Breastfeeding, antibiotics, and probiotics

[bluedaisy]

I live in Uganda and was recently diagnosed with giardia and an amoeba - both intestinal parasites.  I'm on two different meds - one that is not absorbed into breastmilk and then metronidazole - 500 mg for 7 days.  They usually give a high dose for 3 days, but the dr said i could try to take a smaller dose over 7 days because the high dose is not recommended for bf moms.  My DS is 12 months old and is VERY attached to bf.  I honestly don't know how anyone would get any sleep if he couldn't breastfeed at night,  I REALLY don' t like that he is getting antibiotics through my milk but going 6 days without nursing would be terrible, and I would be afraid that ds would wean completely.

The dr gave me some probiotics to take once the course of antibiotics is over.  I also have some baby probiotics for my son.  Does it do any good to take them while I am on antibiotics, or will the antibiotics just kill them all?

Any encouragement would be helpful - I only take meds when absolutely necessary and I hate taking anything while bf or nursing, but the amoeba especially needs to be treated or it could be serious.

[sbgrace]

I hope the meds kill the parasites. We've struggled with parasites here too.

The antibiotic will kill off the probiotic with each dose. We usually dose 3 hours after each antibiotic dose--you'd have to replace each time and you do want to continue after the meds are gone.

[bluedaisy]

sbgrace - thank you for your reply, I will start taking the probiotics about 3 hours after each dose - I guess i will just give them to my son at various times throughout the day?  He breastfeeds at least every 3 hours so I assume he is getting a steady dose of antibiotics. 

I'm going back to the dr once the abx are finished to make sure it worked...if not, i'll have to do the three days of a high dose anyway.
 

[Mirzam]

FWIW, I have found colliodal sliver very sucessful in clearing up a dose of giardia in my dog. It took about three days to clear and have his stools return to normal, after two weeks of diaherrea. It has never returned, but he got his from eating deer poop which we try to prevent now!

[bluedaisy]

Thanks mirzam - I'll have to look around for that.  I'd be surprised if I can find it here but I can have someone ship it or bring some to me for the future.  Anything that can help avoid antibiotics is good!!