Abusing antibiotics

I've ended up on antibiotics twice in 4 weeks. I end up on antibiotics pretty much every 6 months due to a chronic issue I can't get a referral for.

Antibiotics aren't drugs to abuse, why on earth would anyone be after antibiotics for fun?

Abuse was a silly term to use. The dr could have used this as a chance to educate your DS (and you?!) about how important it is to take antibiotics as prescribed. Set an alarm if necessary.

DS grandchildren may not have access to the healthcare we do, simply due to lack of antibiotics which is scary

Even smoking outside is far from ideal to be honest.

Anyway onto your concern, of course he’s not abusing antibiotics and your GP was ridiculous. It’s fine to say to your son he needs to be responsible about taking antibiotics as prescribed but it’s not abuse.

Don’t worry OP this won’t be recorded in any way that could affect his future treatment- it would be completely unethical (& nonsensical) to do so. Sure she could have used this as an opportunity to educate a 16 year old on just why it’s important to take antibiotics as prescribed but using the word ‘abuse’ is absolutely ridiculous in this context.

What a load of tosh. GPs should not speak to their patients in this manner, esp when you consider the power imbalance already at play. Substance abuse FFS

Can you move to a different doc at the surgery?

Oh so he just took 2 extra days worth, did the label say 5 days only, was it a full pack, maybe the research shows a 5 day course is better.

I think the doctor was not being empathetic, using the word 'abuse' in this situation and suggesting that this one off incident of extended use of an antibiotic was significant in the overall cause of antimicrobial resistance is not only wrong, but it is also heavy handed.

The major factors associated with the antimicrobial resistance are related to over prescription and incorrect prescription, especially hospital environments but also in agriculture.

I am sure that as a doctor, she has prescribed antibiotics on many occasions where the evidence shows no benefit over allowing the illness to progress on it's own and I am sure that this has happened many more times than the one time, your son has not taken the course of antibiotics to the exact schedule that was prescribed.

Taking 2 days longer to finish the course can't be that bad surely?
I'd say speak to a different GP, and don't ever mention this again.

The GP was being Diligent on all our behalf’s.

No wonder GP’s are careful around prescribing antibiotics- and good for them being strict about it.

I suspect the Dr was having a bad day. Or maybe wasn’t a people-person.

she could have used the opportunity to educate on the “why” factor, because most people respond better to compliance issues if they understand why it is important. Ie most people are stubborn but reasonable.

instead she chose to go down the “telling off” route, which usually is less effective in changing behaviours.

but, for all we know her previous patient might have been a kid with antibiotic resistant MRSA dealing with challenging outcomes. (Or maybe just her morning coffee was not to taste).

You can't really 'abuse' antibiotics you can however not take them correctly like your son did and render it useless or less effective. The GP has a duty of care and if your son genuinely needs an antibiotic and the GP refuses to prescribe or treat whatever the infection is then they are failing in their duty of care ... it's not like your asking for hard core pain killers it's an antibiotic. Whole thing sounds a bit crazy I'd write a letter of complaint to the surgery personally. I've worked in the industry for many many years and never heard anything like it.

Did he start the course stop then start again. If he was 2 days late he missed 6 or 8 doses.

If you wanted to create antibiotic resistance in bacteria, then idle and lax taking of antibiotics is exactly the way to go about doing it.

It puts us ALL at risk and our families at risk.

He did finish the full course so that is irrelevant.

On the NHS website they says if you miss a dose just take it when you remember or if it's close to your next dose just continue your regular dosing schedule. I'm sure it happens all the time.

Good lord both you and the doctor overreacted to a non issue.

Poor kid

He forgot to take them a few times and that's considered abusing them? That's absolutely ridiculous.

This!@Moon30 it’s desperately irresponsible for someone not to finish the full course of antibiotics as this is exactly how bacteria become resistant.
Doctors are only being diligent- was speaking to someone about this today and it’s a really serious problem.

That is very harsh of the doctor - a few forgotten doses by someone who is trying to take them properly is not abuse.

You are suffering from a lot of respiratory infections. Do you have a smoker or open fires in your house? Do you live in an area of high air pollution?

Taking a few pills late isn't exactly abusing the medicine especially as a 16 year old and if yet still not well more or differently antibiotics could be entirely appropriate. I'd get a second opinion what's he meant to do get magically better with no intervention because of some weird punishment?