Go Ad-Free
logoThe People's Perspective on Medicine

Clindamycin Side Effects Can Be Serious

The antibiotic Clindamycin can cause serious side effects including diarrhea as well as an increased susceptibility to the dangerous bacteria C Diff.

Q. For an abscessed tooth, I was given a prescription antibiotic called clindamycin. Ever since I took it, I have had unremitting diarrhea. Now my dentist wants me to see a gastroenterologist. Is there anything else I can do before going to a specialist?

A. Please make an appointment with a gastroenterologist immediately. Clindamycin can trigger dangerous diarrhea by allowing bad bacteria called Clostridium difficile (C. diff) to flourish. We don’t want to worry you, but this condition could be lethal if left untreated.

You will find a great many comments below that are extremely interesting. Should you wish to be notified about serious drug side effects, you may wish to subscribe to our **free** online newsletter. It offers questions and answers about drugs, home remedies, nutrition and non-drug approaches to healing; commentaries on the most pressing health issues of the day; special alerts on breaking health news as it happens and coverage of the top health headlines of the week.

Stay informed with us, The People’s Pharmacy.

Rate this article
star-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-emptystar-fullstar-empty
3.3- 125 ratings
About the Author
Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist who has dedicated his career to making drug information understandable to consumers. His best-selling book, The People’s Pharmacy, was published in 1976 and led to a syndicated newspaper column, syndicated public radio show and web site. In 2006, Long Island University awarded him an honorary doctorate as “one of the country's leading drug experts for the consumer.”.
Tired of the ads on our website?

Now you can browse our website completely ad-free for just $5 / month. Stay up to date on breaking health news and support our work without the distraction of advertisements.

Browse our website ad-free
Join over 150,000 Subscribers at The People's Pharmacy

We're empowering you to make wise decisions about your own health, by providing you with essential health information about both medical and alternative treatment options.