Clindamycin and Upset Stomach: What Users Say

• Sus...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 25, 2020

For Bacterial Infection "Bad tooth infection spreading to sinuses. Was terrified to take after reading reviews - MY TIP - read the positive reviews first! Anyways, I’m allergic to most other antibiotics so no choice but to try or cry with pain. First few days really nauseous and tummy ache even following instructions (take with food, lots of water, probiotics, etc.). What fixed it FOR ME was to eat first, then wait 15 mins, then take tablet with 2 large glasses of water. Since then, absolutely zero problems! I don’t eat carbs but have relaxed to include some for taking tablets and allow food to get into the stomach before taking the tablet. Would definitely take again as infection improved within a day. I have 7 more days as I chose 3x daily dosage rather than 4x over 10 days (impractical to eat at 2 am and stay up for 40 minutes). Hope this helps."

• Bob...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 9, 2020

For Bacterial Infection "I've come to realize all antibiotics produce some side effects. I had a tooth infection (serious pain). Was prescribed this clindamycin for 7 days. It took 3 days to properly kick in and reduce the pain. After the week, no pain. Tips: Water, big glass with the pill, and try to drink water throughout the day. I don't do fizzy or sweet drinks. I suspect this is where people have trouble. Food seemed to help. I would take on an empty stomach in the morning, go for a walk with the dog for a couple of hours, then eat. Then later in the day take before eating. Food seemed to help settle the nausea. Nausea - yeah all the time. Metallic taste - yep, all the time. Stand up - don't take lying down, and wash down with a full glass of water (as per instructions) - else it can cause esophagus burns. I didn’t have stomach cramps etc. Just felt a bit sick and bloated. Nowhere near all the ‘terrible’ reviews you will see here. Just be sensible with your diet and follow the instructions! Water, water, water. Bland food."

• Bri...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 1, 2020

For Skin or Soft Tissue Infection "I was prescribed 150 mg clindamycin for an armpit boil. I just had slight stomach discomfort, no diarrhea or any complications. Everyone's system reacts differently to the medication. I made a mistake by looking at reviews before taking it. It's not always a horrible experience."

• PSt...
• July 12, 2013

For Bacterial Infection "I was prescribed 300 mg, 4 times a day for 10 days for a tooth abscess. I too felt the 'burn', but my burn was immediately after taking the capsule. I could feel the burn as it went down my esophagus. What I found relieved it was drinking at least 8 oz of water with the pill, and then topping it off with a few spoonfuls of yogurt. No more burn as it went down, no more stomach upset."

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

For Bacterial Infection "I've had 3 abscessed teeth and taken clindamycin for all of them before I could get into the dentist. The pain was almost totally gone within 24 hours every time, and the infection cleared up in a couple of days. I would highly recommend it for an abscess. Just listen to the instructions and take it after a meal. It is a powerful antibiotic and will cause stomach problems if not taken properly."

• Dr ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 16, 2019

For Bone infection "Clindamycin works if taken correctly. To remedy the side effects from not only this antibiotic but really any antibiotic, first, it is imperative to replenish the vital gut bacteria killed by antibiotics by eating probiotic-packed foods. This will deter stomach aches, acid reflux, and usually will prevent diarrhea, however, if it still happens, add lots of fiber-rich foods and leafy greens to one's diet. One must also have the not-so-common-nowadays common sense when it comes to understanding instructions. If the bottle states 'take 3 times daily,' take it at the same exact time every 8 hours, this evenly spaces it, providing continuous coverage. Lastly, take with food unless instructed otherwise. If not able, milk alone provides similar stomach relief. I hope this helps someone out there!"

• Sas...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 18, 2016

For Bacterial Infection "Clindamycin is one of the oldest, safest, and most effective broad-spectrum drugs on the market. It must, however, be taken as directed, meaning you should probably eat something before you take it, you must take the entire prescription, and follow proper dosing instructions. If you fail to do this, your infection can return, the bacteria can become resistant, which means the bacteria could become immune, and you will no longer be able to take this antibiotic. As someone who is not able to take antibiotics like penicillin due to a life-threatening allergy, I consider this to be a wonder drug. All drugs have contraindications (side effects), the least of which is a stomach ache/GI issues."

• Anonymous
• May 20, 2017

For Bacterial Infection "This drug saved my life. I had rapidly progressing facial cellulitis and had failed therapy on another antibiotic. Short of dying from it, I would have nothing bad to say. Medications have side effects, but they all beat death or a brain abscess. I can live with the inconvenience of sitting up a bit and some gastric distress. It is nothing compared to head, face, and sinus pain as cellulitis marches toward your brain!"

• Hea...
• March 5, 2017

For Bacterial Infection "To those who are saying the negative symptoms will not be experienced if you follow instructions, screw you. I'm on this for an infected cat bite. I'm pregnant, it's the only safe antibiotic for me, apparently. I am taking these as prescribed by the doctor and pharmacist with lots of water and food. The heartburn and stomach cramps/diarrhea are hell. And guess what?! On the package, it describes these as known symptoms of the medication. I hate what I am going through. So far, I have found no relief and want nothing more than to stop taking them. I will be following up with my doctor. To those who are lucky enough to not experience the symptoms/side effects? Good on you! Others aren't as lucky."

• Mar...
• March 11, 2014

For Bacterial Infection "I was prescribed this medication every 6 hrs for a severe tooth infection that was sore to my neck. It's been 3 days, and the pain is subsiding a bit, very little heartburn, but I also am on prescription Prilosec. You cannot take any heartburn meds for 2-4 hrs before and after taking clindamycin. My dosage is every 6 hrs. So far, my worst side effect is the stomach cramping, and I have the absolute worst metal taste in my mouth. Nothing seems to take it away. I suggest definitely following the directions exactly, especially with drinking water and NOT laying down for at least 20-30 mins."

• mha...
• August 23, 2016

For Bacterial Infection "Don't be scared of others' reviews. I came here after being prescribed this medicine because I had never heard of it and wanted to get more information. After reading all the reviews, most of them telling horror stories about their experience. I followed every letter of the instructions, I took each pill with a 16 oz glass of water, stayed seated or standing for 10-20 minutes, took as prescribed every 6 hours, and took a probiotic once a day. After the first 36 hours, I noticed the pain of the infection started to subside, and the affected area got smaller. After 72 hours on the medication, I was feeling back to normal. The only side effect I noticed was a slightly upset stomach one day that I forgot to take the probiotic."

• Pen...
• July 31, 2015

Clindamycin for Bacterial Infection "Well, just took my last dose of this drug. Good riddance!!! While it was effective in getting rid of the infection, it brought with it some very awful side effects: a strange metallic taste, fatigue, loose stools, pelvic cramping, abdominal pain on both sides, stomach discomfort, mood swings. I had to send my kids to a relative's house to finish this med because I have been feeling awful. No one told me to eat probiotics religiously. I do eat yogurt during any antibiotic treatment, but this specific drug requires a little more than a cup of yogurt a day. Day 2, I started taking Florastor, plus eating plain yogurt a lot. I hope I don't get the diarrhea that others have after stopping it. If you must take this, drink water and take probiotics."

• Mar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 29, 2019

For Bacterial Vaginosis "Ladies. This medication saved my vagina. I swear. I never in my life thought I would be writing reviews for medicine, but here I am. Metronidazole ruined my life for a week. The oral tab was a nightmare, and the gel made my bits swell up and burn so bad I couldn’t walk. I called back and requested this because I saw all the good reviews. I’m on day one, and it’s already like a million times better. I gave it a 9 because I’ve now taken two doses and don’t feel 100%. But I’m hoping at the end of the 7 days it’ll be better. The only side effect of this so far is that I’m sleepy, and my stomach was a little upset. Other than that, it’s a life saver!!"

• Anonymous
• June 5, 2009

For Bacterial Infection "It started halfway through the prescription, had trouble swallowing pills and water. Thought it was just me. By the time I was done with the script, I had severe heartburn and acid reflux. I couldn't eat anything because it would upset my stomach. This medicine inflamed my esophagus, that's why I had trouble swallowing. The doctor put me on Protonix to repair it."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 23, 2015

For Bacterial Infection "Taking clindamycin 300 mg four times per day. It works great, but you do have to follow instructions. Eat it with food; sit up for at least 10 minutes after you eat it. At least two hours after or before I take it, I take a probiotic for my gut, or I eat yogurt. I have no gut or stomach problems at all with this medication using it this way. It has done a very good job on a really bad infection in my tooth and in my jaw bone. I would recommend it, but follow the instructions!"

• Tah...
• April 2, 2013

For Bacterial Infection "I had a horrible infection affecting my whole left side gum line. The pain was terrible. My dentist prescribed amoxicillin, and it didn't touch the infection. He then prescribed clindamycin 300mg every 6 hours. Within a couple of days, the pain was so much better, but the side effects are a nightmare. I have diarrhea, stomach cramps, bloating, and dizziness. I've been watching for C. diff, but I think I just have diarrhea. This medicine is taking care of my infection, but I can't wait until it's done so I will feel better. I recommend it."

• Thr...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 17, 2019

For Bacterial Infection "Prescribed this for a bacterial infected cyst in my abdomen (staph infection). It healed me up quickly, and I had no problems! Make sure you eat before you take it. Otherwise, you can get a sore stomach. I made the mistake twice of taking it and laying down right away. Don't do it! Sit upright for a half hour, or the acid reflux is horrible. It made me vomit, it was so bad. But if you sit up and give it time before you lay down."

• Mar...
• August 13, 2015

For Bacterial Infection "This medicine does a quick job of removing infection. I'm taking this due to an abscessed tooth, and the next day, I'm feeling no pain. The only complications I'm having are the side effects. Painful, awful stomach cramps where it feels like I'm being stabbed, and the blade is twisting around. The pain comes in waves. Also, I'm terribly gassy on both ends, and I have no appetite and a huge headache. I have found if I eat something fatty before and yogurt with it helps. I take 300 mg 3x a day for 7 days. I'm on day 2. Effective drug, horrible side effects."

• Anonymous
• May 30, 2016

For Bacterial Infection "I debated whether or not to take this drug because of the warning of potential C. diff infection. I had a root canal on a molar that left me in pain with swelling and numbness of my lip and chin. My endodontist suspected infection, so she prescribed penicillin. After a week of taking it, there was no change, so she prescribed clindamycin. I have been taking 300 mg 3 times a day for 7 days now, and thank God the worst side effect is fatigue, and my stomach hurts... almost like a 'raw' kind of feeling. No diarrhea or nausea! It seems to have taken the swelling down, so hopefully the infection is on its way out. I will say that I have been diligent in taking 2 probiotics a day, and I drink 8 oz. of water with every dose!"

• Kri...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 9, 2022

For Bacterial Infection "First and foremost, this was my first time ever taking Clindamycin. I had an ear infection, and I was on a round of Augmentin from 12/19 till 12/29 for a double ear infection, and my left ear healed, but my right ear did not. Went back to the doctor and was prescribed a 10-day round of Clindamycin - take 4 times a day. I set alarms for myself every 6 hours, and I do wake up around 4 or 5 a.m. to take my first dose of the day. I've learned a trick with taking this to avoid the heartburn and side effects. Eat something small, drink 8 ounces of water, take the pill, then eat another small portion and drink another 8 ounces of water! I have yet to have any side effects since doing this. No diarrhea, no upset tummy! Within 48 hours of being on the medication, I could tell a difference. 10/10 would recommend. Remember, everyone does different with antibiotics. Don't let one horrible review scare you!"

• lmr...
• November 19, 2011

For Surgical Prophylaxis "2 pills 3x day - 5 days. Got 4 wisdom teeth removed. Day 1 - 1st dose, pills were hard to swallow, and a few minutes after I took the pills, I got an upset stomach. 2nd dose was about the same, but I got a rash on my face (cheeks). 3rd dose stomach pain got a little worse. Day 2 stomach pain got even worse with every dose. Day 3 morning dose was unbearably painful in my esophagus/stomach. Called my doctor, and he told me to stop taking pills. I figured stomach/esophagus pain would go away since I'm not taking pills, but it's been 6 days since I stopped taking pills and I still have pain. A lot of pain when I eat and burp. Pain feels like a tightening and burning in my chest every time I swallow."

• Inp...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 17, 2019

For Bacterial Infection "I have an infected leftover tooth root that the dentist missed (shocker) from extraction years ago. Hurt like a bad toothache. Dentist x-ray showed root so close to nerves under the gum, maybe touching. Said I need oral surgery to remove it because they were afraid they might damage nerves. Prescribed 14 days of clindamycin 300 mg at a dose of 1 every 8 hours. I was given this 3 days ago, then 1 hour after I took the first one, the pain almost doubled. Pain dies down some at times between doses, but every time I take another pill within an hour, the pain doubles. Unbearable pain. Now it radiates into my neck, upper gums, left side of the tongue, and some of the left jawbone. No stomach issues or diarrhea yet. Just incredible pain. Bad before, but it now feels like somebody is digging in my jaw with a screwdriver. It's really bad. Waiting now for a call from the dentist. Whatever he says, I might try 1 more, but if I get that worse pain after I take it again, I'm not taking another ever again. This is ridiculous."

• Bet...
• July 16, 2018

For Surgical Prophylaxis "So I had my wisdom teeth removed on June 5th of this year and was prescribed this medication in case I developed a post-op infection. As I'm 17, my immediate favorite 'side effect' of this medication is that it began to improve my acne. Here's where everything begins to go south. About a week later, I began to notice urgent diarrhea. This problem persisted for several days, at least 10 times a day. I began to lose weight, insane stomach cramps, nausea, I couldn't sleep, severe dehydration. I began to have bowel movements that only consisted of blood and mucus. I was admitted to the hospital for GI scopes. The next morning, my surgeon came to review the procedure. He said I was positive for C. diff and immediately asked if I had been on clindamycin. He then explained how powerful this antibiotic is and how it basically stripped my colon of all of my 'good bacteria', allowing the C. diff bacteria to become toxic. Do not take this antibiotic if you can at all help it!"

• Joa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 28, 2017

For Bacterial Infection "I had a bad, bad tooth infection and needed a root canal. Dentist gave me clindamycin... 400 mg 4 times per day for 2 weeks! Then after the root canal, he wanted me to take another round of it! But the second time I took 1-2 days' worth and said, 'That's enough. No more. I'm rollin' the dice on this one.' It tore up my stomach. It's two months later now and having to have an endoscopy to see what damage it has done. I was doing real good before taking the clindamycin. Never again! It's on my 'do not ever take' list. If I had it to do over again, knowing what I know now, I truly would have just had the tooth pulled. My stomach has not been the same since. Also had explosive bowel problems with it, going 4-5 times per day!"

• Cry...
• July 29, 2015

Clindamycin for Bacterial Infection "I am currently on day 2 of this medication, and I've had some troubling side effects. Very tired, nasty taste in my mouth, and bouts of dizziness, along with slight tummy upset and feeling foggy at times. I wish I would have been warned before taking it that it's best to take with probiotics. I have been eating yogurt, but from what I've read about this medication, it takes a lot more than yogurt to keep things normal. Thankfully, I only have to take it for 4 days, 2 tabs every 6 hours, for a tooth infection. I am hoping I don't develop any of the really awful side effects. The only reason I was prescribed was because I had an allergic reaction to Augmentin. Given the severity of the side effects, you'd think they would warn patients."