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It should be remembered that, the more we use antibiotics, the more resistant the bugs become. This is especially true when a course of antibiotics is abandoned part way through.
Directions
Ask your doctor if a course of antibiotics is required.
Something to keep in mind whenever using antibiotics is that they may be more effective when taken with bromelain. In humans, some undetermined activity of bromelain has been documented to increase blood and urine levels of antibiotics. Combining bromelain and antibiotic therapy has been shown to be more effective than antibiotics alone in treating a variety of conditions including pneumonia, bronchitis, staph skin infections, thrombophlebitis, cellulitis, pyelonephritis, perirectal and rectal abscesses, and sinusitis. [Drugs Exp Clin Res 1978;4: pp.45-8]
Expected Outcome
After a course of antibiotics, make sure to repopulate your colon with friendly bacteria afterwards: use a broad spectrum probiotic to reintroduce good bacteria and thus keep pathogenic (bad) bacteria and yeast in check.
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Antibiotics can help with the following: | | | | | Addictions | Not recommended for:
 Alcohol-related Problems | Some antibiotics do not work well when combined with alcohol. |
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Digestion |
 IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome)
Gastric/Peptic/Duodenal Ulcers| | While the mechanism of how H. pylori causes ulcers is not well understood, its elimination by antibiotics has clearly been shown to heal ulcers and prevent ulcer recurrence. |
Gastritis| | Antibiotics are used to treat H. pylori and should be used to treat other bacterial overgrowths in the stomach as well. Since these overgrowths are usually responsible for the inflammation, eradication allows the stomach to heal and normal acid-control mechanisms to be restored. |
 Diverticular Disease |
Infections |
Lyme Disease| | Current therapy involves the use of antibiotics, such as doxycycline or amoxicillin. |
Cystitis, Bacterial bladder Infection| | While natural means may prevent as well as treat cystitis, there are times when the judicious use of antibiotics is the best treatment choice. Natural means alone will often prevent recurrence and in some cases resolve bladder infections that have resisted antibiotic treatment. |
Ehrlichiosis| | The organism is sensitive to antibiotics and treatment results in improvement in 24 to 48 hours. Recovery takes 3 weeks. Antibiotics that work for Lyme do not work against Ehrlichiosis. Instead, doctors use drugs in the tetracycline family. Tetracycline drugs can be used against Lyme, so some doctors cover both bases by prescribing tetracycline when the diagnosis is unclear. |
Conjunctivitis| | In most cases of adult or childhood conjunctivitis, treatment with topical antibiotics is initiated without cultures. If the ophthalmologist elects for cultures, antibiotic therapy is usually initiated and treatment changed later, as necessary, depending on culture results. Gonococcal conjunctivitis requires intravenous or intramuscular antibiotics in addition to topical therapy. |
Middle Ear Infection
Bacterial Dysbiosis| | Antibiotic drugs may either cause or help control dysbiosis, depending upon the drug and the nature of the disorder. Where contamination of the small bowel by anaerobes is the problem, metronidazole or tetracyclines may be beneficial. When enterobacterial overgrowth predominates, ciprofloxacin is usually the drug of choice because it tends to spare anaerobes. Herbal antibiotics may be preferred because of their greater margin of safety and the need for prolonged antimicrobial therapy in bacterial overgrowth syndromes. |
 Gulf War Illness| | Scientists at The Institute for Molecular Medicine have found that slightly under one-half of the very sick Gulf War Illness patients in a pilot study with the signs and symptoms of Chronic Fatigue Syndrome or Fibromyalgia have chronic invasive infections involving certain uncommon mycoplasmas, such as Mycoplasma fermentans (incognitus strain). This has now been confirmed in a large Department of Defense - Department of Veterans' Affairs clinical trial.
Staff at The Institute for Molecular Medicine have recommended that these infections can be successfully treated with certain antibiotics, allowing the recovery of patients who have been long-term disabled. Similarly, in ongoing preliminary studies on Chronic Fatigue Syndrome and Fibomyalgia patients, we have found that a subset of patients have mycoplasmal infections that can be successfully treated with antibiotics, allowing patients to recover from their illnesses. |
Pharyngitis ("Strep Throat")| | Primary care physicians should avoid or delay prescribing antibiotics to patients with sore throats. Even when beta-hemolytic streptococcus has been cultured and thus shown to be present, antibiotic use may be no more effective than placebo. [Antibiotics are Ineffective for Sore Throat Treatment, Family Practice News, May 25, 1997; p.62, British Medical Journal, 1997;314: pp.722-27]
When antibiotics are required, a once-daily regimen of amoxicillin was found to be as effective as penicillin V administered tid to children with group A beta-hemolytic streptococcal pharyngitis. This reduces cost and inconvenience. |
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Lab Values |
Neutropenia| | Patients developing fever during neutropenia require treatment with intravenous antibiotics and occasionally admission to the hospital until the neutrophil blood cells return to sufficient levels in the blood to fight the infection. |
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Organ Health |
Consequences of Splenectomy| | In order to reduce further the small risk of serious infection, a person who has undergone splenectomy will need to take antibiotics for the rest of their life. In most cases this will be penicillin, but those allergic to it will be given some other form of antibiotic. It is important also to recognize minor infections before they become serious. If there is any sign of infection (for example raised temperature, sore throat, unexplained cough, abdominal pain and/or headache with drowsiness or a rash), a doctor should be contacted. |
Rheumatic Heart Disease| | People who have already had rheumatic fever are more susceptible to attacks and heart damage. For this reason they are given continuous monthly or daily antibiotic treatment, perhaps for life. If their heart has been damaged by rheumatic fever, they are also given a different antibiotic when they undergo dental or surgical procedures. This helps prevent bacterial endocarditis, a dangerous infection of the heart's lining or valves. |
Blepharitis| | In cases where bacterial infection is a cause, eyelid hygiene may be combined with various antibiotics and other medications. |
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Parasites |
Giardiasis Infection| | Antibiotic use may best be reserved for cases that fail to respond to initial treatment with natural measures. Because of the increased risk of side-effects and the possible emergence of antibiotic-resistant organisms, metronidazole, tinidazole, or benzimidazole antibiotics may best be reserved for cases in which the primary non-antibiotic treatment program is ineffective. In particular, metronidazole has been associated with recurrence rates as high as 90%, and the prevalence of clinical metronidazole-resistance may be as high as 20%. |
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Sexually-Transmitted Diseases |
STD Syphilis| | The gold standard for treatment of syphilis is consecutive daily intramuscular injections with procaine penicillin. The dosage and duration of treatment are determined by the clinical presentation, e.g. chancre, secondary mucocutaneous manifestations, neurosyphilis, etc. If no clinical staging is possible (as is usually the case), serological staging determines the treatment regime. There are a number of treatment options for patients who are allergic to penicillin, who are needle-phobic or who may not comply with a course of daily injections. These treatment options have not been as well studied as the procaine penicillin regimes but are totally acceptable alternatives.
Benzathine penicillin as a single injection will adequately treat primary and secondary syphilis, or sero-positive syphilis with a VDRL or RPR titre of 1:16 or higher. This regime is much more user-friendly than a 10-day use of intramuscular procaine penicillin and compliance is not an issue. This same dose can be given to sexual contacts of the above groups as epidemiological treatment. Because benzathine penicillin does not cross the blood-brain barrier it is only suitable for treating latent syphilis (VDRL or RPR titre< 8) if the C.S.F. is normal. Benzathine penicillin does cross the placenta and is therefore suitable for treating pregnant women with early syphilis.
Non-pregnant patients allergic to penicillin may be treated with doxycycline 300mg daily for 21 days. This regime is considered adequate for treatment of early and late disease, whether symptomatic or latent. This regime would also be appropriate for needle-phobic patients, as would oral amoxycillin 3gm twice daily with 1gm of probenecid for 2 weeks. |
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Skin-Hair-Nails |
Boils, Abscesses, Carbuncles| | Boils often resolve by themselves, but severe or recurring cases require medical treatment. Options include lancing and draining the boil, or antibiotics. If there is an infection of the surrounding skin, a doctor may decide to prescribe antibiotics. However, antibiotics are not needed in every case and, in fact, do not enter an abscess well and will not cure an abscess. For acne and hidradenitis suppurativa, antibiotics may be required on a long-term basis to prevent abscess formation. In cases of multiple or recurrent boils, antibiotics are taken by mouth for 10 or 14 days. Stubborn cases may require two oral antibiotics plus topical antibiotic ointments to eliminate the bacteria. |
Erythema Nodosum| | Some experts suggest treating all cases with penicillin (if penicillin was not the underlying cause), because strep infection is frequently the underlying condition. |
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Uro-Genital |
Vulvodynia / Vestibulitis| | Vulvar pain that is due to infection e.g. ureaplasma, candida or strep will respond to the appropriate treatment. |
Not recommended for:
Susceptibility To Miscarriages| | Antibiotics may be prescribed to treat infections in the mother, which can be a cause of miscarriages. |
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KEY | | May do some good | | | Likely to help | | | Highly recommended | | | Reasonably likely to cause problems |
GLOSSARY
Abdomen (Abdominal)
That part of the body between the chest and the hips that contains the stomach, intestines, liver, bladder, pancreas and other organs.
Antimicrobial
Tending to destroy microbes, hinder their multiplication or growth.
Bacteria (Bacterial, Bacterium)
Microscopic germs. Some bacteria are "harmful" and can cause disease, while other "friendly" bacteria protect the body from harmful invading organisms.
Boil (Abscess, Abscesses, Boils, Carbuncle, Carbuncles, Furuncle, Furuncles, Cystic Acne, Hidradenitis Suppurativa, Pilonidal Cyst, Pilonidal Cysts)
A localized infection deep in the skin. A boil generally starts as a reddened, tender area. Over time, the area becomes firm and hard. Eventually, the center of the abscess softens and becomes filled with white cells that the body sends to fight the infection (pus). Finally, the pus forms a "head" and drains out through the skin. A furuncle or carbuncle is an abscess in the skin caused by the bacteria Staphylococcus aureus. It can have one or more openings onto the skin and may be associated with a fever or chills. Cystic acne is a type of abscess formed when oil ducts become clogged and infected. Cystic acne is most common in the teenage years. Hidradenitis suppurativa is an illness in which there are multiple abscesses that form under the arm pits and in the groin area. These areas are a result of local inflammation of the sweat glands. A pilonidal cyst is a special kind of abscess that occurs in the crease of the buttocks. These frequently form after long trips that involve sitting.
Candidiasis (Candida)
Infection of the skin or mucous membrane with any species of candida, usually Candida albicans. The infection is usually localized to the skin, nails, mouth, vagina, bronchi, or lungs, but may invade the bloodstream. It is a common inhabitant of the GI tract, only becoming a problem when it multiplies excessively and invades local tissues. Growth is encouraged by a weakened immune system, as in AIDS, or with the prolonged administration of antibiotics. Vaginal symptoms include itching in the genital area, pain when urinating, and a thick odorless vaginal discharge. Candidiasis is also known as: Candida; Candida albicans; Candida Related Complex; Chronic Candida Syndrome; (Chronic) Systemic Candidiasis; Monilia; Candidiasis Hypersensitivity Syndrome; Candidosis; (Chronic) Mucocutaneous Candidosis; Thrush (oral or vaginal); Moniliasis; Polysystematic Candidiasis.
Cellulitis
An acute inflammation of the connective tissue beneath the surface of the skin. It is more wide-spread than a localized infection as seen in an ulcer or abscess and causes the skin tissues in the infected area to become red, hot, painful and swollen.
Chronic (Chronicity)
Usually referring to chronic illness: Illness extending over a long period of time.
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS, Chronic Fatigue)
A disorder of unknown cause that lasts for prolonged periods and causes extreme and debilitating exhaustion as well as a wide range of other symptoms such as fever, headache, muscle ache and joint pain, often resembling flu and other viral infections. Also known as Chronic Fatigue and Immune Dysfunction Syndrome (CFIDS), Chronic Epstein-Barr Virus (CEBV), Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME), "Yuppy Flu" and other names, it is frequently misdiagnosed as hypochondria, psychosomatic illness, or depression, because routine medical tests do not detect any problems.
Colon (Colonic)
The part of the large intestine that extends to the rectum. The colon takes the contents of the small intestine, moving them to the rectum by contracting.
Conjunctiva (Conjunctivitis)
Mucous membrane covering the posterior surface of the eyelids and the anterior surface of the eyeball. Conjunctivitis: An inflammation of the conjunctiva, either from environmental irritation, allergies, viral or bacterial infections.
Cystitis
Inflammation of the urinary bladder.
Fibromyalgia (FMS)
Originally named fibrositis, it is a mysteriously debilitating syndrome that attacks women more often than men. It is not physically damaging to the body in any way, but is characterized by the constant presence of widespread pain that often moves about the body. Fibromyalgia can be so severe that it is often incapacitating.
Gram (gm, gms, Gramme, Grammes, Grams)
A metric unit of weight, there being approximately 28 grams in one ounce.
Helicobacter Pylori (Pylori)
H. pylori is a bacterium that is found in the stomach which, along with acid secretion, damages stomach and duodenal tissue, causing inflammation and peptic ulcers. Although most people will never have symptoms or problems related to the infection, they may include: dull, 'gnawing' pain which may occur 2-3 hours after a meal, come and go for several days or weeks, occur in the middle of the night when the stomach is empty and be relieved by eating; loss of weight; loss of appetite; bloating; burping; nausea; vomiting.
Herbs (Herb, Herbal)
Herbs may be used as dried extracts (capsules, powders, teas), glycerites (glycerine extracts), or tinctures (alcohol extracts). Unless otherwise indicated, teas should be made with one teaspoon herb per cup of hot water. Steep covered 5 to 10 minutes for leaf or flowers, and 10 to 20 minutes for roots. Tinctures may be used singly or in combination as noted. The high doses of single herbs suggested may be best taken as dried extracts (in capsules), although tinctures (60 drops four times per day) and teas (4 to 6 cups per day) may also be used.
Milligram (mg, Milligrams)
0.001 or a thousandth of a gram.
Miscarriage (Miscarriages, Spontaneous Abortion)
The expulsion of a fetus before it is able to survive outside of the womb.
Neutrophils (Neutrophil)
Another name for polymorphonuclear leukocytes, the most common type of blood-carried white blood cell, and the first mobile resistance cell to come to the rescue in injury.
Pharyngitis
Inflammation of the pharynx, either from irritation or infection. A sore throat.
Placebo (Placebos)
A pharmacologically inactive substance. Often used to compare clinical responses against the effects of pharmacologically active substances in experiments.
Pneumonia (Pneumonitis)
Inflammation, usually infectious, of the lungs. Unless the result of only moderate chemical or smoke irritation, it is a potentially life-threatening condition. There are so many defenses against an infection this deep in the body that the very presence of pneumonia signals a pathogen of great virulence or impaired or exhausted immunity, or all three. Pneumonitis: Inflammation of the lungs, from whatever cause. It may be concurrent with pneumonia or pleurisy.
Probiotic (Probiotics)
Derived from the Greek word for "life." Probiotic refers to organisms and substances which contribute to intestinal microbial balance. They are beneficial or "friendly" intestinal bacteria.
Sinusitis
Inflammation of the sinuses, with causes ranging from dust to hay fever. Obstinate cases can be caused by chronic sinus infections or the continued exposure to allergens from food, pets or environmental irritants.
Staging
Although grading and the identification of cancer cell types help determine a patient's prognosis, most doctors believe that the cancer's stage is a better indicator of a patient's survivability. The grade of a cancer cell is an assessment of its appearance compared to that of a normal, healthy cell. Grading is done on a scale (such as 1 to 4) with grade 1 cells differing little from normal cells, typically spreading slowly, and having a good prognosis for treatment. The highest grade cells look extremely different and indicate an aggressive cancer with poor prognosis. Staging allows a physician to gauge the size and location of tumors by using information gathered from imaging studies such as CT scans and MRIs, and from pathology tests and physical examinations. Staging factors that influence a patient's prognosis are:- Spread to tissues surrounding the kidney
- Spread to contiguous organs
- Spread to nearby lymph nodes
- Distant metastasis.
Staphylococcus (Staph, Staphylococcal)
A genus of micrococci bacteria with many members that can cause disease. They are gram-positive, nonmotile bacteria
that are aerobic-(unless they need to be anaerobic). Staph of various types are responsible for boils and carbuncles; they may be involved in impetigo, toxic shock syndrome, endocarditis, osteomyelitis, and urinary tract infections, as well as some food poisoning. They stay around hospitals and veterinary clinics waiting to get you. They are also a normal part of the mouth, throat, and skin flora in a third to a half of all of us, causing no problems, but just waiting. Staph has always been with us. Some even eat our antibiotics for breakfast.
Stomach
A hollow, muscular, J-shaped pouch located in the upper part of the abdomen to the left of the midline. The upper end (fundus) is large and dome-shaped; the area just below the fundus is called the body of the stomach. The fundus and the body are often referred to as the cardiac portion of the stomach. The lower (pyloric) portion curves downward and to the right and includes the antrum and the pylorus. The function of the stomach is to begin digestion by physically breaking down food received from the esophagus. The tissues of the stomach wall are composed of three types of muscle fibers: circular, longitudinal and oblique. These fibers create structural elasticity and contractibility, both of which are needed for digestion. The stomach mucosa contains cells which secrete hydrochloric acid and this in turn activates the other gastric enzymes pepsin and rennin. To protect itself from being destroyed by its own enzymes, the stomach’s mucous lining must constantly regenerate itself.
Streptococcus (Strep)
A genus of gram-staining chain-forming cocci bacteria. Some are responsible for common and potentially serious human infections, ranging from scarlet fever and strep throat to bacterial endocarditis and pus pockets. Most of the disease-potential streps are also a normal part of the skin, mouth and upper respiratory flora.
Syndrome
A medical condition characterized by a collection of related symptoms (what the patient feels) and signs (what a doctor can observe or measure).
Syphilis
A sexually-transmitted disease, with symptoms in the early contagious stages being a sore on the genitalia, a rash, patches of flaking tissue, fever, a sore throat, and sores in the mouth or anus.
Thrombophlebitis
Venous inflammation with formation of clots. It can occur without any symptoms until the clot reaches the lungs. However, in about half of cases, there are warning symptoms including swelling, pain and warmth in the entire calf, ankle, foot, or thigh (depending on where the involved vein is located).
TID
Three times a day.
Topical
Most commonly 'topical application': Administration to the skin.
Ulcer (Ulceration, Ulcers)
Lesion on the skin or mucous membrane.
Yeast
A single-cell organism that may cause infection in the mouth, vagina, gastrointestinal tract, and any or all bodily parts. Common yeast infections include candidiasis and thrush.
Last updated: Nov 14, 2009
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