I was prescribed the 5-pill course where you take two pills immediately and then one a day for the next three days. By day 2 I had stomach pains I called the Dr.'s office for a different antibiotic. Since I wasn't throwing up or anything they encouraged me to tough it out and finish the course. I did, but boy do I wish I hadn't. Now like someone else described I feel like someone is stabbing me in the stomach with knives. Unlike other's instead of diarreah I am all blocked up. With god as my witness, I will never take Z-Pak again!!