Antibiotic Side Effects
Are Common
What You Should Know…

While there are some Antibiotic Side Effects that are common to all antibiotics, for the most part, the side effects of antibiotics are specific to each Class of Antibiotics and to each individual antibiotic itself. Please see each individual antibiotic that you are concerned about in order to learn more about the antibiotic side effects of that individual drug.

Many side effects are common to ALL drugs- including antibiotics- and are discussed on the Common Side Effects page. It would be impossible to discuss ALL of the antibiotic side effects because there are so many and they are so varied. But we will attempt to discuss the side effects that are unique to antibiotics as well as those unique to certain classes of antibiotics when they are unusual or of great interest to you.

Antibiotic Side Effects
Common to Most Antibiotics

Gastrointestinal tract problems are the most common side effects of most antibiotics. Aside from the Common Side Effects of dry mouth, nausea, vomiting and other gastrointestinal problems that can be Side Effects of ALL drugs, antibiotics have unique gastrointestinal problems as well.

When antibiotics are given, they not only kill the bacteria that are causing your problem, but they also kill the Good Bacteria in your digestive tract. While this may not cause ANY symptoms or problems in some people, in others, it can lead to conditions such as:

Intestinal Candida Infection

'Gut Dysbiosis'- a bad ratio of 'good' to 'bad' bacteria in the bowels

C Difficile Infection

Antibiotic Colitis

The Quinolone Antibiotics

The Quinolone Antibiotics are a a group of antibiotics that have gained widespread use in the past few years- but not without their problems. You will know that you are taking this type of antibiotic if it has the term:

-floxin

OR

-floxacin

tagged onto the end of their generic names. The most common of these drugs are:

Levofloxacin (Levaquin)

Ciprofloxacin (Cipro)

Moxifloxacin

Oflaxacin

Which are used often to treat problems like:

Pneumonia

Urinary Tract Infections

Sinus Infections

These drugs have a SCARY history with MANY problems associated with them, yet they are very often considered 'safe' and are given for even fairly minor infections, like bronchitis and chronic sinus infections, that many researchers believe are not even bacterial infections and therefore should not be treated with antibiotics in the first place!!

This class of antibiotics has so many Uncommon Side Effects and so many peculiarities to it that they have their own page.

Go to the Quinolone Antibiotics page here --->

Sulfa Antibiotics
AKA Sulfonamide Drugs

Allergic Reactions

The BIGGEST of the Sulfa Antibiotic Side Effects is allergic reaction. There are SO many people with allergic reactions to sulfa drugs that this is really a MAJOR concern. If you know that you have an allergy to sulfa drugs then you should inform your physician and never take them. Ideally, you should wear a Medic Alert bracelet in case you are ever in an accident and are unable to tell anyone about this allergy.

Sulfa allergies range anywhere from mild rashes to full blown emergency Anaphalactic Reactions. If you have had an allergic reaction to sulfa drugs before, it COULD be worse the next time, so never take the chance and be sure that you never take sulfa drugs again.

If this is the first time that you have taken a Sulfonamide, then just be aware of any reactions. If you DO have an allergic reaction, then stop taking the antibiotics right away and notify your doctor immediately.