, you should follow a number of simple rules that are effective in preventing damage to health. These include:

• Antibiotics are taken only as prescribed by a doctor.

The use of antibiotics is justified only in cases of diseases caused by bacterial infections. It should also be recalled that viral diseases cannot be treated with antibacterial drugs and their use to combat them is inappropriate.

• Keep a log of antibiotic intake

It is necessary to record which drug was taken, for how long and for what disease it was prescribed. It is also necessary to record all side effects and allergies. This information should be provided to the attending physician to more accurately prescribe subsequent treatment.

• Strictly follow the schedule and rules for taking the drug

To maintain the optimal amount of antibiotic in the blood, it is necessary to maintain equal periods of time between doses. Some medications are taken before meals, while others are taken after. Detailed information about the specifics of use must be carefully studied and strictly followed.

• Take a full course of antibiotics

It is strictly forbidden to interrupt taking the drug after the first signs of improvement. The course of treatment must be completed completely.

• Do not try to adjust the dosage of the medicine yourself

Taking antibiotics in insufficient quantities only increases the resistance of pathogens to the drug. Uncontrolled use and increase in the amount of antibacterial drugs can lead to a number of negative consequences for human health.

• Make adjustments to your diet

While using antibiotics, you must adhere to a gentle diet and avoid fatty, fried, spicy, sour foods, as well as alcohol.

The right side bothers every second person when taking medications. What happens and why is the liver the first organ that should be supported after taking antibiotics?

To restore microflora, today any doctor prescribes probiotics (bifidobacteria and lactobacilli). But the greatest myth is that by taking any bacteria for 3-7 days you can qualitatively populate the digestive tract with them.

Of course, this approach will prevent the most serious complications. But if you heeded the advice to take high-quality probiotics for 2 months, you would see a much deeper effect.

It is clear that the goal of defeating the disease today is intermediate. And the main task is to ensure that such a dangerous treatment as antibiotic therapy does not have to be repeated. This means it is vital to strengthen the immune system. And here again, natural remedies are irreplaceable.

I will not duplicate information from other sections here. Hundreds of people have already tried this technology before you. She works! Read how to strengthen your immune system after antibiotics and safely.

Certain types of antibiotics suppress the immune system especially actively, for example, tetracycline drugs inhibit local immunity - phagocytosis.

They are very diverse, and sometimes even an experienced doctor is not able to predict how the patient’s body will react to a particular medicine. As a rule, generally healthy people who rarely get sick and have a strong immune system are much less likely to complain of side effects.

If the defenses are weakened, especially by frequent use of antibiotics, the reaction can be very strong. Children whose immune systems are not yet fully developed, elderly people, and those with a history of chronic diseases are also at risk. What consequences can antibiotic therapy lead to?

Stomatitis after antibiotics

This disease, which significantly worsens the quality of life, is an inflammation of the mucous membranes of the oral cavity with the development of redness, swelling and the appearance of ulcers. Antibacterial agents, especially those taken for a long time, change the composition of the natural microflora in the mouth and negatively affect the state of the immune system.

Why does the immune system weaken?

Antibiotics do not have mechanisms of interaction with immune agents or the organs that synthesize them. It is incorrect to talk about a decrease in the body’s resistance after taking them. The need for their prescription already indicates that the patient’s immunity has weakened before the start of their course, without any connection with it.

But local protection of a number of organs is based on interaction with bacteria/fungi that have entered into symbiosis with the body. Antibiotics do not distinguish symbiotic microflora from foreign ones, and its death reduces local immunity and disrupts the functioning of organs dependent on it.

Plus, taking antibiotics, like any other drugs, can cause complications on the liver. And in this case, it filters the blood worse and does not produce some factors necessary for the protection to work (proteins, vitamins). In the intestines “cleansed” of lacto- and bifidobacteria by them, digestive processes are also disrupted. As a result, many food components stop entering the blood. Immunity after taking antibiotics decreases first at the local level, and only then at the general level.

Weakness from taking antibiotics

Antibiotics are medications that have a strong effect on the human body. After taking antibacterial drugs, quite a lot of people complain of weakness, headaches and malaise. Weakness from taking antibiotics appears due to a deterioration of the body's immune system, since these pharmaceuticals destroy both pathogenic and beneficial bacteria.

Prevention

With all the abundance of ways to boost immunity after antibiotic therapy, the best strategy is not to start existing infections - so that it simply doesn’t come to the point of taking them. At their initial stage (except for infections with anaerobes - the culprits of gangrene), local applications of light antiseptics help:

• hydrogen peroxide;
• chlorhexidine;
• alcohol solution of iodine, salicylic acid or camphor.

Internal infections can also be treated with natural antibiotics - which, unlike pharmaceutical ones, are safe for microflora throughout the body. We are talking about moderately poisonous herbs - celandine, oak bark, St. John's wort, wormwood. They need to be brewed strongly (1 heaped tbsp per 250 ml of water), and taken 1 tbsp. l., before meals, 4 times a day, at least a week.

How to regain strength after taking antibiotics

Antibiotics are a special type of medication prescribed by many specialists for therapeutic purposes for a variety of diseases, mainly to suppress bacterial and fungal flora. There is a special type of antibiotics – antitumor. But, unfortunately, the use of antibacterial medications, in addition to their main therapeutic purpose, can negatively affect the general condition of the patient. To eliminate the feeling of weakness that occurs after antibiotics, it is recommended to spend more time in the fresh air, as well as get good sleep and eat right. To prevent unwanted side effects, such as intestinal dysbiosis, thrush (candidiasis) and other unfavorable conditions, it is recommended to simultaneously take drugs that stabilize the normal microflora of the body.

Your daily diet should not contain fatty, fried or salty foods. It is best to consume fermented milk products, soups and cereals every day. The necessary vitamins to eliminate the feeling of constant fatigue are contained in apples, carrots, tomatoes, and sauerkraut. In addition, experts recommend drinking juice from beets, apples, carrots, and other fresh vegetables and fruits.

In rare cases, after treatment with antibacterial drugs, a person may remain lethargic for a long period of time. In this case, it is necessary to consult with your doctor, who will be able to prescribe a number of medications that contain vitamins and microelements that help eliminate constant weakness.

What to do if intestinal dysbiosis occurs

Quite a lot of people face the problem of intestinal dysbiosis after long-term use of antibacterial medications. The bottom line is that beneficial microorganisms that live in the human colon simply die due to exposure to the substance contained in antibiotics.

The occurrence of dysbacteriosis can contribute to the appearance of:

• diarrhea;
• flatulence;
• pain in the abdomen;
• severe weakening of the entire body.

To eliminate such adverse events, it is necessary to take special medications - pre- and probiotics. Their differences are that the former are various microorganisms (bifidobacteria, lactobacilli, etc.), which under normal conditions make up the microflora of the human body, and the latter are substances that are not absorbed by the small intestine, but at the same time, creating favorable conditions for the normalization of normal microflora large intestine.

In addition to their content in certain food products, which usually indicate their presence, probiotic and prebiotic agents are produced in the form of specialized pharmaceuticals. Probiotics include Bifidumbacterin, Linex, Enterol, Lactobacterin, Rio Flora, and prebiotics include Lacto-filtrum, Lactusan, etc. These medications normalize the general condition of the patient, and also help fill the gastrointestinal tract with beneficial bacteria.

Important! If, after completing a course of antibiotic treatment, your stomach hurts severely, you should immediately consult a doctor who will diagnose the body and, if necessary, prescribe medications necessary to eliminate the problem.

The main causes of side effects

A variety of side effects from the use of antibacterial drugs can occur:

• due to the effects of the components contained in the medicine on the body;
• due to the individual characteristics of the human body, its inability to perceive the composition of the products;
• after taking excessive doses of medication;
• due to prolonged treatment;
• due to a number of other factors.

Only a qualified specialist can prescribe a safe and effective course of treatment with antibacterial drugs. Before using a medicine prescribed by a doctor, you should study the instructions for its use, which are usually contained in the packaging of the pharmaceutical drug or attached to it. Self-medication using these medications is strictly prohibited. This can cause more harm to the body than significant benefit.

But still, many people continue to worry about the question of what to do to eliminate the feeling of weakness that arose after prolonged use of antibacterial agents. To this end, it is initially necessary to balance the daily diet of the sick person. A patient who feels constantly tired should sleep at least eight hours a day. It is also advisable to take medications necessary for recovery, which include vitamins and other components beneficial to the body.

By applying all the above recommendations and advice in practice, you can easily eliminate constant weakness, the cause of which is long-term use of antibacterial drugs.

Toxic reactions to antibacterial therapy

Damage to the liver and kidneys. Antibiotics from the tetracycline group, as well as those that have a nephrotoxic effect (aminoglycosides), can cause side effects. The kidneys are a kind of filter for the body, through which 40-90% of the medications entering the body are eliminated. Antibiotics can cause nephrotoxicity (impaired kidney function).

Damage to the auditory nerve that is irreversible. This reaction can be caused by aminoglycosides.

Bleeding. They develop as a result of a disturbance in the synthesis of vitamin K caused by third-generation cephalosporins.

Damage to the central nervous system. It can be triggered by penicillin.

Impact on hematopoietic organs. Levomycetin, third generation cephalosporins negatively affect blood quality:

· hemoglobin level decreases;

· platelet aggregation decreases, bleeding time increases;

· hypo-kalemia, -natremia, -calcemia develops; thrombocytopenia;

· the amount of liver transaminases in the blood, as well as bilirubin, increases.

severe weakness after antibiotics

Hello! Please tell me, I had my first sexual intercourse on December 1, it was painful, a few hours later my lower abdomen began to hurt very badly (sometimes the pain went all the way to the navel), there was not much blood for three days. But the pain in my stomach was insane, it even hurt to bend over. After three days, the blood stopped smearing, but some clear discharge began to appear, without pain. On December 4 I went to the doctor. She took a smear and said the results were normal, but the leukocytes were slightly elevated; she prescribed antibiotics and a painkiller until the result was obtained, just in case. The ultrasound showed free fluid behind the right ovary and it was slightly enlarged. During the procedure it was very painful. The pain is stabbing and cutting. The doctors said that they didn’t know exactly what was wrong with me, because... there are no visible infections, at first I assumed it was appendicitis, but it was removed 8 years ago. On the 8th day, I began to smear blood again, on the night of December 9-10, very heavy and very painful bleeding began, which lasted for 7.5 days, against the background of which I had very strong weakness, weight in my legs, very severe dizziness (before that The cycle was constant from the age of 11, 28-30, menstruation lasted 4-5 days. The last ones before PA were on November 20.) After that, I went to see my doctor again, she said that she assumed it was an ectopic pregnancy (the ultrasound showed increased yellow body). The pain did not stop at all, it only weakened while the painkiller took effect. The doctor also took tests for all kinds of information. All were negative. I took a pregnancy test, it was negative. I then tested my hCG, it was 1.2. She didn’t prescribe me any medicine, she told me to come back in a week. By that time, my doctor was sick, and I went to another one. She looked and said that it was not an infection, but most likely a pregnancy (I came to her on the 17th, and according to a normal cycle, my period should have started on December 20, she said that they would not come by that time for sure. They never did . The doctor said that I needed to do tests from the 2nd day of the expected delay. All the tests were negative, and the hCG was also 1.2. I was then sent to a private doctor, where she did not make a diagnosis and prescribed me painkillers and antibiotics, saying that she assumed that this is weakening after appendicitis. She also told me to undergo radiation therapy. I did 3 procedures. After them, my side began to hurt even more. Against the background of the procedures and medications, my general condition worsened, on the first day I fainted. She also took tests for all sorts of things. viruses and infections, took all kinds of blood tests. Everything is normal. Only my hemoglobin is low. She said that I have anemia, without making an accurate diagnosis, she prescribed me more antibiotics. At first I didn’t take them, I thought it was too much, but one night I felt very bad, and I decided to drink them. After which I started having discharge, she looked and said that it was normal discharge, but at the same time she said that an infection was starting and I would just need to take Dalatsin suppositories, on which I began to feel a burning sensation. The pain became more frequent. She began to faint. What could it be, can you tell me? It’s just that none of the 3 doctors can diagnose me. I still don’t have my period, but the pain is crazy and my stomach is so swollen that it hurts to touch. The pain sometimes radiates to the back. On the 30th day after PA, the temperature rose to 38, and on the 31st day after PA, my chest began to hurt