Can antibiotics cause diarrhea?

Can antibiotics cause diarrhea?

Most antibiotics (clindamycin, erythromycins and broad spectrum antibiotics) can cause diarrhea. Antibiotics can change the balance of bacteria normally found in the intestines, allowing certain types of bacteria like C. difficile to thrive. When this happens, your colon can become overrun by bad (pathologic) bacteria that causes colitis (inflammation of your colon lining).

Antibiotic-associated diarrhea can begin any time while you’re taking the antibiotic or shortly thereafter. If you experience this side effect, call your healthcare provider to talk about the diarrhea and discuss the best option to relieve this side effect.