Do antibiotics cause diarrhea? How?

Ronda

Antibiotics may cause diarrhea. Sometimes this occurs as a side effect of the medication; it will stop when the medication is discontinued. Antibiotics may also cause a type of colitis (inflammation of the colon) due to an infection from the toxin of a bacteria called Clostridium difficile. It is not clear why some antibiotics cause this infection, nor why only some people get it.

If you have diarrhea that has started while you are taking an antibiotic or right after you have stopped, see or call your doctor so you can be evaluated. The infection can usually be easily treated.