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medicines that can cause diarrhea

overview

many prescription and non-prescription medicines can cause diarrhea. a few examples are:

  • antibiotics.
  • antidepressants.
  • antacids.
  • proton pump inhibitors, such as omeprazole (prilosec) and lansoprazole (prevacid).
  • medicines used to treat cancer (chemotherapy).

many antibiotics cause diarrhea. usually the diarrhea is mild and will clear up without treatment. a more serious type of diarrhea caused by the bacteria clostridium difficile may occur while taking the antibiotic or shortly after finishing the antibiotic.

diarrhea may be a sign of serious reaction to a medicine, such as a toxic reaction. diarrhea is an early sign of toxicity for some medicines, including lithium (such as carbolith or lithane) and digoxin (lanoxin).

if you think a medicine is causing diarrhea, contact the doctor who prescribed it. the dosage may need to be changed, or the medicine may need to be stopped.

credits

current as of: september 25, 2023

author: healthwise staff
clinical review board
all healthwise education is reviewed by a team that includes physicians, nurses, advanced practitioners, registered dieticians, and other healthcare professionals.

this information does not replace the advice of a doctor. healthwise, incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. your use of this information means that you agree to the terms of use. learn how we develop our content.

this information does not replace the advice of a doctor. healthwise, incorporated, disclaims any warranty or liability for your use of this information. your use of this information means that you agree to the terms of use and privacy policy. to learn more about healthwise, visit healthwise.org. © 1995-2022 healthwise, incorporated. healthwise, healthwise for every health decision, and the healthwise logo are trademarks of healthwise, incorporated.

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