I have been taking Clindamycin for 4 days now and am having some side effects wondering if I should stop?

Question

I had abdominal pain and minor diarehea after the first day and abdominal pain after that. I am now the fourth night experiencing chest pain around the sternum and lower parts of both sides or my chest. It caught me by surprise just wondering if Its anything major or if its a common side effect?

Answer 1

clindamycin is actually a very low risk medicine in terms of side effects.  it has almost no serious side effects only temporary problems.  you shouldn't worry too much unless it really bothers you

Answer 2

I have taken it before, but I did not have those symptoms.  I would recommend talking to your doctor about going on a different medication, because those symptoms should not be so persistent.

Answer 3

Antibiotics in the "mycin" family (Clindamycin, Erythromycin, etc) are known for their ability to cause stomach irritation.  I once took erythromycin on an empty stomach and had fairly severe, burning pain in my stomach for a few days.  It's a very common side effect. Take the Clindamycin with food and see if this helps.

And of course, most antibiotics cause diarrhea because as they kill off the "bad" bacteria, they also kill the "good" bacteria that normally inhabit your intestines.  When that happens, you get diarrhea.  Eating yogurt daily while you are on antibiotics is often helpful in preventing antibiotic-induced diarrhea.

Answer 4

Diarrhea is a common side-effect of Clindamycin.  This can become severe, progressing into a condition called pseudomembranous colitis, caused by the overgrowth of a second bacteria called Clostridium dificile.  You should see your Dr.  A round of a second antibiotic (Flagyl) may be indicated.