Why would some antibiotics improve my fatigue by roughly 50%

[Karen17]

I've noticed over the 8 years of my ME/CFS, the few times I've taken antibiotics for about a twice-a-year UTI, I feel less fatigue. Not every time, but maybe 30% of the time. I don't feel any more fatigue when I come down with the UTI, just better taking some antibiotics. Anyone have any ideas why?

 

[SarahTee]

Interesting. Were the antibiotics the same each time?

 

[Karen17]

Interesting. Were the antibiotics the same each time?

No, they were different ones. I honestly can't remember which ones I had a good reaction to, as it took me a few years to make the connection. Some didn't help at all, and some did, just not sure which ones. I WILL take note going forward which ones help.

 

[jaminhealth]

The drug has killed some bacatera and that alone will lighten up the body. ABX drugs are a last resort thou, only taken if reallgh necessarh, some canm do dmage like the Cipro group of drugs...bad stuff

 

[beedrum]

If it was the antibiotics that made the difference, it could be that those particular antibiotics killed of certain bacteria that were responsible for you feeling tired. It's a pity you don't remember which antibiotics they were.

 

[Creekside]

I agree that it's likely microbiome changes. The microbiome is part of our body's functioning, so changes there can affect other functions of the body, and other parts of the body can affect the microbiome. I've had two instances where a change in my gut microbiome has worsened my ME symptoms. One was fixed by probiotics (pure luck that one of 14 strains in the capsule was the one that I had somehow lost). The other was fixed by food poisoning (coconut milk was a bit off), which gave my guts a good flushing out. Correcting such a problem can be as easy as taking a single probiotic capsule, or require drastic antibiotic treatments, FMTs or other such techniques, and I don't think there's any easy way to determine what is required.

You could experiment with diet, which can alter microbiome balance. Keeping a food/activity/symptoms journal is important, since human memory is too fallible for that. Maybe you'll find some food to add or avoid that will provide some improvement in your symptoms.

 

[Tammy7]

The drug has killed some bacatera and that alone will lighten up the body.

If that was the case why wouldn't the relief of fatigue be more lasting if the supposed bacteria that were causing the fatigue were no longer there?

 

[AEW]

I've noticed over the 8 years of my ME/CFS, the few times I've taken antibiotics for about a twice-a-year UTI, I feel less fatigue. Not every time, but maybe 30% of the time. I don't feel any more fatigue when I come down with the UTI, just better taking some antibiotics. Anyone have any ideas why?

The antibiotics might be helping a disorder of your gut biome. I recently was diagnosed with SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) and have been treated with two antibiotics, Rifamaxin and Neomycin, that targeted the bad bacteria. I was once told by a nutritionist who had cured herself of fibromyalgia that I have to heal my gut. She didn't tell me how, but I've recently read a book called the Holistic Gut Prescription by Lauren Deville NMD that helped me to figure out what was wrong with my gut and how to heal it. I diagnosed myself with the SIBO and my doctor is working with me.