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Original poster

Antibiotics for daughter - can someone reassure me?

19 replies

gggrrrargh · 27/12/2021 00:52

Hello,

After reassurance or a good natured talking to. I’ve got myself so upset tonight.

I tested positive for Covid on Wednesday. My 4 year old started going down hill from Friday, streaming nose of snot, hives and a rash over the face, sore throat, really upset, so presumed she’s got it.

I’m a single mum but she’s been pretty healthy so far so felt a bit unprepared, ended up calling 111 Friday night as the hives were getting worse and worse over her body and it scared the life out of me. Spoke to them, reassured, someone dropped kids antihistamines the next day, phew.

We’ve had very broken sleep the last 2 days as the snot has been running like a tap and it’s been distressing her, plus she’s barely eaten as her throat hurts so much, moments of rallying then down hill again. Today she finally opened her mouth wide enough for me to see she’s got massive white spots at the back of her throat. So possibly tonsillitis at same time as covid?

I called 111 again and managed to get someone to pick up the antibiotics tonight, wonderful. When I got it I realised it wasn’t as easy as giving her the medicine, I had to mix it with water. I read it as needing to put 39.9mls of water in a glass with 5mls of the medication and then get her to drink it.

The medication was thick white stuff even when mixed with water, and as it was 45 mls then altogether, it meant I would be using one of the 5ml syringes 9 times to get it in her. We then had an hour of insanity which involved my daughter getting utterly hysterical, crying, spitting and dribbling it, snot going everywhere. I managed one 5ml before giving up.

Now looking at it again - I think I was meant to put the water directly in the bottle and then give her 5mls from that each time? I’ve attached the instructions. I think they’re awful but it might just be me.

I’m feeling so upset that I screwed this up so badly and gave us such an awful hour, that I can’t follow instructions. Plus I’ve got some of the antibiotic in a glass so I feel like now I’ve taken 5mls of the antibiotics out I don’t know if I should mix the full 39.9 mls of water in now?

She’s been so poorly these last few days and though I’ve been speaking to people on the phone, I’ve been feeling so alone trying to judge when she needed more medical help :(

Antibiotics for daughter - can someone reassure me?

OP posts:

whataballbag · 27/12/2021 00:55

No!!! That's the instructions for the pharmacy.

You don't need ti mix with medicine

whataballbag · 27/12/2021 00:55

Don't need to mix with water sorry

Original poster

gggrrrargh · 27/12/2021 00:56

So I didn’t need to add water at all and was literally just meant to give her 5mls directly of the mixture?

OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

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4 year olds General health

Rainbowabacus1 · 27/12/2021 00:57

Did it come as just powder? The pharmacy should have mixed it for you so it was ready to use. I’d take it back tomorrow and ask them to redo it!

whataballbag · 27/12/2021 00:59

Yes, it would have already been reconstituted at the pharmacy.

Clarithromycin when reconstituted is a very thick white gritty liquid

Theunamedcat · 27/12/2021 01:01

Was it mixed?

greenlynx · 27/12/2021 01:01

What are the instructions on the white paper label which pharmacy usually stick on the medicine?

Ifonlyidknownthen · 27/12/2021 01:02

Assuming what was in the bottle was liquid, you just needed to give her 5ml of that. Those antibiotics are kept in powder form in the pharmacy (to prolong shelf life) and they are mixed with water by the pharmacy staff for the customers before being picked up, so it comes as a ready to take solution.

Crunchymum · 27/12/2021 01:05

What are the instructions on the pharmacy label with your DD name?

ColdShouldersWarmTummy · 27/12/2021 01:06

When I've had antibiotics for baby the pharmacist always asks if I want them to make up the suspension or to do it myself. It sounds as if they have done it for you - so you skip the mixing stage and just give her 5ml. HOWEVER to be on the safe side I would call the pharmacy in the morning and check what they did/how much to give. It's really confusing, even when you're not sick yourself!

I hope you both feel better soon!

NoSquirrels · 27/12/2021 01:06

Did you get a powder?

Or did you get a ‘ready-to-use-suspension’ ie like Calpol?

What did the dispensing notes say ie did the pharmacy tell you anything verbally, or put it on the bag, or on the bottle?

When I’ve had clarithomycin for DC it’s been a Calpol-like liquid.

SezziBaybee · 27/12/2021 01:10

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn at the request of the poster.

Original poster

gggrrrargh · 27/12/2021 01:10

Yes it was liquid but yes it’s thick so the water part fitted in my mind.

It never occurred to me the instructions on the medicine box wouldn’t be for me, the label with her name on doesn’t say much more than take twice daily. The label on the actual bottle also has all the instructions about mixing with water.

Thank you all I really appreciate the clarification.

OP posts:

whataballbag · 27/12/2021 01:16

@gggrrrargh

Yes it was liquid but yes it’s thick so the water part fitted in my mind.

Thank you all I really appreciate the clarification.

You're having a crap time at the minute, you're ill, your kid is ill.

You're allowed to make a mistake. It's not as though you've been careless, if anything just slightly too careful!

You sound like a lovely mum.

Hope both of you are feeling better soon.

Christoncrutches · 27/12/2021 01:27

Sounds like you've got good advice - to help her finish the course, mix the medicine with a cold yoghurt drink to disguise the taste and soothe her throat. She can sip the yoghurt drink through a straw which will ensure she gets all the medicine ;)

Original poster

gggrrrargh · 27/12/2021 01:48

Thank you for all the kind words. I really needed them! And it’s really helped me tonight.

OP posts:

Atla · 27/12/2021 02:57

Oh you poor thing. If medicine is already liquid you don't need to dilute, just give 5 MLS. But it will do no harm to mix it with something your DD likes, juice or yogurt or whatever, if that means she takes the full amount. My DD is 5 and has just had tonsillitis and had to have penicillin 4x day for 10 days. At first I had to give her a haribo after every dose as a bribe but she got used to it and would take the medicine as long as she had a drink straight away to take taste away. You have my full sympathy - sick kid plus sleep deprivation is horrible. Hope you both feel much better soon.

SmellyOldPartridgeinaPearTree · 27/12/2021 03:18

@gggrrrargh

Yes it was liquid but yes it’s thick so the water part fitted in my mind.

Thank you all I really appreciate the clarification.

I've had this in powder form before, when the out of hours doctor prescribed it and I took the script to the chemist during their 1 hour Sunday opening window. They give you a bottle of sterilised water to mix it with the powder if they don't have time to mix it up for you. So don't worry you weren't to know and it's not unheard of to have to mix it yourself. Hope your daughter feels better soon!

HalloHello · 27/12/2021 03:51

How confusing because it says ready to use suspension but also how to reconstitute it. That's not clear at all! Sounds like you just need to give her 5ml of it, which will be much easier now. Hope you're ok, sounds like you've been through it this last while! X

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