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Diagnosed With Diverticular Disease. What Antibiotic Should Be Taken?

Posted on Thu, 26 Jul 2012

Question: what antibiotic can i take for diverticukar desease, metronidrazole didnt agree with me, harrendouse after 2 tablets, thought i was going mad. Have just been diagnosed with this desease,colonoscopy was undescribably pain full and havent been free of pain since, really scared, cant eat and havent felt well since the antibiotic, should i still have pain and weakness, dare nt leave house, bad pannick attacks, live alone, no family,

Answered by Dr. Pavan Kumar Gupta (4 hours later)

Hello and thanks for the query.
I understand your problem.Many people are not able to tolerate metronidazole although it is one of the preferred drug for the treatment.
People who have diverticulosis without symptoms or complications do not need specific treatment, yet it is important to adopt a high-fiber diet to prevent the further formation of diverticula.

Laxatives should not be used to treat diverticulosis and enemas should also be avoided or used infrequently.
Patients with mild symptoms of abdominal pain due to muscular spasm in the area of the diverticula may benefit from anti-spasmodic drugs such as:
hyoscyamine (levsin)
chlordiazepoxide (Librax),
dicyclomine (Bentyl),

When diverticulitis occurs, antibiotics are usually needed. Oral antibiotics are sufficient when symptoms are mild. Some examples of commonly prescribed antibiotics include:

ciprofloxacin (Cipro),
metronidazole (Flagyl),
cephalexin (Keflex), and
doxycycline (Vibramycin).
You will have to consult your doctor for getting the prescription of any antibiotic.
Liquid or low fiber foods are advised during acute attacks of diverticulitis. This is done to reduce the amount of material that passes through the colon, which at least theoretically, may aggravate the diverticulitis.
In severe diverticulitis with high fever and pain, patients are hospitalized and given intravenous antibiotics.
Surgery is needed for patients with persistent bowel obstruction or abscess not responding to antibiotics.
I hope to have answered your query however you may revert to me for any other query.
Best of luck
Thanks

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Pavan Kumar Gupta (10 hours later)

Thank you for your reply, unfortunately, i have many allergies to anti biotics including nitrofurantoin,ciprofloxacin, mostly i have a tollerance to amoxiclav,amoxicillin, penicillin. because of the severety of going to the toilet, lots of mucus etc the doctor said take codiene and since tuesday i havent had bowel movement, but in the last 6 weeks i have dropped from 13 and a half stone to 12. havent really eaten much and though no vomitting, felt nauseous, and no appetite, now have pannick attacks about going out incase i need a tiolet etc. as i mentioned that awfull metronidazole just really messed with my head and body, very verybad reaction, so i am just scared of what next, how can u have large bowel movements with very little food inside you when no constipation is in progress, do i make sense, or am i just to confused with whats happenening with my body.

Answered by Dr. Pavan Kumar Gupta (6 hours later)

Hello
Codeine is notorious for causing constipation.
Your panic attacks coupled with lack of appetite and constipation is causing distress to you.
Consult your doctor for alternative to metronidazole like secandazole or tinidazole and some stool softener.
Thanks

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar