Can antibiotics cause depression? I took Amoxicillin for bronchitis, and during this time…I’ve fallen into a deep depression. I’m not sure if it’s a coincidence since I’m also in lockdown…I’ve been in some sort of lockdown, quarantine, self isolation for about 9 months total since last spring. I’ve tried to make the best of it, and did very well getting all As in my first term masters course. But now I can barely get out of bed…
I’m really struggling right now. I don’t know what to do. I’ve never felt this way before. I thought maybe I’m just tired and burnt out, but after a week of rest…I’ve not felt any better.
I’m reading people seem to have this issue, it seems antibiotics can really mess with your gut micromb that can impact your mental health. And some animal studies seem to indicate it can cause this issue. Many doctors also seem to think a round of probiotics post antibiotics is strongly recommended.
I’m going to try to get on some pro biotics and eat some fermented food like kimchi to see if things improve.
It’s possible a drug could affect a person differently
I was taking a common heart medicine to keep my heart rate from over speeding and that caused me huge problems
Insomnia even more erratic heart beat and finally extreme depression that I’ve never had before oh and extreme nightmares
Went off the drugs and I’m back to my happy self
I’m on a different drug that does the same thing but does not cause depression
It had caused heart pain though but that went away eventually
A good idea generally, probiotic yogurt is pretty flexible too. Pickles.
And sadly drinking less (though if you’re on antibiotics drinking isn’t helpful anyways). Exercise is also good for when you’re feeling bad. Vitamin D is problem in the winters in Canada; if you’re not getting much sun look for Vitamin D fortified foods like milk or orange juice. And find time for something that makes you feel good about yourself, like humiliating strangers on the Internet or playing with a cat (pets like cats and dogs are also good for depression).
There is at least one mental health thread that might be worth looking for. Lots of us are struggling because of the pandemic, or other personal issues, or both. I’m personally doing alright right now but have had some low points so I can sympathize.
This is an excellent point; I took an anti-depressant once but all it gave me were hives.
Indeed. I’m pretty mentally resillent. I can take a lot of physical and mental discomfort and push through. But right now, it’s really bad. I can barely get out of bed. Everything is miserable and I feel 0 joy. I can’t even bring myself to enjoy my hobbies like video games on my new PS5. Don’t really want to eat anything.
I’ve been reading a lot on gut bacterial. They seem to do a lot. Studies have shown they impact brain chemistry. One study even found a fecal transplant from a obese donor to a pateint caused the patient to gain weight after. It’s pretty insane.
I take vit D daily with along with vit C, fish oils, and magnesium.
I feel like something is seriously wrong. There’s normal depression like your dog died, you feel depressed. There seems to be more to this but I’m not a mental health professional. It’s pretty sudden and I have no particular outside factors that would make me feel this way IMO. Yes, the lockdown might impact my mental health. But I’ve been in lockdown for a while, and I’ve managed to keep in good spirits with some ups and downs. This feels like a bottomless pit.
I’m not either, but I did have access to a few through grad school; I seem to remember you are doing a masters in the UK, does your uni offer someone you could talk to?
Agreed. Certainly in on campuses in North America there is a “mental health crisis” (not a literal crisis, but this is the language used); an upside of this is destigmatization and a variety of resources freely available. Your university might have someone or something that works for you, and you are paying for it as part of the experience.
I think it is like procrastinating, or quitting smoking; we have to find something that works for us and that unfortunately means trying a lot of things that don’t work. Don’t give up, probably you can push through this one too. But definitely look into a professional opinion, especially if you’ve already paid for it!
I’ve certainly have not given up hope beyond this. But I need to try to do something to get out of it. I’ve tried going on walks, resting, sleeping more, etc. I think I just need a bit of help this time and maybe some dietary supplementation to get my body back to normality again.
Have you tried anything more strenuous than walking? The lack of exercise alone over that period would drive me crazy. For example, maybe running? I’ve been under “house arrest” for a year now. Bought a rowing machine earlier. I’ve found that running and the rowing machine help. Although, I do hate exercise for exercise’s sake, but it has definitely helped me, even though I don’t want to do it. I’ve also been playing golf around 3 times a week.
I was jogging a bit before I got bronchitis and couldn’t anymore. And I’ve been recovering from sciatica so I just do some walking to move around. Unfortunately, gyms are closed but I would go 4-5 times a week before.
Diseases can make you feel depressed. And antibiotics mess your guts, and the biota in your guts actually affect your mind, so I would tend to give an affirmative answer to your question.
