Amoxicillin and Diarrhea: What Users Say

• yas...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 3, 2014

For Urinary Tract Infection "Very effective, made me feel like normal again after weeks of being in pain due to my urinary tract infection. However, after being on amoxicillin for nearly 5 days, I had severe diarrhea and stopped taking it due to the fact, I was constantly sitting on the loo! However, this was a highly effective medicine for me, much better than trimethoprim."

• C77...
• March 16, 2016

For Bacterial Infection "I'm 17 years old and have been using amoxicillin for the last month to keep my abscess tooth infection down. I have never had to drain my tooth at all. It works great with no side effects for me. I did get a little bit of diarrhea, but not much at all. No pain anywhere. Now, you do need to know that everyone's body will react differently to amoxicillin, so please don't go by what the reviews say. Test it out for yourself."

• Sun...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 19, 2014

For Tonsillitis/Pharyngitis "I was prescribed Amoxil after a nasty bacterial infection in my tonsils. I had tried the Z-Pak in the past, but it gave me bad side effects, so we switched to the amoxicillin. It started working within 24 hours for me. I had experienced slight diarrhea in the past with this antibiotic, but my doctor gave me Align Probiotic Supplements to replace the good bacteria that antibiotics tend to destroy along with the bad bacteria, which is what causes the gut problems. Worked amazing! No diarrhea! The amoxicillin does make me feel a bit sleepy. I napped a lot the first few days. Also, the 10-day dosage is a lot to remember, but hey, it worked great, and I am much better now."

• bsw...
• September 18, 2018

For Bacterial Infection "My oral surgeon prescribed amoxicillin 500 mg three times daily for 7 days for an infected wisdom tooth prior to the surgical extraction of four impacted wisdom teeth. After two days on the antibiotic, symptoms associated with the infected tooth began to subside (i.e., decreased inflammation, pain relief). Prior to that, I couldn't sleep without Orajel, 800 mg of ibuprofen, and 50 mg of diphenhydramine. I experienced minor digestive side effects (e.g., minor abdominal pain and 2-3 episodes of loose stool) after a few days on the medication; however, the medication was well tolerated overall, and the relief was much appreciated."

• G-M...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 22, 2022

For Chlamydia Infection "I had read online that the US CDC recommends this as an alternative antibiotic for Chlamydia infection. Two 500 mg every 8 hours or 3 times a day for 7 days. Yes, you will probably get some diarrhea like I did, but if you don't treat it, the alternative is damage to the reproductive system and women becoming infertile. So when you forgot to use protection and your partner gives you a gift, you need to take your medicine."

• Tex...
• December 11, 2015

Amoxicillin for Pneumonia "I have bacterial pneumonia with 2 spots on my lungs after the flu. Not much nasal involvement. Bad headache, body ache, fever, and chills. Deep dry cough. Started Levaquin by IV at the ER, but within an hour I got hives on my mouth and neck and felt slightly itchy all over, then 3 bouts of projectile vomiting. Then tried Clindamycin but developed hives after 2 days. Both meds helped me feel better, and my headache and fever went away. Now on Amoxicillin-Clav 875, twice a day. Symptoms are very slowly improving. Only a bit of loose stool. Probiotics and a bland diet help."

• Kc2...
• November 29, 2015

For Dental Abscess "Took this for a tooth abscess. Toothache went away but was replaced by other pains. Feels like every muscle in my body is sore, especially the legs and lower back. Throwing up and also have diarrhea. Massive headache. The body ache is so bad I laid in bed crying, and I have a pretty high threshold for pain usually. I cannot seem to get out of bed and cannot find a comfortable position for my legs and back. Also just started having a fever of 99.4 degrees. I took this about 7 to 8 hours ago, not sure if I'd rather have the toothache or these side effects, that's how bad this is. I've taken amoxicillin in the past and did not have any of these problems, not sure what changed (or maybe this is my body's reaction to the abscess?)."

• Utp...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 6, 2020

For Bacterial Infection "I was given amoxicillin 500 mg 3x daily for 7 days due to an infection. On first taking it, nothing really happened. By the second, I started getting flu-like symptoms. Third - major fatigue. Fourth - irritability. Fifth - diarrhea. Finally, on the sixth/seventh, that's when I noticed it had gotten rid of those nasty bacteria and was my normal self again. As a plus, it cleared up my skin. Glad I was able to see it through, despite the side effects."

• Jad...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 2, 2020

For Dental Abscess "I went in for some pain after an injury to my front tooth. The first dentist told me, I'm young enough it can heal, it might get better. I'm 26. A week later, the pain was unbearable. They gave me Norco and a root canal at an endodontist. The surgery went excellently. For 2 days, everything was awesome. Then I got an infection with a nasty taste. I called them the 1st day they were open, was prescribed amoxicillin. It helped, and I started to get better from it. The amoxicillin side effects ranged from an increased sense of smell, yeast infection, and bloody diarrhea. I took my entire XR and was better. After 2 days off, I had an infection again. The pain seemed to be higher above the tooth this time. I contacted my dentist, who is sending me back for a 3D X-ray to inspect the area for a possible fracture or to find another reason it's not healing. Due to COVID shutdown, I have to wait 4 days until I'm seen again. Until then, I'm treating my infection with old leftover amoxicillin."

• nic...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 29, 2020

For Dental Abscess "Amoxicillin was helpful! I had a toothache that lasted for 3 days. My dentist prescribed this drug, and after 2 days of taking it, all the pain was gone! I didn’t follow the right instructions, though there were times I was several hours late in taking it at the prescribed time because I am forgetful or I was sleeping (It was supposed to be taken exactly every 8 hours). I also didn’t even get to finish the whole medicine course just because I didn’t feel pain anymore (which is not good, don't do that too), but this antibiotic is just that good! I just experienced diarrhea. I usually poop once a day or every other day, but this antibiotic made me poop twice a day."

• Mik...
• April 14, 2019

For Middle Ear Infections "It took a while to clear up my ears, but it worked. I had bad gut problems as a side effect. PROTIP: Antibiotics kill the good gut colonies, so you will need to replenish them with yogurt or probiotic tabs while taking your meds. This will get rid of the diarrhea issues. I ate two little packs of yogurt per amoxicillin pill, and that solved the issue."

• lad...
• May 4, 2016

For Dental Abscess "I have never been allergic to amoxicillin (500 mg), but I received it last week after a dentist visit to take 3 times daily for 7 days. I originally thought nothing of the symptoms until yesterday when it hurt really badly to urinate. But last night it seemed to go away, but today the pain is back. I looked up the symptoms today, and yes, I had diarrhea and itching last week (didn't know why) until now. Also tired, itchy, and still hurting when I urinate. I stopped taking the medicine because the pain is so bad. I will talk to my dentist when I go back this week, but I have never had issues with amoxicillin. Something must have changed."

• jar...
• October 20, 2009

For Dental Abscess "My dentist prescribed some amoxicillin after tooth extraction, supposedly to prevent infection. The diarrhea after 3 days was bad enough to stop taking this medicine. Well, since no sign of infection was present or ever present, and I needed to spend time outside of a bathroom anyway. That 3-day love affair was it for me and amoxicillin. Despite the literature's claims that ALL antimicrobials cause diarrhea, this is the first one that actually caused it for me. I think I'm going to claim an allergy to this one from now on."

• Jon...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 12, 2019

For Bacterial Infection "Amoxicillin worked great. Taking probiotics daily with antibiotics is a must to avoid all the stomach side effects (since they kill bacteria, antibiotics can kill the good bacteria in your stomach that helps digest food-hence the nausea and diarrhea, etc.) If you don’t have probiotics, at least eat some yogurt daily. Continue for a week after the antibiotic course is done."

• san...
• May 15, 2011

For Bacterial Infection "I was diagnosed with H. pylori and peptic ulcers. I was given this in addition to other medicines. Had minor side effects such as mild abdominal cramping and diarrhea during the early doses. Best tolerated with food. Didn't stop any of my day-to-day activities, still attended school."

• TCT...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• January 7, 2021

For Dental Abscess "I have had 4 fillings since I was 11 years old. I'm now 53. Only 1 started to break down about 10 years ago. Had it refilled with no problems till February of 2020. Suddenly had severe pain in that tooth for about a week. I keep clove oil around for holistic health reasons. Used that on severe pain. Works like a charm. Just use a Q-tip, but must keep applying. Called a dentist of which I hadn't seen for 10 years, he refilled it but it was still very sensitive. He did tests and found out I had an abscess and needed a root canal. He put me on amoxicillin. Pain stopped, but gave me severe diarrhea. Started taking a probiotic and fiber supplement every day with the antibiotic. While on the medication, it didn't stop the intestinal problems, but it did slow them down. Once off the meds, I slowly returned to normal. It took a while, a couple of months, but I'm back to normal. Amoxicillin worked great for me and I have many drug allergies, especially to antibiotics. Just have to deal with side effects."

• Anonymous
• January 29, 2018

For Dental Abscess "I started taking amoxicillin immediately. My dentist prescribed it for a toothache. I take 1 twice a day for 10 days. After day one, the pain went away, but I had diarrhea, and I felt very nauseous. Also, I had fever and chills. By the end of the night, I had vomited twice. Day two, I just took a half a pill and still felt dizzy and light-headed. I’ve taken this medication before in the past, and I do not recall this kind of problem. But it knocked out the pain."

• lol...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 12, 2019

For Sinusitis "I've taken amoxicillin with clavulanic acid twice before and had awful vomiting and diarrhea. My doctor prescribed it recently without clav (500 mg) to see if that was causing GI problems. Nope. It was the amoxicillin. I took 1 pill with food and water at 6 pm and was violently vomiting at 9:45 for about an hour. I was vomiting so much that my blood pressure dropped so low (83 over something) I almost passed out. Then I couldn't breathe (either from the pill or anxiety about almost passing out). Then the burning stomach cramps and diarrhea started, which was coming out like a fire hose. I ended up calling 911 because I was so sick. Had to give me Benadryl and an IV drip. I will never take this stuff again. I obviously can't handle a single pill of it!"

• Mem...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 25, 2020

For Dental Abscess "This drug has helped a lot in healing my dental issues, but at the same time, it's really bad on my gut wellbeing. Am experiencing harsh diarrhea, stomach pain, urinary tract infections. I really don't like taking it. I have a very sensitive stomach that reacts to any change severely. I have to take this course of prescription till it's finished-what a nightmare! Does anyone have tips to help me with alleviating the discomfort and pain? Please do share."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 7, 2019

For Middle Ear Infections "Worked great, no side effects. And I previously had amoxicillin rash after about 7 days of taking it, so I successfully took amoxicillin again, finishing the whole course without having recurrence of the rash. It's important to know (which you can read in articles on pubmed.gov) that having the late-onset amoxicillin rash once doesn't mean you will have it the next time you take the drug. With all antibiotics, it's normal to take probiotics or eat yogurt labeled 'with active cultures' to protect yourself from antibiotics-associated diarrhea, but amoxicillin doesn't tend to affect the gram-negative gut bacteria, so it's not as big a concern. Amoxicillin isn't like ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, or moxifloxacin (fluoroquinolones) -- those antibiotics leave people permanently disabled for the rest of their lives."

• Jet...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 31, 2020

For Middle Ear Infections "Honestly, amoxicillin worked well for my ear infection, and I didn't have any side effects during the entire week I took them. However, after a few days, I had some gastrointestinal issues, including acid reflux and diarrhea-just a little bit of a bother, nothing too severe. If you're worried about this medication, don't be. It is 100 times more mild than the doxycycline I took in the past."

• apa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 8, 2019

For Bacterial Infection "I was given a prescription of amoxicillin capsules for ten days to help fight a strep throat infection. My throat started getting better within the first day. By the second day, my throat didn't hurt at all. On the third day, however, I started experiencing serious side effects. I had severe diarrhea and abdominal pain that were so bad that I stopped taking the capsules. I was in bed for two days with agonizing cramps and frequent visits to the toilet. I lost my appetite and didn't eat for two days. It is now the sixth day after starting to take amoxicillin, and the cramps and diarrhea are gone. The strep infection has returned. I will not go back to the amoxicillin. Instead, I will wait for the infection to heal without any medicine. The cramps were so painful that I wouldn't intentionally go through that again unless there was a better reason to do it."

• Oti...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 15, 2022

For Middle Ear Infections "Otis Media, with a perforated eardrum. I was nervous to take this medicine due to the side effects of nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. I have GERD, so I was worried I’d be too sick to work or do much of anything. I’m on day four of taking two 500 mg amoxicillin pills twice daily. I have not vomited or felt too sick, just some heartburn here and there. I have had more frequent bowel movements, but nothing too crazy. My ear is not in pain and feels less full, but there’s still some gunk coming out of it. I’ll finish the 10-day course and hopefully the infection will be gone by then. Oh, and ladies, the vaginal itching side effect is very real."

• Luc...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 25, 2022

For Bacterial Infection "I have emetophobia, and I know other people browsing this site will be the same. I was prescribed this for Lyme disease (after being unable to take doxycycline due to anxiety). I am currently on day 20 of a 21-day course (!!). I am taking a very large dose, 2x 500 mg tablets, 3x a day, about twice the usual. Side effects have been mild, I already have IBS but have only had very mild and occasional stomach upset, no real diarrhea. I have experienced nausea, but again very mild, and it's been manageable/not so bad that the anxiety has spiraled - mainly felt like acid reflux to me. The Lyme rash has gone, and I don't have the symptoms I did before treatment, so I have to go on the assumption it's worked! An unpleasant 3 weeks, but I've got it done, and you can too!"

• Ln2...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 3, 2020

For Bronchitis "I took amoxicillin as a young child multiple times for infections but did not have an issue with it until I was 9 or 10. I was prescribed it for bronchitis but started having pretty severe diarrhea. The doctor told my mom to have her keep taking it anyway. Horrible advice - the last dose I took felt like a rock dropped in my stomach. I laid on the bathroom floor curled in a ball for hours, shaking because the pain in my entire stomach was so bad. My mom said my face turned white and my mouth turned purple. I was super sensitive to sound and light and thought I was going to die. The doctor said it was just a severe reaction and to avoid. Many people can take it with no problem but be cautious if your child is getting sick from it, even if they have taken it before."