AIBU to B amazed at how many people still don't seem to have a clue about antibiotics?

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Talking a work colleague the other day... I happened to mention that I have a heavy cold/sore throat. He said "Oh, I have some antibiotics if you want them". Turned out he'd been prescribed them for something a few months ago, took them for a few days, felt better, stopped taking them and kept them in case he needed them for something else.

I pointed out that you're meant to finish the whole course, you can't just keep some for later; you also can't really just give prescription medicine to other people, and anyway it was unlikely that they'd work on a cold.

Several other colleagues were there. One agreed with me, one basically seemed to be hearing this for the first time, and the other two thought there was nothing wrong with what he was doing and "they're way too fussy about antibiotics now, they used to hand them out all the time and it was fine".

AIBU to be quite shocked that so many people (all well-educated, all have lived here for years ago so shouldn't have missed the campaigns) were blatantly not that fussed about casually taking antibiotics? I'm religious about finishing the course, not taking them unless I need to etc, and I assumed most people were too.

I get that there are bigger issues with antibiotic resistance (farming etc) but still, it's important to do what we can. And you should never hand out drugs to someone else or take them from them!

ffswhatnext it depends on how well your immune system works and how strong/toxic the infection is.

If it's an actual infection would it really clear up by itself?
Depends, if it’s a mild infection and the individual is otherwise healthy I would say sometimes yes. For example, some mild skin infections shouldn’t always require antibiotics imo. Pharmaceutical grade manuka honey has consistently been shown to kill bacterial skin infections, including for diabetics and/or resistant bacterial strains.

It’s always best to seek medical advice though, and infection can be unpredictable

I agree with you but also do what he does. I only take them until I feel my own body taking over, never finish the full course ever, because of AR

You seriously need to listen to your GP - she knows more about it than you do. Your own body isn't "taking over" - you need to complete the course.

"Why should people be denied treatment or be expected to suffer from agonizing dental pain just because some GPs are a bit thick"

It is not appropriate for a GP to prescribe for a dental condition. That is what dentists are qualified to do - GPs are not, and would not be covered by their professional indemnity to do so.

ffswhatnext like a PP said, it depends on your immunity and the severity of the infection.

And prevention is better than cure; my MIL drinks nothing but three cups of strong coffee a day, and a glass of wine at night. She is permenantly going to the Drs to ask for antibiotics for UTIs, when in truth if she drank lots more water and took better care of herself she most likely wouldn't get so many infections. (She's been checked and there's no other reason for the frequent UTIs).

Keeping fit and active, a good diet, washing your hands - all good sound preventive measures.

Just seems like people don't give a shit about taking responsibility for their health, they eat/drink whatever they want and expect the GP to provide a magic pill.

Thanks for the clarification.

And getting a gp to write a prescription for dental pain, is like requesting foot medication from a heart specialist.

She sounds like my mum lol.

Probs not gunna change my mind tbh, bu thanks for the info. Antibiotics make me shit myself and I do prefer to let my body do the work

Why should people be denied treatment or be expected to suffer from agonizing dental pain just because some GPs are a bit thick"

Why would you see a GP for dental pain? Wouldn't you visit the dentist, at least as your first point of call?

Ps if you’re educating people, it’s probably best not to be rude about it

Probs not gunna change my mind tbh

Well, you can't argue with stupid.

@DarkPassenger but you said you don't finish the course because of antibacterial resistance. You didn't say it was because the antibiotics make you feel ill. So of course no one is going to change your mind by explaining how AR works, because that's not what you're worried about.

Meh, if the health service wasn't completely shit then maybe but for a so called civilized country that kills people through negligence and neglect, I don't think it's a big deal. I can buy them over here, metronidazole types. I don't see people buying them for no reason andpoppi g the left right and centre.

I was truly shocked by this comment! It IS a big deal. This is why we have a problem. BTW, the Health service is shit because it's increasingly dealing with people for whose diseases antibiotics no longer work!

“Although interestingly I was at a GP week before last and she didn’t prescribe anything. 48 hours later I’m in intensive care. A few of the hospital doctors said some GPS are now too cautious prescribing antibiotics and they see patients like me a result.”

This is a common scenario in Norway, where antibiotic use is restricted. The counter side is that antibiotic resistance is significantly lower.

Weighing the health and life of a single person against the potential loss of life if all antibiotics become useless is an interesting ethical dilemma.

www.staph-infection-resources.com/blog/norway-reducing-antibiotic-resistant-staph-mrsa/

This site is very interesting www.nhs.uk/news/medication/questions-over-advice-to-finish-courses-of-antibiotics/

Ps if you’re educating people, it’s probably best not to be rude about it

You’re choosing to ignore medical advice which could lead to harmful risks for all especially immunocompromised individuals

Also, if antibiotics give you digestive issues you may find taking some strains of probiotics could help

Yes it annoys me that people think antibiotics cure everything and that you need to see a doctor for every little thing.
For example a cold, always being told to go to the doctors to get antibiotics, then if you do go to the docs thinking it's disgraceful and that they are basically 'doing nothing' if you don't actually need them. It's crazy.

I've tried to explain before when I've had viral tonsillitis that antibiotics won't actually help because theres no bacteria for them to attack and certain family members basically say well you should insist it's ridiculous they can't give you nothing.

Although interestingly I was at a GP week before last and she didn’t prescribe anything. 48 hours later I’m in intensive care. A few of the hospital doctors said some GPS are now too cautious prescribing antibiotics and they see patients like me a result.”

Could it also be that when you went to the GP you didn't have an infection?
I've been in the hospital no infection and days later it shows up in my blood.
I know what it feels like though to see a gp and not long afterwards end up taking myself to a&e. Not the gp's fault, I deteriorated very quickly.

Weighing the health and life of a single person against the potential loss of life if all antibiotics become useless is an interesting ethical dilemma.

Absolutely - ethical and also financial. I’m not sure what I’ve just cost the NHS with 6 nights in hospital but lots. On balance (albeit I’m certainly not an expert) I think AR is important enough to risk my sort of scenario. It’s very tricky though. I’m not angry with my GP although the one of the consultants I saw thought I should be.

Yanbu op. Antibiotic resistance is a far more immediate threat to humankind than climate change.

Could it also be that when you went to the GP you didn't have an infection?

I think I probably did although not raging. Presented at the GP with post operative swelling and redness but felt normal - no fever. That was the Thursday. Saturday I became extremely unwell and was admitted.

How are people still this stupid. I just cannot.

My DH is the worst for this. On the rare occasion that he will be prescribed antibiotics he takes them for a day or two and then he keeps them and passes them round his friends like sweets whenever one of them is complaining about being sick. I've told him multiple times that that's not how they work, and that it's also dangerous to give ANYONE medication that they haven't been prescribed because you don't know if they're allergic to penicillin or if they're on something else but it falls on deaf ears, "what harm would they do" - nobody has died yet but fuck me it's like Amoxycillin Russian Roulette

I have had so many antibiotics it's crazy. Probably 50-70 courses and that's the ones I can remember. I do always finish the course
They seem to not want to give them for tonsillitis now but mine doesn't resolve without it as it's always bacterial which is annoying