how long after antibiotics will a flare up disappear?

[Avahw]

I had a uti and kidney infection for almost a month. I was given 3 sets of antibiotics each week and I must have taken around 16 days worth. My bowels have never felt so upset. I have constipated diarrhoea, cramps which feel like bowel bruises, excess gas, sometimes nausea. I’m really not enjoying this and have no hope left. It’s been 4 days since I’ve been off the medications now and I just want to feel better. Please let me know in your experiences, how long it’s taken this type of flare up to disappear, what exactly helped? And also, how do you treat constipated diarrhoea? It’s very confusing… fibre, no fibre… rice, no rice? Please please help community 🥺💕

[Luisa22]

Do you mean "overflow diarrhea" (when you're constipated and know that you are, then suddenly you pass diarrhea or watery stool?) If so then that's the liquid stuff which has found a way to leak around the constipated stuff that's stuck in there.

Or do you mean it *feels* like constipation and you can hardly go, or get no urge to go, but when you do, you pass only tiny amounts of very soft stool? I sometimes get that version on a bad day.

Antibiotics are rough on the guts because they kill all our good bacteria too. Have you tried a good probiotic such as maybe Alflorex or something like Symprove, or any other that you feel might be helpful? I have heard good things about both of those, and there are other good ones.

That might help to colonise some of the good guys that got killed off in the antibiotic war.

Yes, antibiotics are nasty to us. But they often do save lives and prevent infection spreading .

Perhaps after trying a probiotic, it might become clearer about what foods you can eat?

But maybe for the moment you could try eating very plain and simple home cooked foods. Very plain and bland but with some soluble fibre, but not too much? See what suits you best, and reduce or increase the amounts depending on bathroom results. I hope you get some help from trying a probiotic.

[Avahw in reply to Luisa22]

Thank you for this! I believe the doctor also called it overflow, however it doesn’t leak at all. It’s very much stuck until it’s not. It’s very confusing. I’ve taken two fybogel now over two days and now I’ve got pebble stools. Wondering when it’ll be back to feeling a bit better? Does it mean it’s finally getting better? From lose to pebble. I also have cramps! Oh the abdominal cramps. I’ve never had an IBS flare up like this before. Good luck all of us and really appreciate your input. I’m taking peppermint tablets as well as Alforex.

[Luisa22 in reply to Avahw]

It sounds good you are having peppermint and Alflorex and I do hope you get some help from those.

Pebble stools are not great but it might mean some of that constipation is starting to move a bit? Was that as a result of taking fybogel? If so maybe that might be starting to help a little bit?

Oh gosh, the cramps. I am sorry. A heat pad or hot water bottle might help. A tummy massage (from the bottom right abdomen, up and across just above belly button, and then down on the left side to groin area. A relaxing warm bath? Camomile and Fennel tea might also help slightly. I hope your flare up eases soon!

[angelwings52]

I was in hospital for nearly a month on high doses of antibiotics and it took about 10 days for my IBS to calm down after I came home. I used the BRAT diet and had natural yoghurt and fruit every day. Make sure you're drinking enough water as well. Hope you feel better soon.

[Avahw in reply to angelwings52]

I’m so sorry to hear you were also poorly. It’s not fun at all. Thank you so much. I suppose it’s confusing because I don’t know which to treat, the lose stools or the fact I strain. Doctors seem to think I must work at it as if it constipation. Many painful cramps too. I’m counting down the days and hope I’ll be ok by day 10 like you too.