Are antibiotics mandatory after surgery?

It’s understandable that you’re concerned about taking antibiotics, especially if they cause stomach issues for you. However, post-surgical antibiotics are often prescribed to prevent infection, which can be a serious complication after any procedure. Whether or not you must take them depends on your individual situation, but here are a few key considerations:

Purpose of Antibiotics: After surgery, the risk of infection is higher, especially when incisions are involved. Antibiotics are prescribed to lower that risk and help your body heal without complications. An untreated infection can lead to more serious issues and even affect the success of your surgery.

Alternative Options: Some people are more sensitive to certain types of antibiotics. If you’ve experienced significant stomach issues in the past, you might want to discuss this with your doctor. There could be alternative antibiotics that are gentler on your stomach or even non-oral options like topical or intravenous antibiotics, depending on your specific case.

Probiotics and Stomach Support: If you do need to take antibiotics, you might also want to consider using probiotics or eating probiotic-rich foods (like yogurt or kefir) to help balance your gut bacteria and minimize stomach upset. This can sometimes lessen the gastrointestinal side effects of antibiotics.

Skipping Antibiotics: Not taking the prescribed antibiotics increases the risk of infection, which can lead to serious complications. It's generally not recommended to skip them without discussing it with your surgeon. They can evaluate your risk for infection and determine if the antibiotics are essential for your particular procedure.

It’s really important to have an open conversation with your doctor about your concerns. They may be able to offer a solution that helps protect your stomach while also ensuring that you’re protected from infection.

Antibiotics are notoriously over prescribed especially for elective cosmetic surgery. If a patient refuses antibiotics for surgery, we still proceed. I’ve never had a problem with that approach

Dear Eclectic223178,
every plastic surgeon has his own preoperative protocol which he recommends to his patients. Most surgeons try to reduce the antibiotics use. I would suggest you to discuss this with your plastic surgeon.
Daniel Barrett, MDCertified, American Board of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Plastic SurgeryMember, American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery