Can i stop taking clindamycin after 6 days? i'm taking clindamycin for a cellulitis infection in my gums from an absessed tooth. it is causing bad diarrhea and my dentist told me to stop taking it. i am concerned that the infection could return.

I : I agree totally w/ dr. Mcleod. One additional suggestion to help with the stomach problems is to use a probiotic. These come in the form of pills and yougart.

Yes. : Yes. Unless the source of the infection is treated it is likely that it will return. What caused the gum infection? You need to have definitive treatment to remove the cause of that.

No: Cellulitis is a rather aggressive and diffuse infection that can become real trouble if not controlled. Clindamycin is a powerful antibiotic appropriate to such an infection, unfortunately a common side effect is diarrhea, and as such you should finish the full course of the drug unless the prescribing doctor tells you otherwise. Good luck!

I have to disagree : With the advice imparted so far. If you asked your doctor who was the prescribing physician and he told you it was okay, then you may listen to your doctor. While, i agree with the idea of a resistant bug possibly being created, one possibility would be to simply change the antibiotic say from clinda to zithromax. (if pcn allergic). Incidently, what if the diarrhea was c. Diff?