Water weight from antibiotics?

elphie754
elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
edited November 19 in Health and Weight Loss
I am curious about other MFPers experiences with water weight and antibiotics. I apologize in advance for such a long post but just wanted to make sure I give the full picture.

Background: This past week, and for the next 7 days, I have had to take antibiotics. I have actually been on two simultaneously (cipro and flagyl) for two simultaneous infections. Right now I'm just on the flagyl for another 5 days.

I was wondering if anyone else experienced quite a bit of water retention when they took either antibiotic, and if so how long did it take to subside after you finished them? I know I'm retaining water because my fingers look like puffy sausages lol, and this week I have had no weightloss despite being at a 3500 calorie weekly deficit. And yes I spoke to my PCP and she said it's rare but possible with AB and she's not concerned. Hoping after this subsides I see and awesome drop lol. I would have thought I'd have an even bigger drop since the medication makes my stomach sick/I have t eaten as much, but weight has remained the same (within .2-.6 lbs) for the past 7 days. It is very frustrating.

Before any one says it- yes I track accurately. I weigh everything solid that I eat and measure all liquid I drink that is not water (even if diet). I use my Fitbit to track calories burned (and don't eat back all cals as a buffer just in case) and up until this week I have been losing what I predict I would lose based on the deficit of the week. Nothing else has changed: no increased sodium (I try to stay between 1500-2000 of sodium daily), and TOM just passed so the gain I usually see the week before TOM shouldn't be effecting my weight.

Eta: if you have experienced this, is there anything you did to help alleviate the symptoms? While the weight stall is annoying, the swelling of fingers and ankles is actually causing a bit of discomfort :(.

Replies

  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited June 2015
    The only thing that bothers me is prednisone (and only if I have to go into a second week of taking it) or zpacks..

    I have taken cipro and metronidazole (generic) in the past, but never bothered me.. You may have some specific reaction to one or both of the meds being taken together.. and some medications can stay in your body for days after ceasing..

    Taken a lot of cipro in my day for kidney or bladder infections..
  • jorinya
    jorinya Posts: 933 Member
    Yep, I'm going through the same thing. I have an infected large intestine at the moment and taking two antibiotics and other meds alongside it. Best thing to do is actually drink more water, believe it or not. My fingers are a little swollen, ankles hurt but hey it will all be over when I'm off the meds. I've had enough of sitting down doing nothing. I want to workout but need to go for a scan on Wednesday, until then I don't know what is going to happen. Good luck op!
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
    oh yeah Lots and lots for quit years ago
    An allergic reaction, gain and water weight. Kidney failure and some other issues plus a pneumonia.
    Legs like an elephant

    And we are talking here about 30 pounds in a few days time. And the rest overtime because they had to fight the pneumonia and inflammation i had. So they tried out some antibiotics in a (to) very short time.

    But slowly everything became stable...only took me years to get over all the issues the antibiotics caused me.
  • BWBTrish
    BWBTrish Posts: 2,817 Member
    btw my weight loss now is normal and pretty stable
    Fluctuations...hardly

    And no medication at all here :)
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    gia07 wrote: »
    The only thing that bothers me is prednisone (and only if I have to go into a second week of taking it) or zpacks..

    I have taken cipro and metronidazole (generic) in the past, but never bothered me.. You may have some specific reaction to one or both of the meds being taken together.. and some medications can stay in your body for days after ceasing..

    Taken a lot of cipro in my day for kidney or bladder infections..

    Seeing as I'm allergic to most antibiotics it is very likely it's a weird reaction lol. My body doesn't seem to like to react "normally" to meds lol.
    jorinya wrote: »
    Yep, I'm going through the same thing. I have an infected large intestine at the moment and taking two antibiotics and other meds alongside it. Best thing to do is actually drink more water, believe it or not. My fingers are a little swollen, ankles hurt but hey it will all be over when I'm off the meds. I've had enough of sitting down doing nothing. I want to workout but need to go for a scan on Wednesday, until then I don't know what is going to happen. Good luck op!

    I have increased my fluid intake because flagyl leaves me with a horrible metallic taste :(.
  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
    What does your doctor say about it?
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Be CAREFUL with the Cipro. Keep an eye on ANY ill effects. Serious, serious stuff.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    atypicalsmith wrote: »
    What does your doctor say about it?

    Already answered that in the OP. Clearly stated I was looking for others experiences.
    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    Be CAREFUL with the Cipro. Keep an eye on ANY ill effects. Serious, serious stuff.

    Thankfully I'm off the cipro now.
  • jorinya
    jorinya Posts: 933 Member
    The taste is awful. I only have two days left them off them. Thank God! Hopefully all clear and on Wednesday can start getting back to normal. Which reminds me, I need to take them now. Yuck! Going to have a cuppa brewing and then take them and follow with a nice cuppa 5 mins later.
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    Speaking of side effects- did anyone else get a sore/stiff neck from flagyl? Called PCP and she said as long as I can still move it and it isn't accompanied by a fever, it's okay.
  • harpsdesire
    harpsdesire Posts: 190 Member
    Anecdotally, I felt the same way, puffy-fingered and swollen when I was on antibiotics last year. Attempting to take waterpills or something like that when you're already ill isn't something I would suggest unless your doctor is on board... personally I just tried to drink as much water as I could and waited it out. As far as I remember it subsided about 2-3 days after I finished the meds.

    I hope you feel better soon. Don't forget yogurt with live cultures if you're prone to upset digestion from the antibiotics!
  • elphie754
    elphie754 Posts: 7,574 Member
    harpsdesire wrote: »
    Anecdotally, I felt the same way, puffy-fingered and swollen when I was on antibiotics last year. Attempting to take waterpills or something like that when you're already ill isn't something I would suggest unless your doctor is on board... personally I just tried to drink as much water as I could and waited it out. As far as I remember it subsided about 2-3 days after I finished the meds.

    I hope you feel better soon. Don't forget yogurt with live cultures if you're prone to upset digestion from the antibiotics!

    Thank you. I have increased my fluid intake but it doesn't seem to help right now. I take probiotics and it seems to ward off the stomach side effects. I usually eat yorgurt every day but right now my taste buds are all messed up so it tastes horrible.
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