Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsAntibiotics and TirednessManaging TirednessAntibiotic Side EffectsDrugs Causing TirednessOther Reasons to Be Tired
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Antibiotics and Tiredness
Managing Tiredness
Antibiotic Side Effects
Drugs Causing Tiredness
Other Reasons to Be Tired
Some medications can make you feel tired or fatigued—but antibiotics typically aren’t one of them. However, some people still report feeling this way during their course of treatment.
In some cases, this might be from the type of antibiotic or other medications you may be on. A small amount of people have reported tiredness with certain antibiotics, such asmacrolides. Tiredness might also be a symptom of the infection for which you’re being treated and not directly related to the antibiotic at all.
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Tiredness or fatigue are not listed as common side effects of most antibiotics. Still, there are a handful of antibiotics that have reports of tiredness or fatigue, such as the examples listed below, although it’s unclear whether feeling tired stems from the medication or the infection:
Even if it isn’t listed as an official side effect, it’s still possible to feel more tired than usual while taking an antibiotic. Your body might feel tired simply because of the infection.
Your immune system also uses energy tofight infection, along with the help of the antibiotic, which is why getting extra rest can be helpful when you’re recovering. As your immune system releases infection-fighting cells and materials, it’s common to have symptoms such as fever, swelling, andmalaise(a general unwell feeling).
How to Manage Tiredness
Feeling tired while taking antibiotics can make recovery more difficult. Here are some strategies to help you cope:
If you continue to feel tired or experience extreme fatigue that affects your daily activities, it’s important to contact your healthcare provider.
Other Side Effects of Antibiotics
While fatigue isn’t a common side effect of antibiotics, other side effects that frequently occur while taking antibiotics include:
Serious side effects requiring medical attention, such as allergic reactions, can also occur.
In addition, antibiotics may harm the healthy balance of bacteria in the gut, leading to a severe type of diarrhea known asClostridioides difficile(C. diff, sometimes referred to asClostridium difficile). While uncommon, this may occur weeks to months after taking an antibiotic, such as penicillin or clindamycin. If any side effect worsens or doesn’t go away, contact your healthcare provider.
Other Medications That Can Cause Tiredness
Fatigue and/or drowsiness can result from other medications you may be taking. Some types of medications that may cause fatigue and/or drowsiness include:
If you’re taking any of these medications along with antibiotics, they may be contributing to your feelings of tiredness.
Let your healthcare provider know if your tiredness is persistent or feels severe. They can help determine if your tiredness is a side effect of a medication or related to other factors and can adjust your treatment plan if needed. In some cases, switching medications or changing the dosage may help reduce fatigue.
Other Reasons You May Feel Tired
Other factors that can contribute to tiredness or fatigue include:
If your tiredness persists, speak with your healthcare provider to explore any underlying causes.
Summary
While tiredness isn’t a common side effect of antibiotics, some people may experience it for various reasons. Certain types of antibiotics, the infection itself, or other medications could contribute to your fatigue.
Staying hydrated, eating well, and getting enough rest can help manage tiredness. If your fatigue worsens or feels extreme, talk to your healthcare provider for further guidance.
16 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Mohsen S, Dickinson JA, Somayaji R.Update on the adverse effects of antimicrobial therapies in community practice.Can Fam Physician.2020;66(9):651-659.MedlinePlus.Antibiotics.DailyMed.Cephalexin label.DailyMed.Moxifloxacin hydrochloride label.DailyMed.Azithromycin monohydrate label.Hansen MP, Scott AM, McCullough A, et al.Adverse events in people taking macrolide antibiotics versus placebo for any indication.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019;1(1):CD011825. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD011825.pub2MedlinePlus.Fatigue.Ghazaei C.Advances in the study of bacterial toxins, their roles and mechanisms in pathogenesis.Malays J Med Sci. 2022;29(1):4-17. doi:10.21315/mjms2022.29.1.2Mergenhagen KA, Wattengel BA, Skelly MK, et al.Fact versus fiction: a review of the evidence behind alcohol and antibiotic interactions.Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2020;64(3):e02167-19. doi:10.1128/AAC.02167-19Azzolino D, Arosio B, Marzetti E, et al.Nutritional status as a mediator of fatigue and its underlying mechanisms in older people.Nutrients. 2020;12(2):444. doi:10.3390/nu12020444Wender CLA, Manninen M, O’Connor PJ.The effect of chronic exercise on energy and fatigue states: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials.Front Psychol.2022;13:907637. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.907637Hirshkowitz M, Whiton K, Albert SM, et al.National Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary.Sleep Health. 2015;1(1):40-43. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2014.12.010Irwin MR.Why sleep is important for health: a psychoneuroimmunology perspective.Annu Rev Psychol. 2015;66:143-172. doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-010213-115205Kocalevent RD, Hinz A, Brähler E, et al.Determinants of fatigue and stress.BMC Res Notes. 2011;4:238. doi:10.1186/1756-0500-4-238Liska D, Mah E, Brisbois T, et al.Narrative review of hydration and selected health outcomes in the general population.Nutrients. 2019;11(1):70. doi:10.3390/nu11010070Effati-Daryani F, Mohammad-Alizadeh-Charandabi S, Mohammadi A, et al.Fatigue and sleep quality in different trimesters of pregnancy.Sleep Sci.2021;14(Spec 1):69-74. doi:10.5935/1984-0063.20200091
16 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Mohsen S, Dickinson JA, Somayaji R.Update on the adverse effects of antimicrobial therapies in community practice.Can Fam Physician.2020;66(9):651-659.MedlinePlus.Antibiotics.DailyMed.Cephalexin label.DailyMed.Moxifloxacin hydrochloride label.DailyMed.Azithromycin monohydrate label.Hansen MP, Scott AM, McCullough A, et al.Adverse events in people taking macrolide antibiotics versus placebo for any indication.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019;1(1):CD011825. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD011825.pub2MedlinePlus.Fatigue.Ghazaei C.Advances in the study of bacterial toxins, their roles and mechanisms in pathogenesis.Malays J Med Sci. 2022;29(1):4-17. doi:10.21315/mjms2022.29.1.2Mergenhagen KA, Wattengel BA, Skelly MK, et al.Fact versus fiction: a review of the evidence behind alcohol and antibiotic interactions.Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2020;64(3):e02167-19. doi:10.1128/AAC.02167-19Azzolino D, Arosio B, Marzetti E, et al.Nutritional status as a mediator of fatigue and its underlying mechanisms in older people.Nutrients. 2020;12(2):444. doi:10.3390/nu12020444Wender CLA, Manninen M, O’Connor PJ.The effect of chronic exercise on energy and fatigue states: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials.Front Psychol.2022;13:907637. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.907637Hirshkowitz M, Whiton K, Albert SM, et al.National Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary.Sleep Health. 2015;1(1):40-43. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2014.12.010Irwin MR.Why sleep is important for health: a psychoneuroimmunology perspective.Annu Rev Psychol. 2015;66:143-172. doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-010213-115205Kocalevent RD, Hinz A, Brähler E, et al.Determinants of fatigue and stress.BMC Res Notes. 2011;4:238. doi:10.1186/1756-0500-4-238Liska D, Mah E, Brisbois T, et al.Narrative review of hydration and selected health outcomes in the general population.Nutrients. 2019;11(1):70. doi:10.3390/nu11010070Effati-Daryani F, Mohammad-Alizadeh-Charandabi S, Mohammadi A, et al.Fatigue and sleep quality in different trimesters of pregnancy.Sleep Sci.2021;14(Spec 1):69-74. doi:10.5935/1984-0063.20200091
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Mohsen S, Dickinson JA, Somayaji R.Update on the adverse effects of antimicrobial therapies in community practice.Can Fam Physician.2020;66(9):651-659.MedlinePlus.Antibiotics.DailyMed.Cephalexin label.DailyMed.Moxifloxacin hydrochloride label.DailyMed.Azithromycin monohydrate label.Hansen MP, Scott AM, McCullough A, et al.Adverse events in people taking macrolide antibiotics versus placebo for any indication.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019;1(1):CD011825. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD011825.pub2MedlinePlus.Fatigue.Ghazaei C.Advances in the study of bacterial toxins, their roles and mechanisms in pathogenesis.Malays J Med Sci. 2022;29(1):4-17. doi:10.21315/mjms2022.29.1.2Mergenhagen KA, Wattengel BA, Skelly MK, et al.Fact versus fiction: a review of the evidence behind alcohol and antibiotic interactions.Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2020;64(3):e02167-19. doi:10.1128/AAC.02167-19Azzolino D, Arosio B, Marzetti E, et al.Nutritional status as a mediator of fatigue and its underlying mechanisms in older people.Nutrients. 2020;12(2):444. doi:10.3390/nu12020444Wender CLA, Manninen M, O’Connor PJ.The effect of chronic exercise on energy and fatigue states: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials.Front Psychol.2022;13:907637. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.907637Hirshkowitz M, Whiton K, Albert SM, et al.National Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary.Sleep Health. 2015;1(1):40-43. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2014.12.010Irwin MR.Why sleep is important for health: a psychoneuroimmunology perspective.Annu Rev Psychol. 2015;66:143-172. doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-010213-115205Kocalevent RD, Hinz A, Brähler E, et al.Determinants of fatigue and stress.BMC Res Notes. 2011;4:238. doi:10.1186/1756-0500-4-238Liska D, Mah E, Brisbois T, et al.Narrative review of hydration and selected health outcomes in the general population.Nutrients. 2019;11(1):70. doi:10.3390/nu11010070Effati-Daryani F, Mohammad-Alizadeh-Charandabi S, Mohammadi A, et al.Fatigue and sleep quality in different trimesters of pregnancy.Sleep Sci.2021;14(Spec 1):69-74. doi:10.5935/1984-0063.20200091
Mohsen S, Dickinson JA, Somayaji R.Update on the adverse effects of antimicrobial therapies in community practice.Can Fam Physician.2020;66(9):651-659.
MedlinePlus.Antibiotics.
DailyMed.Cephalexin label.
DailyMed.Moxifloxacin hydrochloride label.
DailyMed.Azithromycin monohydrate label.
Hansen MP, Scott AM, McCullough A, et al.Adverse events in people taking macrolide antibiotics versus placebo for any indication.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019;1(1):CD011825. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD011825.pub2
MedlinePlus.Fatigue.
Ghazaei C.Advances in the study of bacterial toxins, their roles and mechanisms in pathogenesis.Malays J Med Sci. 2022;29(1):4-17. doi:10.21315/mjms2022.29.1.2
Mergenhagen KA, Wattengel BA, Skelly MK, et al.Fact versus fiction: a review of the evidence behind alcohol and antibiotic interactions.Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2020;64(3):e02167-19. doi:10.1128/AAC.02167-19
Azzolino D, Arosio B, Marzetti E, et al.Nutritional status as a mediator of fatigue and its underlying mechanisms in older people.Nutrients. 2020;12(2):444. doi:10.3390/nu12020444
Wender CLA, Manninen M, O’Connor PJ.The effect of chronic exercise on energy and fatigue states: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials.Front Psychol.2022;13:907637. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2022.907637
Hirshkowitz M, Whiton K, Albert SM, et al.National Sleep Foundation’s sleep time duration recommendations: methodology and results summary.Sleep Health. 2015;1(1):40-43. doi:10.1016/j.sleh.2014.12.010
Irwin MR.Why sleep is important for health: a psychoneuroimmunology perspective.Annu Rev Psychol. 2015;66:143-172. doi:10.1146/annurev-psych-010213-115205
Kocalevent RD, Hinz A, Brähler E, et al.Determinants of fatigue and stress.BMC Res Notes. 2011;4:238. doi:10.1186/1756-0500-4-238
Liska D, Mah E, Brisbois T, et al.Narrative review of hydration and selected health outcomes in the general population.Nutrients. 2019;11(1):70. doi:10.3390/nu11010070
Effati-Daryani F, Mohammad-Alizadeh-Charandabi S, Mohammadi A, et al.Fatigue and sleep quality in different trimesters of pregnancy.Sleep Sci.2021;14(Spec 1):69-74. doi:10.5935/1984-0063.20200091
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