What Causes Abdominal Pain After Taking Clarithromycin?

Posted on Sat, 20 Aug 2016

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Sat, 20 Aug 2016 Answered on

Fri, 16 Sep 2016 Last reviewed on

Question : My husband is very ill we both took clarithromcin er and finished the dosage yesterday. We both had some stomach pain under the breast I'm left, as his got worse he is very ill stomach pain and when I give him XXXXXXX selzer he belched many times and loud . I also gave him Zantac with the same result! He is in bed in great distress. XXXX. YYYY@YYYY

Answered by Dr. Bonnie Berger-Durnbaugh (1 hour later)

Brief Answer:
Recommendations:

Detailed Answer:
Hello and welcome,

I am sorry to hear that your husband is having stomach pain.

Clarithromycin can be hard on the stomach. Regardless of the belching, he should consider taking Zantac 150 mg twice a day for at least 2 weeks. He may have gastritis or lower esophageal irritation from acid that resulted from taking the antibiotic. It may take a several days to get it under control.

However, if he is having severe pain, or black tarry stools, or bloody stools, then he should go to the ER to be evaluated. Be sure to let them know that this pain followed Clarithromycin or he may end up with an unnecessary cardiac evaluation.

Please let me know if I can provide further information.

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