Side Effects of Anti Biotics

What Are the Common Side Effects to Antibiotics?

All medications have side effects. When used appropriately, antibiotics are relatively safe with typically few side effects. However, some antibiotics are notorious for producing side effects that can be especially intolerable. An antibiotic side effect is defined as an unwanted reaction that occurs in addition to the desirable therapeutic action of the antibiotic. Like any drug, antibiotic side effects can occur and may interfere with the patient’s ability to tolerate and finish the course of medication.

Common side effects with antibiotics include:

• Rash
• Soft stools, diarrhea
• Upset stomach
• Fungal (yeast) infections like thrush

Contact your health care provider if you have any of these side effects while taking an antibiotic:

• Severe allergic reaction that results in difficulty breathing, facial swelling (lips, tongue, throat, face)
• Severe watery or bloody diarrhea or stomach cramps
• Vaginal yeast infection with white discharge and severe itching
• Mouth sores or white patches in your mouth or on your tongue

Side effects of antibiotics can range from mild allergic reactions to severe and debilitating adverse events. These side effects are extremely variable from patient to patient and from antibiotic to antibiotic. However, there are some common side effects that may occur within antibiotic drug classes, as described in Table 1. Long term side effects of antibiotics can occur, but are infrequent.

Should I Stop My Antibiotic If I'm Having a Side Effect?

If you are experiencing a bothersome or serious antibiotic side effect, you should contact your health care provider to discuss your symptoms. The outcomes may include:

• Staying on the same antibiotic and managing the side effect
• Adjusting the dose
• Switching to a different antibiotic

Usually, antibiotic treatment should not be stopped without a health care provider’s approval; all medication should be finished. Stopping antibiotics early due to side effects may allow the infection to worsen and may lead to antibiotic resistance, making an antibiotic less effective. Even if the infection appears to have cleared up before all of the medication is gone, the full course of antibiotic treatment should always be completed unless you are told otherwise by your doctor.

Antibiotic Allergies

Antibiotic allergies or hypersensitivity reactions are some of the most common side effects of antibiotics leading to emergency room admission.¹ Always tell your doctor of any previous allergic reaction to any medication, including antibiotics. Mild allergic reactions may only result in a skin rash. A more severe allergic reaction called anaphylaxis is a medical emergency that requires immediate medical attention.

Anaphylactic reactions due to antibiotics may include:

• Shortness of breath
• Wheezing
• Nausea/vomiting
• Lightheadedness, dizziness
• Fast heart rate
• Swelling of the face, lips or tongue
• Shock

Immediately call for medical help if any of these symptoms should appear after taking an antibiotic

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