Clindamycin and Upset Stomach: What Users Say (Page 2)

• Hor...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 3, 2017

For Bacterial Infection "The doctor gave me 300 mg four times a day for what they think is an infection in my foot after a drawer fell on my foot and had fluid on top of my foot with swelling. After the third dose, my throat was swollen. I couldn't swallow, and the left side of my chest hurt so bad it felt like a heart attack. I was itching so badly. I was so thirsty. I went to the ER, the doctor said he had never heard of anyone having a reaction to that medication. He gave me a shot of Benadryl, it helped. It wore off, and everything happened again. Days later, my stomach is cramping. I have been drinking Pedialyte and Gatorade. I still feel thirsty. I am allergic to penicillin and Bactrim, so the doctor thought this would be a good one. It is not. This is wicked stuff. I will NEVER EVER take it again."

• Fig...
• March 19, 2013

For Bacterial Infection "I started taking this medication, and my experience was not good. Having said that, I figured out that if you chew gum, this helps tremendously cut down on the awful taste in the mouth that this medication is known to cause. I also take it with plenty of water and food. My stomach is not too happy, but I am only taking it for seven days."

• NOT...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 16, 2017

For Bacterial Infection "I had a tooth infection, and it works. So, there's that. However, the side effects are intense. Don't expect your stomach to be normal for 6-8 months after treatment. Using the bathroom sometimes 5 times a day, number 2. I was eating yogurt every day with oats. Everything I ate after the first week of treatment felt like a grenade went off in my stomach. My stomach flora took a long time to recover from this antibiotic. Not really sure if it's useful to eat yogurt or take probiotics while taking this. I would imagine the antibiotic kills it anyway. I was on it for 1 week. It does work, but be prepared."

• alw...
• February 24, 2017

For Bacterial Infection "I was prescribed Cleocin (clindamycin) for an infected tooth. I have never had this antibiotic before, called the pharmacist, and was told to drink a lot of water because it has a tendency to cause diarrhea. Well, I stayed on it for five days while enduring terrible stomach cramps and uncontrollable diarrhea until I came to my senses. I called the dentist and switched to Augmentin, which did the trick. Now, ten days later, I'm still recovering from the side effects of the Cleocin. I will never take this antibiotic again. There are too many alternatives to endure these reactions, let alone the fact that this drug strips your body of probiotics that affect the colon and can cause serious, and yes, even fatal consequences."

• kat...
• November 3, 2016

For Skin or Soft Tissue Infection "I am allergic to many antibiotics and have taken clindamycin for abscess in my gums due to a tooth infection. It seemed like it was working, then seemed like it was getting worse. The antibiotic was working, but it takes about 7 to 10 days for a full recovery. If you can stand side effects, it is worth it. But it must be taken with food due to stomach discomfort and dizziness for me."

• Eli...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 12, 2016

For Bacterial Infection "This is the worst antibiotic ever. I had a tooth which got infected. Expect severe heartburn, back pain. Anywhere that you have ever injured flares up. Stomach issues, flu-like symptoms. I had chills then got hot. Minimal exercise and could not breathe. Ask your physician for another medication. It's not worth it. Try something else first. My eyelashes itch. It's bad."

• ret...
• September 16, 2016

For Skin or Soft Tissue Infection "Well, so far I've been taking this drug for 5 days. First day: upset stomach and threw up in the middle of the night, and felt rumbling in my stomach. However, I had a staph infection maybe on my face. A few pimples, which I've never had acne problems with. What made me notice them is they were all painful to the touch. I mean very painful. So, the doctor said staph infection. Take 10 days, 300 mg 4 times a day. So far, no issues. 5 more days to go, and I will finish as instructed. I'm taking it about every 6 hours, give or take a few mins into it. So far, no issues, and I hope none either."

• I...
• May 20, 2017

For Bacterial Infection "I started taking 300 mg originally after an infected tooth extraction. My 1st round with this medication was fine, no issues nor side effects. I was prescribed a large quantity, so I had quite a bit left over once my infection was gone. A month later, I have an upper respiratory infection or bronchitis. I can't take off work, so going to the doctor for me is not an option. The 2nd time I began taking this antibiotic, I changed absolutely nothing in how I administered it. Within 2-3 minutes of taking it, I had the worst heartburn, stomach burning, feels like I have something lodged in between my breast and my esophagus. Seven hours in, a bottle of Tums, four cups of milk later, I'm still on fire! To tell someone to 'suck it up' is VERY abhorrent, you haven't felt these side effects."

• ctm...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 2, 2012

For Bacterial Infection "So far, I have taken 4 pills. I have had some stomach rumbling and a few light pains. I felt a little bit lightheaded a couple of times and a little bit of head pain, but other than that, it's not too bad. My doctor gave me this for an abscessed tooth, and I have not had to take any pain medicine today, so I guess the clindamycin is already working. I have a little bit of tooth pain, but it is bearable. I do eat toast before my first pill and a full meal with the second and something light with the third one. I will check back when I finish the medicine to let you know if things change."

• Sha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 19, 2012

For Bacterial Infection "I got stung by a wasp and got a terrible secondary infection. The clindamycin cleared up the infection, but the heartburn and stomach ache I got as a result was almost worse than the infection. I had to constantly take Tums and Pepto-Bismol to fight off the nausea and heartburn."

• cla...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 18, 2024

For Bacterial Infection "After being sick with bacterial tonsillitis for 4 weeks and having to switch medications 3 times, this is the one that has worked for me! At first, I was prescribed amoxicillin and cefdinir, and I had terrible reactions to both of them! I took them without knowing I was allergic to penicillin, and once I found out, my doctor prescribed me Clindamycin. This med has finally cleared up my infection. I had rough side effects for the first 2 days: stomach aches and constipation, but I bought a probiotic supplement that I’ve been taking every day with the med, and I’ve been eating lots of yogurt. That cleared most of my stomach issues up. The other annoying thing is I've had to take it 4 times a day, but that's been worth it compared to the first two meds I took. Highly recommend this medication if you are allergic to penicillin and have a bacterial infection."

• Ano...
• February 2, 2022

For Skin or Soft Tissue Infection "I have taken clindamycin close to 8 times now for infected teeth, gum abscesses, and full-blown MRSA, and it has been the only antibiotic that has done the job. I’d also like to mention for any of those reading this that I suffer from severe emetophobia. I’ve been on the highest dose as well as the lowest, and as long as I drink TONS of water, DO NOT lie down for a solid 30-45 minutes, take a probiotic, and keep eating small meals, I have minimal side effects with this antibiotic. That’s not to say I don’t experience the occasional stomach discomfort, weird taste in my mouth, brain fog, dizziness, but it also depends on what I’m being treated for and how bad that infection is to begin with. A dose of this and a shot of Toradol in the ER knocked my 10/10 tooth/jaw pain down to a 2/10 within 10 minutes as I refuse any narcotics. This medication may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but if you have a severe infection that is at risk of spreading, I highly recommend giving it a shot."

• Mel...
• September 19, 2018

For Peritonitis "I was prescribed this medication for a gum infection at 150 mg, 4 times a day for 10 days. The side effects are brutal! I didn't have stomach upset or heartburn like some of the reviewers, but I felt as if I had been hit by a truck. Lethargic, itchy, and just generally felt unwell. However, within 24 hours of taking it, my infection started to clear, so I didn't want to stop taking it. After suffering 4 days of side effects, I started taking it 3 times a day instead of 4 (one at each meal) and felt much better. It is excellent for clearing up infections if you can get past the side effects. Definitely take with food, lots of water, and a probiotic or yogurt."

• R...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 25, 2021

For Bacterial Infection "I'm on my second course of clindamycin for a dental infection I cannot have addressed for another 3 weeks or so due to appointment availability with the oral surgeon. The first course was back a couple of months ago, and it knocked the infection down to the point that my toothache abated. Then, six weeks went by, and the infection and the nasty toothache came back. I got my clindamycin script refilled and started another course yesterday morning. Already, 30 hours later, my toothache is almost gone, and I'm pretty much back to normal. So, it really works. Like a lot of antibiotics, though, clindamycin messes up the bacterial balance in my stomach, and I feel like I swallowed an anvil for the first few hours after a dose. But this passes, and anyway, it is a lot better than the toothache, which was a real doozy. I'll be glad when it's over and the bad teeth are gone, and I get my new permanent bridge, though."

• Mim...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 19, 2017

For Bacterial Infection "Would never recommend this antibiotic! I was prescribed 7 days, 3 times a day. Today, I took this med, so I did. I have a very bad stomach to start with. I was able to do my first 7 days without a problem, then after my seven days, I started to have really bad diarrhea, and I rarely have this. It has lasted now for like two weeks. Now I had to restart another dosage of clindamycin for another 7 days, but I saw that they were not the same color as the other ones I had taken. I don't know why, but anyway, I started them yesterday, and I've never felt sicker! My stomach was very upset, diarrhea, nausea, chills, fever, dizziness, and my throat is hurting. I'm not one to complain usually, but after this, I immediately stopped the medication! Never again."

• Exp...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 5, 2017

For Bacterial Infection "I have been taking this medication for about 7 days now (out of a 10-day period) for strep throat because I am allergic to penicillin. The day before I started taking it, I was in so much pain I went to the hospital, which is where I got the medicine, and I got almost immediate relief from the body pain. I always make sure I drink at least 8 oz of water with the pills and do NOT lay down for at least 10 minutes. I have not had any side effects so far. The only thing I can say is my stomach is always grumbling after I take it, but that's nothing to worry about. I'm wondering how bad the strep infection actually was, though, considering a lot of the reviews I see are for worse infections."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 4, 2023

For Bacterial Infection "As someone with medication anxiety, I was worried to take this. The only small side effect I had was a little bit of an upset stomach if I didn’t eat anything with it. I would have something small like a banana, or granola bar, or bread, didn’t have to be big, but just a little something. Otherwise, I had no issues with this med at all. I have SVT, and anything that has a small chance of a fast heartbeat freaks me out, but I was totally fine. Took this medication for an abscessed tooth, and it worked when the Z-Pack I took previously did not."

• hea...
• September 3, 2018

For Bacterial Infection "My daughter took clindamycin 300 mg 3X a day for severe kissing tonsils (swollen tonsils that meet in the midline or overlap), couldn’t talk, and a lymph node in the side of her neck had her neck swollen. A swab of her throat and culture of it, along with blood culture, were negative. She had a dose of the IV form in the hospital and then continued it at home in pill form for 5 days. Each day her stomach and chest hurt more. By day 5, she was vomiting and having severe chest pain and refused to continue the medicine, saying it was making her miserably ill. I do believe it’s because I couldn’t get her to drink enough fluids when she took the pill to wash it down well. It did help her tonsils. I hope the 5 days and the IV dose were enough because the hospital wouldn’t call in something different to replace it, and we don’t have insurance at the moment. This medicine works well, but like on the bottle, don’t lay down for 10 minutes after taking it and drink a full glass of water with it. I also believe eating before taking it would help."

• Rey...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 8, 2015

For Bacterial Infection "I was prescribed this medication because my dentist thought I had an infection due to a root canal. I became very sick on the 6th day after taking clindamycin 300 mg 4x a day. Severe stomach cramps and pain when I eat, some loose stools, and difficult to lay flat. Now I need to get in to see what my PCP can do for me."

• Kee...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 9, 2021

For Bacterial Infection "Thank you to all who post tips for counteracting the side effects! This is the only antibiotic I can take due to allergic reactions to others and am always miserable with intestinal trouble and nausea. Am taking 300 mg 3 times a day for infected bone graft now. Barely an upset stomach by following tips: eat a serving of carbs, take drug with probiotic, drink 2 glasses of water, and move around a bit. And don't forget the Pepcid AC before bed. Best of health to you!"

• Lor...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 12, 2021

For Sinusitis "Developed acute sinus infection a couple days after wisdom teeth extraction. Was switched to this antibiotic. Messed up stomach within a day, felt like a punch to the gut. By day 4 (today) broke out in hives all over and had a severe reaction. Currently sitting at the ER to get checked out. Can’t recommend. The infection feels better, but it's still there. Switching to a different med."

• kun...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 10, 2020

For Skin or Soft Tissue Infection "If you are bipolar, do NOT take clindamycin unless you want to end up in the hospital. This clindamycin has caused me off-the-charts mania/anxiety/panic that left me with suicidal ideation. The stomach cramps and heart palpitations are also something I could do without. Miserable, bedbound, and hoping for it all to finally end. There is ZERO reason why this junk should be on the market. It literally destroys your digestive system. It did nearly get rid of my boil, but I had to stop before ending up inpatient."

• All...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 23, 2023

For Surgical Prophylaxis "Not good. Broke out in a rash on day 7 of it all over. Lots of intense acid reflux too! I ended up stopping this a day early because of the side effects. Now, fast forward a month later, and here come all the digestive issues: diarrhea, mucus, bloating, and gurgling. A month after taking it, and the worst part is it's sporadic and comes out of nowhere. Absolutely terrible. Never taking it again."

• PAI...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 14, 2021

For Bacterial Infection "I have an infection of some kind, either because of my tooth or from my saliva glands. (In my jaw, along the bottom of the jaw, in my mouth, and along my jaw by my ear.) The pain was 'I think my soul just left my body' kind of pain. I went to the ER and was given this (150 mg pills x's 3, three times a day for 10 days). I took it, and after the first day, the pain was just obliterated. I feel so much better! Just make sure to drink plenty of water with this... eating doesn't hurt either. I was advised that eating yogurt would help any stomach upset. So far, I have not had any issues. Thank goodness for this medication!"

• Rem...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 5, 2025

For Bacterial Infection "Went to the dentist after dealing with a constant sharp pain in my head and neck after wisdom tooth removal (upper right molar). I was placed on Clindamycin (300 mg) three times a day for seven days. I was also given a prescription of prednisone (40 mg) to help alleviate the swelling, as well as a following prescription of another round of Clindamycin (150 mg) for seven days. The first round presented no side effects, besides an upset stomach. However, the second round, I was extremely dizzy, feverish, nauseous, and had heart palpitations to the point I considered the ER. I stopped taking soon after, and nearly all of my symptoms have vanished; I'm not sure if there was even an infection to begin with, but while it did help, the cons of this medication overruled the pros. I am 3 days post-med, and I still don't feel like myself. (I feel sluggish, my joints ache, and my head feels foggy). Unless absolutely needed, I would look for an alternative."