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What Causes Stomach Pain After Having Avelox?
Question: Hi...my father is 82 and has had a bad flu bug for a week now. Fever has broken, he was told by his doctor to carry home a script for Avelox and to take it if things worsen. As they did he started to take them and has taken 5 out of 7 tablets. This evening he is reporting that his stomach is cramping and feeling tender and bloated and full. Is this cause for concern?
Thanks
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Brief Answer:
Could be side effects or another infection
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thank you for using Healthcare Magic. You are right to feel concern about your father's symptoms. Medicines like Avelox can cause these side effects on occasion. Another concern, particularly with your father's age, is the development of a serious infection called Clostridium difficile.
What happens is the antibiotic (Avelox) kills off the helpful bacteria in the intestinal tract and the C dif bacteria start to grow. They produce a toxin that can cause serious inflammation to the intestinal tract.
You don't mention what kind of symptoms he had with "a bad flu bug." People mean a lot of different things by it. If he has true influenza, then Avelox is useless for this condition, since it only treats bacteria, and influenza is caused by a virus.
If he was having a lot of gastrointestinal complaints such as diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, he could have a condition known as gastroenteritis. This can be caused by both viruses and bacteria. You generally don't want to start antibiotics until you are fairly confident that it is bacterial. You don't mention if any testing was done to confirm a bacterial infection.
In any case, I am concerned that the Avelox has created a problem either through side effects or development of C dif. This should be evaluated promptly. Side effects hopefully wear off if the medicine is stopped. C dif can be treated with different types of antibiotics. Untreated C dif can have serious complications, particularly in elderly people. Take him to urgent care or emergency to be sure this is not the problem.
Hope this answers your query. If you have further questions, I would be happy to answer them.
Could be side effects or another infection
Detailed Answer:
Hi, thank you for using Healthcare Magic. You are right to feel concern about your father's symptoms. Medicines like Avelox can cause these side effects on occasion. Another concern, particularly with your father's age, is the development of a serious infection called Clostridium difficile.
What happens is the antibiotic (Avelox) kills off the helpful bacteria in the intestinal tract and the C dif bacteria start to grow. They produce a toxin that can cause serious inflammation to the intestinal tract.
You don't mention what kind of symptoms he had with "a bad flu bug." People mean a lot of different things by it. If he has true influenza, then Avelox is useless for this condition, since it only treats bacteria, and influenza is caused by a virus.
If he was having a lot of gastrointestinal complaints such as diarrhea, nausea, and vomiting, he could have a condition known as gastroenteritis. This can be caused by both viruses and bacteria. You generally don't want to start antibiotics until you are fairly confident that it is bacterial. You don't mention if any testing was done to confirm a bacterial infection.
In any case, I am concerned that the Avelox has created a problem either through side effects or development of C dif. This should be evaluated promptly. Side effects hopefully wear off if the medicine is stopped. C dif can be treated with different types of antibiotics. Untreated C dif can have serious complications, particularly in elderly people. Take him to urgent care or emergency to be sure this is not the problem.
Hope this answers your query. If you have further questions, I would be happy to answer them.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
Brief Answer:
Glad you are getting him checked
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
That was a pretty strong antibiotic to be given without knowing what was being treated. I am glad you are getting him checked. Hopefully it's just side effects but if it's C dif, it's still early and the right treatment can be started right away.
Regards,
Glad you are getting him checked
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
That was a pretty strong antibiotic to be given without knowing what was being treated. I am glad you are getting him checked. Hopefully it's just side effects but if it's C dif, it's still early and the right treatment can be started right away.
Regards,
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Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Raju A.T
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