Antibiotics that Cause C. diff.

Doctors rarely deviate from standard protocol treatments and most have no training or experience with antibiotic alternatives for C. difficile. Antibiotic drugs are both the number one cause and the number one treatment for C. diff. infections. This contradiction can be both confusing and frustrating.

Taking antibiotics for a UTI, sinus infection or some other type of infection is the number one cause of C. difficile infections. And if you get a C. diff. infection, antibiotics such as Vancomycin are the standard treatment that your doctor will prescribe.

Around 70% of C. diff. infections resolve themselves using antibiotics. However, for the other 30%, the infection can return within days or weeks after finishing the antibiotics. For those 30%, a fecal transplant is the only other option offered by mainstream medicine and other treatment options have not been found¹.

The root cause of a C. diff. infection is an imbalance or disruption in your intestinal flora, or microbiome. And a common and powerful way to disrupt your gut flora is to take antibiotic drugs. Antibiotics kill many of your good and “friendly” gut bacteria, leaving room for C. diff. to overgrow and cause trouble. But some antibiotics are more likely than others to cause C. diff. infections.

High Risk Antibiotics

There are many different kinds of antibiotics and some are more likely to cause C. diff. than others. Below is a list of specific antibiotics and classes of antibiotics most likely to cause C. difficile infections:

• Fluoroquinolones. This commonly-prescribed class of antibiotics includes ciprofloxacin (Cipro), levofloxacin (Levaquin), moxifloxacin (Avelox) and gatifloxacin (Tequin) to name a few. This class of antibiotics is known for its numerous negative side effects.
• Clindamycin. This commonly prescribed drug often causes C. difficile infections.
• Cephalosporins. This class of drugs includes the antibiotics cephalexin (Keflex), cefuroxime (Ceftin) and cefaclor (Keflor).
• Amoxicillin. Also called Agmentin and Clavamox, these drugs and other B-lactam antibiotics can cause C. diff. infections.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), C. difficile infection is the biggest superbug threat in the United States². So you should consider very carefully if you really need to take antibiotic drugs. And if you do take them, it’s important to avoid those drugs which are more likely to cause C. difficile, especially if you have a prior history of having C. difficile.

A Different Way

Did you know you have options besides the high-powered antibiotics that cause collateral damage to your gut? Thankfully, you have many antibiotic alternatives, such as powerful herbal antimicrobial remedies, essential oils and other natural products can target C. difficile and the biofilms they hide within.

In many cases, alternatives therapies can be used in place of antibiotic drugs. And the good news is, this powerful line of antimicrobial herbal products has been used successfully for decades among thousands of doctors in the US.

It’s important to realize that your mainstream medical doctor is unlikely to know about or support your use of antibiotic alternatives. These alternatives are available without prescription and can be used safely and effectively as home remedies. However, if you have C. difficile, then you should be under the care of a knowledgeable healthcare professional to monitor your progress. Seeing a holistic or natural doctor is the best way to get professional medical support and guidance for using antibiotic alternatives.

References

1. Johns Hopkins Medicine, Fecal Transplantation (Bacteriotherapy), https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/treatment-tests-and-therapies/fecal-transplant
2. Antibiotic Resistance Threats in the United States, 2013; CDC report.