AIBU to not finish a course of antibiotics?

[Plateofcrumbs]

Doctor gave me a course of antibiotics for an insect bite which had made my leg swell up a bit - he thought it was just a bad histamine reaction but gave me ABs anyway.

1 day later my leg is now fine and the ABs are making me feel really sick. Would I be U not to finish the course?

yes you abu
eat live yoghurt to help your gut.

YABU. Finish the anti biotics and eat some of that pro biotic yoghurt stuff.

YABU. Unless you are having an allergic reaction, which it doesn't sound like you are.

Not finishing courses of antibiotics directly leads to the increase of antibiotic resistance.

People not completing a course of antibiotics contributes to AB resistance, so do the right thing and see your course through.

Xpost with Lemon.

I would call the surgery and ask - how many have you taken, what is the AB, how long is the course?

But presumably if I didn't have a bacterial infection in the first place, not completing the course would be neither here nor there? I think the doctor was overzealous in prescribing them. I wish I had given it another 24hrs before starting them.

Yes but there are lots of other bacteria that could be lurking in your body subclinically and, having killed the weaker ones with the antibiotics, any growing after part of a course will be bigger, stronger and better at whatever they do

It doesn't matter if you wish you hadn't started them, you have, so finish them! It is not just about you, this is something we all need to do

Yes yabu for all the reasons given so far. It increases resistance.

I've been on ABs that made me feel horrifically nauseous before, I feel your pain. I ended up having to make sure I ate immediately before each and every time I took them, and to sleep if at all possible if I started feeling awful.

If it's horrendous then I would go back to the GP and see if there's another AB you can start and finish instead - not sure whether that'll avoid the problem or not though. Definitely worth going back to your GP instead of just stopping the course.

How do you know that the reason your leg is now fine is not attributable to the antibiotics? They can start to have results very quickly. You should always finish the course.

Yes definitely. YABU

Gps don't dish out anti bios like sweets, they're more careful than ever to only use them when needed. Your Gp thinks you need them therefore you've been prescribed them. Not finishing a course of anti bios is something a lot of people do when they stay to feel better but it's responsible at least in part for the rise in superbugs such as MRS A.

Speaking as a nurse YABU. Not finishing the course could lead to antibacterial resistance.

Yes. I just finished two lots for a cat bite and couldn't drink over my dh 40th birthday :-( :-( :-( :-( :-(

I took probiotics at a separate time from my tabs. Took tabs with food and a large drink and didn't have nausea. However erythromycin is evil and my DD can't tolerate that all all. Ends up in agony. What are you on?

Yes yabu.

Finish the course!

I come from a medical family so maybe I get lectured am more aware of this than others but do you seriously need to ask this? You could always ask your doctor to get their opinion but I suspect it will be 'you've started so bloody well finish'.

"How do you know that the reason your leg is now fine is not attributable to the antibiotics?"
^^
This.

ABs will kill most of the invading bacteria very quickly, which is why so many people feel so much better so quickly that they assume ALL the bacteria have been killed and so don't finish the course. It's that small amount of stronger bacteria still lurking, not enough to make you feel unwell, that the rest of the course is for. If you don't kill them they multiply, and hey presto, a bacteria colony that is much harder to kill than the original. This is how we have ended up with AB-resistant infections.

Finish the course.

For once YANBU to not take your antibiotics. Your Dr wasn't sure it was an infection in the first place - most supposedly infected insect bites aren't, histamine reactions can be massive. He was clear to you he was only doing it to be on the safe side not because infecion was certain. It's got back to normal in less than 24 hours so v unlikely infection.

You'll actually be causing antibiotic resistance by taking unnecessary antibiotics rather than by not finishing the course.

Or just ask to speak to Dr again to check instead of asking us randoms on the internets

You have to finish the course! Ab resistance is a growing problem.

Antibiotic resistance is a growing problem because of them being prescribed when they aren''t needed. Even the GP here didn't really think they were needed. So how exactly will finishing the course prevent resistance?

New evidence is showing that 'complete the course' advice is out of date and you should actually stop taking the antibiotics as soon as possible when you feel better to minimize the risk of resistance.

www.mja.com.au/insight/2015/5/stop-antibiotics-experts

Finish the course!

Check with the Dr. They can prescribe anti sickness medication if needed.