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In the last 20 years, I have probably had 10 prescriptions for antibiotics. 9 of them were amoxicillin. The one that wasn't amoxicillin was for a UTI that I got during surgery, a problem I'm unilkely to encounter again. So it makes sense that if I'm going to keep an antibiotic on hand, it would be amoxicillin.
I'm not trying to be funny, but why are you keeping amoxicillin on hand like it is aspirin? Are you really that sick that you are always having bacterial infections? If not, I don't think it is a good idea. If you are, did you talk to your doctor about it, and did he/she say it is ok? Are you actually using up all the amoxicillin you buy (before they expire)?
I am not comfortable with people just stocking up on random meds just for the sake of it. Especially antibiotics since it is shown that overuse is dangerous (not only for individuals but for the entire society). I only remember being prescribed an antibiotic once, and it was after I had my wisdom teeth extracted. I only used the amount that was given and made sure I used the entire bottle.
I'm not trying to be funny, but why are you keeping amoxicillin on hand like it is aspirin? Are you really that sick that you are always having bacterial infections? If not, I don't think it is a good idea. If you are, did you talk to your doctor about it, and did he/she say it is ok? Are you actually using up all the amoxicillin you buy (before they expire)?
I am not comfortable with people just stocking up on random meds just for the sake of it. Especially antibiotics since it is shown that overuse is dangerous (not only for individuals but for the entire society). I only remember being prescribed an antibiotic once, and it was after I had my wisdom teeth extracted. I only used the amount that was given and made sure I used the entire bottle.
On the bright side, since she's buying them off Ebay they're probably not really Amoxicillan anyway.
I have a coworker who runs herself and her kids to the doctor every time they get a cold and her kids are almost adults. She always wants antibiotics "just to be on the safe side."
Recently she ended up in the hospital with kidney stones which in turn led to an e-coli infection in her blood stream. They went through 3 different IV antibiotics before they found one that worked. I'm hoping she sees a connection between overuse of antibiotics and antibiotic-resistant bacteria, but I'm not counting on it.
Well I just went to the doctor today and was given an antibiotic for a combination of chest flu that has lasted two weeks and for two possibly infected teeth. But the doc almost forced me to get bp meds with a reading of 164 over 124. So I relented to the water pill. This will be the second prescription in my life, I'm 37. The first was penicillin for strep throat when I was 14.
Good luck with the BP. That does bring up an interesting point...that so many people rush for antibiotics (not you), even when not needed but can't stand the thought that they actually DO need blood pressure medicine (or cholesterol medicine).
Well I am another one of those sinusitis people, who absolutely knows when its a sinus infection and what antibiotic I need. For me the headache, the malaise, the grouchiness, the sore spots on my head, and my lack of ambition always give me a simple clue that its time for an antibiotic. Sometimes I try to trick myself that its just a bad mood. Never works. Thankfully I have a doc who understands and will prescribe without me asking twice. And within 2 days of starting the drug, I am fine again.
It's not only antibiotics, some people are also way too dependent on steroid medications.
Yes, that's very true, but less common and not as publicly harmful. I don't get nearly as many people asking for steroids for their colds, but it does happen! At least with steroids, they're generally only going to harm themselves rather than their families, friends and co-workers when they spread drug-resistant bugs.
Well I am another one of those sinusitis people, who absolutely knows when its a sinus infection and what antibiotic I need. For me the headache, the malaise, the grouchiness, the sore spots on my head, and my lack of ambition always give me a simple clue that its time for an antibiotic. Sometimes I try to trick myself that its just a bad mood. Never works. Thankfully I have a doc who understands and will prescribe without me asking twice. And within 2 days of starting the drug, I am fine again.
See, this is what I don't get. From what I know, sinusitis and other secondary infections like bronchitis, pneumonia, etc can either be bacterial or viral in origin. If it's bacterial, then yes, you need an antibiotic. However, most of these tend to be viral infections, particularly if it starts following a cold or flu, and in that case antibiotics will not work, yet doctors will still prescribe them. I had a nasty sinus infection a little while back, what I thought was just a really bad cold at first, with a horrible frontal headache, congestion, bad cough, and exhaustion, but it was obviously viral and went away on its own in a week or so. I don't see how a/b would've helped aside from adding possible stomach upset to my misery.
It has been my experience that a bacterial sinus or bronchial infection has been the secondary stage of a cold or allergy situation that has essentially gotten out of hand. Any time I had severe seasonal allergies or cold last a while, it created a sort of perfect environment in my sinuses for the bacteria to take up housekeeping, often spreading through drainage to my lungs and within a week or so I had a fever and was wretched. I would never have demanded antibiotics, but it was what I always got...once or twice a year.
However now I've taken up a lifestyle of active prevention, as much as possible. I take Claritin, which does work for me (I know allergy meds are hit-and-miss for different people) and if I feel I am exposed to cold/flu virus more than usual I take Airborne (Vitamin C/Zinc, etc.) which seems to work. I've been healthier overall in the last couple of years following this strategy than I was for a long time previously.
Resistant bacteria are terrifying. I read that fragments of their DNA are in the soil almost everywhere on Earth and can be co-opted by live bacteria to grant resistances to new strains. Freaky. Nevermind the horror of what can exist in a hospital environment.
See, this is what I don't get. From what I know, sinusitis and other secondary infections like bronchitis, pneumonia, etc can either be bacterial or viral in origin. If it's bacterial, then yes, you need an antibiotic. However, most of these tend to be viral infections, particularly if it starts following a cold or flu, and in that case antibiotics will not work, yet doctors will still prescribe them. I had a nasty sinus infection a little while back, what I thought was just a really bad cold at first, with a horrible frontal headache, congestion, bad cough, and exhaustion, but it was obviously viral and went away on its own in a week or so. I don't see how a/b would've helped aside from adding possible stomach upset to my misery.
Some people would take the antibiotic and get better from the viral infection (due to time rather than the antibiotic), then they'd think it was the antibiotic that helped them.
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