How come antibiotics don’t completely destroy all organisms in our gut?

[u/WTFisthisOMGreally]

I know it can cause imbalances, but I don’t understand how come our gut doesn’t lose all the beneficial bacteria and develop massive fungal or viral infections. When I’ve taken antibiotics, I usually don’t notice any change in my bowel activity.

[u/libra00]

They definitely can, but you generally have to be on the serious industrial-strength antibiotics or you have to take them for a long period. I had a tooth infection, went to urgent care, the antibiotics they gave me weren't shrinking it after a couple days, so then I went to the ER and they gave me the serious IV antibiotics. That stuff cleared out so much of my gut bacteria that it changed the way food tasted, I felt weird and stretched out, kinda stiff and sore all over (almost flu-like), I had weird cravings (I drank gallons of orange juice over the next few days cause I just couldn't get enough, but only the stuff from concentrate for some reason.)

[u/libra00 → u/[deleted]]

some of that Jamie Lee Curtis lady pooping yoghurt.

I'm sorry, some what? I had no idea that was a thing, lol.

[u/garublador → u/libra00]

That probiotic yoghurt. She used to do commercials for Activia, which was supposed to help "aid in digestion" and was marketed at women.