People who take opioids for pain relief for extended periods of time may need higher doses to ease their pain. They may develop tolerance to the drug and experience withdrawal symptoms if the medication is abruptly stopped. They become physically dependent on the drug.
Antibiotics most likely to cause C. diff infections are clindamycin, amoxicillin, ampicillin, and cephalosporins, and to a lesser extent, penicillin, erythromycin, and quinolones.
Since many antibiotics can cause C. difficile infection, all antibiotics should be used prudently. Self-administration or using antibiotics without an accurate diagnosis or a proper reason should be discouraged.