Amoxicillin and cephalexin (keflex) now cause severe withdrawal symptoms

I took 2 g Amoxicillin before a dentist appointment and had severe withdrawal symptoms so bad I was sent to a neurologist for EEG testing because it felt like I was having seizure like symptoms. I was having to take my doses of benzos closer and closer together and it didn't help.

 

I just now had to take Keflex which I thought would be OK since I've been on it before while on benzos without a problem. Maybe it's because my tolerance withdrawal has increased, but this time is like with the amoxicillin where I am crawling out of my skin and have a "seizury" feeling. And I've been super hypervigilant.

 

The cephalosporins like many other types of antibiotics also affect GABA-A receptors:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12871648

 

"“Previous work has suggested that the convulsive actions of cephalosporins are caused by the suppression of inhibitory neurotransmission via modulation of r-amino butyric acid (GABAA) receptors (Fujimoto et al., 1995, Wallace, 1997, Hantson et al., 1999). Consistent with this hypothesis, clinical observations indicated that positive modulators of GABAA receptors, benzodiazepines and barbiturates, can prevent or treat antibiotic-induced convulsions (Wallace, 1997, Hantson et al., 1999). Radioligand binding studies showed that cephalosporins inhibited GABA binding (Hori et al., 1985, Shimada et al., 1992), suggesting that these compounds can also reduce the GABA-mediated inhibitory response. However, comprehensive studies on the convulsive activities of various cephalosporins in vivo and in vitro have not been performed.”"

 

So if they use benzos to prevent/treat seizure activity caused by cephalosporins, it stands to reason you would be susceptible to seizure-like activity if you were like me in benzo tolerance withdrawal.

 

I looked at this chart on antibiotic neurotoxicity and it looks like almost all antibiotics have some sort of effect on the GABA system:

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3175508/pdf/bcp0072-0381.pdf

 

I feel like I will never be able to take an antibiotic again, which is kind of scary. My doctor dismisses me. They don't have time to learn these sorts of things. He hasn't said it, but I am sure he think it's "just anxiety" and that I'm being a pain.

 

I had been doing really well for a good while and was worried this would mess things up and it didn't at first until later in the evening. I've taken my available benzo doses early but still have this feeling in my head like everything I look at is moving like a flipbook--I mean it doesn't actually look that way but I don't know how else to describe the feeling. I guess from the outside someone would call it agitation.

 

I had been on this exact antibiotic while on benzos before without a problem, but I guess my tolerance problem has increased.

I'm reading through the forums in this very agitated state so I apologize I didn't post this in my original post, but I see a lot of people take Keflex without problems--which is how I used to be.

 

So I wonder if it could be some other underlying neurological problem? Or has anyone else done well on an antibiotic before and then done poorly the next time?

Amoxicillin acts on gaba receptors and reinjures them, many of us have taken an AB and ended up in a worse state than acute. I took amoxycillin at 9 months off and it felt like I'd just CTd, took about 7 months to feel better, i really can sympathise with you. It does seem for some of us that our cns is so sensitive and fragile that it will react very badly in bwd despite being ok with the med pre benzos. I was so bad i have vowed i will never take another AB unless my life literally depends on it. And it's not just ABs, I've recently had a nasty uptick in sxs from aspirin, i didn't know it inhibits gaba receptors. However we are all different and not everyone responds the same way. For me personally i try and research everything a Dr recommends before i decide if it's safe for me to take, Dr's have no idea of how bwd can affect people's reactions to other medications, so i think we have to be our own best advocate and arm ourselves with as much knowledge as possible. I really hope your sxs ease up soon.

Amoxicillin acts on gaba receptors and reinjures them, many of us have taken an AB and ended up in a worse state than acute. I took amoxycillin at 9 months off and it felt like I'd just CTd, took about 7 months to feel better, i really can sympathise with you. It does seem for some of us that our cns is so sensitive and fragile that it will react very badly in bwd despite being ok with the med pre benzos. I was so bad i have vowed i will never take another AB unless my life literally depends on it. And it's not just ABs, I've recently had a nasty uptick in sxs from aspirin, i didn't know it inhibits gaba receptors. However we are all different and not everyone responds the same way. For me personally i try and research everything a Dr recommends before i decide if it's safe for me to take, Dr's have no idea of how bwd can affect people's reactions to other medications, so i think we have to be our own best advocate and arm ourselves with as much knowledge as possible. I really hope your sxs ease up soon.

 

Thanks for the support.

 

I stopped the Keflex.

 

I had taken Keflex before while on benzos without problems, but I guess something has changed in me. I wrote to my doctor to tell him I had to stop. I am sure he will think it's psychosomatic.

 

I'm hoping in this case I won't need the antibiotics (I've had a nasal problem that won't go away but it's not life threatening), but it makes me wonder what I would do if I absolutely had to have antibiotics.

following. and i've been floxed and taken penicillin class/amoxicil, and cephalosporins also. check my drug hx link in my signature for details.

Amoxicillin acts on gaba receptors and reinjures them, many of us have taken an AB and ended up in a worse state than acute. I took amoxycillin at 9 months off and it felt like I'd just CTd, took about 7 months to feel better, i really can sympathise with you. It does seem for some of us that our cns is so sensitive and fragile that it will react very badly in bwd despite being ok with the med pre benzos. I was so bad i have vowed i will never take another AB unless my life literally depends on it. And it's not just ABs, I've recently had a nasty uptick in sxs from aspirin, i didn't know it inhibits gaba receptors. However we are all different and not everyone responds the same way. For me personally i try and research everything a Dr recommends before i decide if it's safe for me to take, Dr's have no idea of how bwd can affect people's reactions to other medications, so i think we have to be our own best advocate and arm ourselves with as much knowledge as possible. I really hope your sxs ease up soon.

 

Amoxicillin acts on gaba receptors and reinjures them, many of us have taken an AB and ended up in a worse state than acute. I took amoxycillin at 9 months off and it felt like I'd just CTd, took about 7 months to feel better, i really can sympathise with you. It does seem for some of us that our cns is so sensitive and fragile that it will react very badly in bwd despite being ok with the med pre benzos. I was so bad i have vowed i will never take another AB unless my life literally depends on it. And it's not just ABs, I've recently had a nasty uptick in sxs from aspirin, i didn't know it inhibits gaba receptors. However we are all different and not everyone responds the same way. For me personally i try and research everything a Dr recommends before i decide if it's safe for me to take, Dr's have no idea of how bwd can affect people's reactions to other medications, so i think we have to be our own best advocate and arm ourselves with as much knowledge as possible. I really hope your sxs ease up soon.

What I am curious about looking at the chart in the article I posted here:

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3175508/pdf/bcp0072-0381.pdf

 

 

is that out of all the antibiotics, the groups that interact with GABA receptor sites are the beta-lactams (which include both penicillin type antibiotic and cephalosporin type) and fluoroquinolones—yet it's only the fluroquinolones that have received so much attention interacting with benzodiazepines.

 

It says that prior neurological disease is a reason why a person taking a beta-lactam would have neurotoxic effects, and benzodiazepine tolerance to me is a neurological disease. And when you read why these cause such effects it says they both increase glutamate and interfere with GABA receptors.

 

One more reason benzodiazepines are very frustrating.

 

I completed a course of cefdinir (a cephalosporin) for a confirmed-by-culture infection.  I had no issues.

Great post Marcus, I hope you're feeling better soon.

Ugh amoxicillin!!!!! Many people have issues, me included. Unbelievable. If someone was lucky enough not to, what’s the point in posting here saying so huh??? So irritating, it’s like someone saying, I come off benzos no issue. Oh ok then!

I took vancomycin for c diff with no issues. However, I understand that oral vancomycin supposedly does not leave your digestive tract.

Southern Star, did the reaction pass for you? I think it was you who informed me if the effect on gaba and glutamate. It’s been 10 months since the AB, granted I took two lots ugh. Don’t even think I had a true infection either. Ugh.

 

Great thread

 

Amoxicillin use with my 2mg clonazepam Rx left be debilitated for months. Was incorrectly diagnosed with spinal meningitis.

 

Doxiycycline and Rifampin together put me in the hospital with a NSTEMI (nonsegmented myocardial infarction) heart attack

and pericarditis, myocarditis and atrial fibrillation.  I was ignorantly still taking 2 mg clonazepam daily.

 

I didn't catch the connection until I found BB and then spent months researching the cause of these events. No coincidence

that the combination of these drugs with my benzo caused these reactions. Both events happened within two days of after

taking the AB rx.

 

I've gotten beaten up on other forums for  suggesting that people on this site steer clear of negative allosteric modulators of

GABAa,  (NAMs) I dug deep and found a list of these medications and chemicals one might want to avoid while still taking

a benzo and perhaps well after we are off.  Here's that list:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:GABAA_receptor_negative_allosteric_modulators

 

Just my thoughts.  And by the way,  I am 5 months post jumping and many issues have resolved.  My heart is healthy and

seldom feel scary palpitations that that I endured until about 2 months after I ended my taper. 

 

Klonkar

I mentioned my post taper experience with vancomycin. I did not mention my metronidazole(flagyl) experience during. That landed me in the hospital. 

I had a terrible time with antibiotics!! I still shudder thinking about it. I was in the hospital and given Bactrim IV. I had hallucinations and garish colors, nightmares. I didn't realize that I was allergic to sulfa. Then I was given Bactrim pills. Unfortunately, they didn't work.

 

I had Amoxicillin after that.

 

TERRIBLY high bp for 2-3 months straight - 200+. It was a nightmare, all of it. To this day I can hear my heart beating in my left ear all the time. I didn't have that before.

 

My doctor just laughed when I told him the very high bp was from the drugs. He pooh-poohed everything I said. Doctors are absolutely clueless about the neurotoxic effects of antibiotics and the damaged brain.

 

I am, however, given 1 Keflex every time I go to the doctor to get my bladder checked out. That hasn't caused a problem, luckily. It's only every 3 months, so I'm thankful for that.

Amoxicillin acts on gaba receptors and reinjures them, many of us have taken an AB and ended up in a worse state than acute. I took amoxycillin at 9 months off and it felt like I'd just CTd, took about 7 months to feel better, i really can sympathise with you. It does seem for some of us that our cns is so sensitive and fragile that it will react very badly in bwd despite being ok with the med pre benzos. I was so bad i have vowed i will never take another AB unless my life literally depends on it. And it's not just ABs, I've recently had a nasty uptick in sxs from aspirin, i didn't know it inhibits gaba receptors. However we are all different and not everyone responds the same way. For me personally i try and research everything a Dr recommends before i decide if it's safe for me to take, Dr's have no idea of how bwd can affect people's reactions to other medications, so i think we have to be our own best advocate and arm ourselves with as much knowledge as possible. I really hope your sxs ease up soon.

 

Hi southern star.

 

Most antibiotics are as safe in withdrawal and recovery as any other time.  There is no evidence these two antibiotics damage GABAa receptors that I’ve seen.  If you have a link to that information, please post it. 

 

I believe you’re doing a disservice ( a dangerous one) to others by in effect discouraging antibiotic use.  Many times upticks in symptoms are a result of the reason for which the antibiotics recommended, not the antibiotic itself. The same applies to aspirin, to my knowledge there is no evidence it affects GABAa receptors in a way that would cause symptoms.  It’s more likely that the reason for the aspirin would cause one to be more symptomatic.

 

Regardless, please offer advice as opinion unless backed up with facts. Someone may believe this and refuse an antibiotic that is necessary to fight an infection.

 

Challis

 

P.S. Quinolone antibiotics are a different story and should be avoided if at all possible.  Easily Googled.

Here’s one link with names of quinolone ABs: https://www.psychmedaware.org/blog/fluoroquinolone-antibiotics.html

Antibiotics saved my wife’s life January 1, 2019 when she was suffering with an infected gallbladder that was misdiagnosed as a viral infection.  She would not be here except for IV antibiotics followed by several days of amoxicillin.  She had absolutely no issues with antibiotics.  It took her a few weeks to recover from her illness, but that’s to be expected.

 

There is a lot of fear mongering here and a member who still suffers with fear may read these posts and assume they will get worse from a life saving treatment.  This is very dangerous.

I took Amoxicillin and I was perfectly fine.  If you don’t want to hear my “perfectly fine” report, Time Heals, then put me on Ignore.

 

Please provide links that back up fear mongering posts so that we at least have scientific research we can read that make these posts something other than TOTALLY BASELESS HOGWASH.

 

Sofa

Here is a link that includes fluoroquinoline drugs in an a class of drugs that are antagonists of  GABAa neuroreceptors.  Other

antibiotics  are listed in that link as well.  Perhaps there could be an  open for discussion as obviously there are people who

have been horribly affected by using certain antibiotics with benzos.  Certainly, not every AB falls  into this category.  The link

I posted above lists antagonists and negative modulators of GABAa.  It addresses the negative modulation of GABA and so it interests  me.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GABAA_receptor_negative_allosteric_modulator

 

I only know for sure what happened to me with two specific AB treatments.  It appears I  am not alone.

 

Klonkar

 

 

 

 

 

I had to take an high dosage course of augmentin (amoxicillin and clavulanate) for an episode of diverticulitis last month. I was not thrilled about having to take this AB .  . but it was either that or I would have had to hire a hit man to come and put me out of my misery. The pain was that bad. Fortunately I suffered no ill effects from the augmentin. Whew. And no hitmen had to visit.

 

Having taken the augmentin once, I won't be nervous about taking it again if the need arises. And I have taken a Z-Pack several times during my taper with no ill effects. As we say here on BB, everyone's diffferent.

 

Cipro, on the other hand, half killed me. I was young(er), foolish, and ill-informed. Never again.

 

 

Katz

 

 

 

 

I took Amoxicillin and I was perfectly fine.  If you don’t want to hear my “perfectly fine” report, Time Heals, then put me on Ignore.

 

Sofa

 

I had no issues with Amoxicillin.

Amoxicillin acts on gaba receptors and reinjures them, many of us have taken an AB and ended up in a worse state than acute. I took amoxycillin at 9 months off and it felt like I'd just CTd, took about 7 months to feel better, i really can sympathise with you. It does seem for some of us that our cns is so sensitive and fragile that it will react very badly in bwd despite being ok with the med pre benzos. I was so bad i have vowed i will never take another AB unless my life literally depends on it. And it's not just ABs, I've recently had a nasty uptick in sxs from aspirin, i didn't know it inhibits gaba receptors. However we are all different and not everyone responds the same way. For me personally i try and research everything a Dr recommends before i decide if it's safe for me to take, Dr's have no idea of how bwd can affect people's reactions to other medications, so i think we have to be our own best advocate and arm ourselves with as much knowledge as possible. I really hope your sxs ease up soon.

 

Hi southern star.

 

Most antibiotics are as safe in withdrawal and recovery as any other time.  There is no evidence these two antibiotics damage GABAa receptors that I’ve seen.  If you have a link to that information, please post it. 

 

I believe you’re doing a disservice ( a dangerous one) to others by in effect discouraging antibiotic use.  Many times upticks in symptoms are a result of the reason for which the antibiotics recommended, not the antibiotic itself. The same applies to aspirin, to my knowledge there is no evidence it affects GABAa receptors in a way that would cause symptoms.  It’s more likely that the reason for the aspirin would cause one to be more symptomatic.

 

Regardless, please offer advice as opinion unless backed up with facts. Someone may believe this and refuse an antibiotic that is necessary to fight an infection.

 

Challis

 

P.S. Quinolone antibiotics are a different story and should be avoided if at all possible.  Easily Googled.

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18078964

 

"The aspirin metabolite salicylate enhances neuronal excitation in rat hippocampal CA1 area through reducing GABAergic inhibition.

 

Abstract

Salicylate is the major metabolite and active component of aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid), which is widely used in clinical medicine for treating inflammation, pain syndromes and cardiovascular disorders. The well-known mechanism underlying salicylate's action mainly involves the inhibition of cyclooxygenase and subsequent decrease in prostaglandin production. Recent evidence suggests that salicylate also affects neuronal function through interaction with specific membrane channels/receptors. However, the effect of salicylate on synaptic and neural network function remains largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the effect of sodium salicylate on the synaptic transmission and neuronal excitation in the hippocampal CA1 area of rats, a key structure for many complex brain functions. With electrophysiological recordings in hippocampal slices, we found that sodium salicylate significantly enhanced neuronal excitation through reducing inhibitory GABAergic transmission without affecting the basal excitatory synaptic transmission. Salicylate significantly inhibited the amplitudes of both evoked and miniature inhibitory postsynaptic currents, and directly reduced gamma-aminobutyric acid type A (GABA(A)) receptor-mediated responses in cultured rat hippocampal neurons. Together, our results suggest that the widely used aspirin might impair hippocampal synaptic and neural network functions through its actions on GABAergic neurotransmission. Given the capability of aspirin to penetrate the blood-brain barrier, the present data imply that aspirin intake may cause network hyperactivity and be potentially harmful in susceptible subpopulations."

 

 

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3175508/pdf/bcp0072-0381.pdf

 

"Neurotoxic effects associated with antibiotic use: management considerations

 

The clinical manifestations of antibiotic-induced neurotoxic effects, the underlying mechanisms and management strategies have been

reviewed. PubMed and OVID searches (January 1960–June 2010) were conducted using search terms such as antibiotics, side effects,

neurotoxicity and encephalopathy which yielded approximately 300 articles. All relevant case reports, case series, letters and

retrospective reviews describing neurotoxic effects and those discussing mechanisms of neurotoxicity were included.

Antibiotic-induced neurotoxic side effects can have a myriad of neurologic presentations. Patients with prior central nervous system

(CNS) disease, renal insufficiency and advanced age may be particularly vulnerable. Treatment consists of discontinuation of the

offending agent, use of antiepileptic drugs in the case of seizures or status epilepticus and haemodialysis in certain cases. The risk of

CNS toxicity may be reduced via dosage adjustments in high risk populations. Awareness of the potential neurotoxic clinical

manifestations of various antibiotics and high degree of vigilance in critically ill patients is essential in identifying a potentially serious,

though reversible complications of antibiotic therapy particularly with the advent of newer antimicrobial agents."

 

Marcus posted this article in his initial post, which, if you read it, mentions that penicillins - of which amoxicillin is one - have shown neurotoxicity. So southern star is right.

 

Also, for some people, many antibiotics are not safe in withdrawal, if you look at the long list in that second article posted. It's not just the fluoroquinolones. Southern Star is not doing a disservice. She even said she would take one herself if her life depended on it. However, your statement that most antibiotics are safe in withdrawal is pretty evidence-free. Care to provide a link for that? For some that might not be true.

 

Overuse of antibiotics still exists in medicine, just like overuse of benzos, so people do need to protect themselves. We all know from experience that doctors cannot be relied on to practice evidence-based medicine, let alone actually understand the risks of their treatments.

 

https://www.nature.com/articles/476393a

 

"Antibiotic overuse

 

Stop the killing of beneficial bacteria

Martin Blaser

Nature volume 476, pages393–394 (2011) | Download Citation

 

 

Concerns about antibiotics focus on bacterial resistance — but permanent changes to our protective flora could have more serious consequences, says Martin Blaser.

 

The average child in the United States and other developed countries has received 10–20 courses of antibiotics by the time he or she is 18 years old1. In many respects, this is a life-saving development. The average US citizen born in 1940 was expected to live to the age of 63; a baby born today should reach 78, in part because of antibiotics. But the assumption that antibiotics are generally safe has fostered overuse and led to an increase in bacterial resistance to treatments.

............"

 

I'm happy to provide links to all my posts regarding ABs. There is a lot of evidence regarding the dangers of penicillins on a compromised cns. I'm unable to provide those links atm as I'm in hospital due to bwd and only have access to my phone. Of course you could check my previous posts on ABs where i provided the links.

 

SKD i don't appreciate your bullying tone, it is not the first time I've noticed this, I'm unsure why you choose to adopt this tone, as i said please check all my previous posts on ABs and you will find the links. Otherwise i will post those links as soon as i am well enough.

 

Apart from posting those links i won't bother posting again, happy to accept PMs from buddies who know me. Thanks Data Guy, you said it all so much better than i could atm.

A link from benzosupport.org suggesting caution in using antibiotics, when and how they might affect the benzo population, and not specific

to just fluroquinolones. 

 

http://www.benzosupport.org/quinolene_antibiotics.htm

 

Suggests using antibiotics that don't work on the central nervous system, the older drugs.

 

Klonkar