Treatment

Treatment for antibiotic-associated diarrhea depends on the severity of your signs and symptoms.

Treatments to cope with mild antibiotic-associated diarrhea

If you have mild diarrhea, your symptoms likely will clear up within a few days after your antibiotic treatment ends. In some cases, your doctor may advise you to stop your antibiotic therapy until your diarrhea subsides.

Treatment to fight harmful bacteria causing C. difficile infection

If you develop C. difficile infection, your doctor will likely stop whatever antibiotic you're currently taking, and might prescribe antibiotics specifically targeted to kill the C. difficile bacteria causing your diarrhea. You may also be asked to stop taking stomach-acid-suppressing drugs. For people with this type of infection, diarrhea symptoms may return and require repeated treatment.