Antibiotics for Crohn's

[Mazen]

Has anyone been treated with antibiotics for Crohn's? and was it successful?

I usually have every once and a while Cipro (when I have unexplained fevers), which seems to be helping. Also I took Flagyl, but it caused me some tingling in hands and feet, so my doctor said I cannot take it anymore.

So are there any more antibiotics for Crohn's?

 

[Kev]

I WAS on metronidazole (sp?).. I ended up getting worse, doc thought that it may have been these a/b's, so I was taken off mid-treatment. why? Because their experience with a/b's in treatment said it had less than 20% chance of being effective.. So, basically, given to 5 patients, only 1 would improve via it.
Anyway, the a/b's weren't the cause of my deterioration, but docs says that I can't go back and re-try because i didn't FINISH the course of treatment first time... apparently, they figure my 'bugs' would now be a/b resistant...

 

[crohnsmom]

antibiotics and Crohns

Antibiotics often become part of the treatment for Crohns' patients, not as a direct treatment for the disease, but to treat the intestinal infections that are a frequent unfortunate consequence of a disease that causes intestinal inflammation and ulcerations. The infections that can develop at these sites can worsen and spread if not treated leading to peritonitis.
When my son was diagnosed he had peritonitis as well as a large abcess. Cipro and Flagyl are usually the antibiotics of choice because they are effective in killing (or at least keeping in check) the bacteria that occurs in intestinal infections. He remained on these antibiotics for 5 months at my insistance (docs wanted to try taking him off the Flagyl) until he had surgery to remove the damaged area as well as the abcess. The surgeon reported that the intestine was completely clean and healthy on either side of the primary infection site and says that is totally due to his staying on the antibiotics the entire time preceeding surgery.
They are not a long term answer, but very helpful for periods of infection.
This has been my experience both as a nurse and a Crohns Mom
Ramona

 

[Cog]

My Gi has me on Xifaxan and Bactrin - nothing else. The Bactrin is to protect my eyes. My immune system got too suppressed and allowed toxo plasmosis to attack my retina. So some how these two together + diet are so far keeping things in remission. Long may it continue. I don't mind Cipro - I hate Flagyl/ metronidazole with a passion.

 

[Cara Fusinato]

The Cipro-related drugs seem to be particularly tolerated well. Flagyl has dreadful side-effects (I got migraines and nausea which got increasingly worse). Just tried macrobid and that stuff brought some lovely nausea too, but it would have been better to take that with food. I think that was the problem there.

These were all taken for urinary infections. I haven't been specifically treated with antibiotics for Crohn's. I read one study from Australia that used antibiotics but they had to do it for two or three years. I can't find anything I wouldn't have dreadful side effects on for THAT long.