I had surgery in August of this year, and despite my anti-antibiotic overuse feelings, history of IBS that I'm still fixing, and all that, you bet your sweet bippy I took them. I had fairly major surgery. Despite infection risks being low, an infection in a major surgery site will have you taking some heavy duty antibiotics for MUCH longer than the prophylactic ones they give you post surgery. Want to talk IBS....whew.

I really would take them. The ones I took didn't bother my guts at all. I took and still take my probiotic the whole time too. Why risk what could be a major recovery setback? Your body will be hard at work healing. I really do recommend you take them. In this case, it really is the best thing.

take the antibiotics. there is a reason they give them to you. they are not inherently bad. overuse and abuse of antibiotics is bad. they serve a very good, life saving purpose. one round of antibiotics shouldn't do too much damage especially if you supplement with a good probiotic.

I had an orthopedic surgery (tendon reattachment) with no follow up antibiotics, but yours is quite a different sort of surgery. I would definitely take the time to research it outside of just this forum though.

i was on antibiotics twice the past two years for my UC and it actually helped a little. definitely took away my gas and some of the cramping. it basically allowed me to start over by replenishing the good bacteria with massive probiotics and fecal transplant.

personally, and i mean this answer only in regards to me- i would never take an antibiotic if i didn't have a positive test for an infection. i have a very robust immune system and prophylactic use of antibiotics would compromise it at the very least. my feeling is that this is a "fear of being sued" issue. they don't want to take the chance that they miss a post surgical infection, so they dose you with a broadspectrum antibiotic to cover their asses.