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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To order antibiotics online?

84 replies

Sugartits87 · 01/10/2019 18:07

Pretty sure I've got some sort of ladies problem. It's not an STI as I've been tested for that. Could be BV or something similar. My doctors are useless - can't get an appointment for ages. And I don't want to go to the GUM clinic. After a quick google I was surprised to learn you can buy metronidazole online from Superdrug. Has anyone done this before? Is it safe to do this if you are pretty confident as to what the condition is - I.e BV?

OP posts:
inwood · 01/10/2019 18:39

And this is why we have antibiotic resistance....

Original poster
Sugartits87 · 01/10/2019 18:41

Isn't antibiotic resistance caused by taking antibiotics regularly? I previously said I haven't taken them for several years and wouldn't be daft enough to do this all the time.

I don't want to go to the GUM clinic. If my GP tested for everything I would have had it done there. But for some reason they only test for certain things.

OP posts:
Ohbuggerlugs · 01/10/2019 18:42

Go to a walk in centre? I have reoccurring water infections. And I am absolutely ill with them. I had one in August and another this week, and I’m just sick. They’re sending a urine sample and I’ve just booked in for an apt with the GP for further investigation. They prescribed me antibiotics, I would recommend a walk in if you can’t get to see your GP rather than over the internet OP good luck it’s very very frustrating. I’ve had this problem since a wee child x

athenagoddessofwar · 01/10/2019 18:44

You don't even need to ask a pharmacist - supermarkets sell a canesten self test kit for BV. It's about a fiver I think. Just take it off the shelf

lyralalala · 01/10/2019 18:44

You can actually buy a BV test in Boots

Original poster
Sugartits87 · 01/10/2019 18:47

I will try a pharmacy kit for BV first to see if that clears it up. If I'm honest I'm more worried it's trich which can only be sorted with metronidazole. I was upset that I had a full screen but for some reason this isn't routinely tested for. I thought if I got metronidazole it would clear up the issue regardless of whether it was trich or bv.

OP posts:
be47 · 01/10/2019 18:51

Antibiotic resistance is about the BACTERIA evolving and becoming resistant to the drugs, not YOU becoming resistant/immune to them!

So yes every unnecessary dose of antibiotics contributes - just get an over the counter treatment and try that first.

QuestionableMouse · 01/10/2019 18:52

Metronidazole made me feel like I was dying. I literally couldn't function on it and was like a zombie. It's not a nice thing to take unless you 100% know that's your only option.

WelcomeToShootingStars · 01/10/2019 18:56

I buy antibiotics online. But they're for a water infection which I get from time to time. I know exactly which antibiotics I need, and it saves me having to go to the GP.

If I wasn't quite certain I wouldn't do it.

PowerToTheMeeple · 01/10/2019 19:06

Is there any particular reason you don’t want to go to the GUM clinic though? They’re very professional and knowledgeable, some test for things like BV/Thrush while you wait and if you have one of those two send you on your way with medicine. You can even book appointments in some places.

Trich is classed as an STI, so it’s be useful to know if it was that so that you’d be able to inform any possible partners and they could also get treated. I wouldn’t assume it was one particular thing, I’d go and get tested at the GUM clinic if I were you.

lyralalala · 01/10/2019 19:20

@Sugartits87 The canestan test will test for BV, thrush and trich

Original poster
Sugartits87 · 01/10/2019 19:32

There are reasons I don't want to go to the gum clinic but I don't really want to go into it because I'll probably be ridiculed and told to grow up and so on.

My symptoms aren't even that bad at the minute. If it got bad and I really had no choice I would go. But I'm just trying to look at other options first. It's not about being shy or whatever. I've been to the GP and would have happily had the tests done there. I can't understand why they test for everything but trich :/

OP posts:
PrimalLass · 01/10/2019 19:33

I've done it. Have a grumbling root canal that has already been infected once and the dentist let me go in massive pain over a weekend. Never again.

purplelila2 · 01/10/2019 19:33

@Sugartits87 Hi OP I've used this antibiotic via superdrug they have an online doctor service and if your symptoms match those of bv they will issue you with a prescription for it ignore the naysayers it's checked by a doctor .

It's not like you're randomly trying to buy antibiotics off the dark web!!

AlexaAmbidextra · 01/10/2019 19:42

You can buy treatments for BV at a normal pharmacy so if you're sure it's that you don't need a prescription

Over the counter treatments for BV work by changing the pH of the vagina. It won’t always work and often, metronidazole is required. Why don’t you just see your GP?

Teachermaths · 01/10/2019 19:45

So you are going to risk taking antibiotics which may or may not work just because you don't want to do something.

Get to the GUM clinic. Put your big girl pants on and do it.

PookieDo · 01/10/2019 20:04

The reason I am against it as I already stated these types of antibiotic can have long lasting effects worse than the original problem IME, even more so if you do not actually know whether what you are treating is the correct diagnosis for your symptoms and whether it will actually work.

When I have been given them as a prophylactic they made me ill for a long time gastrointestinally and also persistent thrush

You need to consider the reasons you are refusing to go for testing at a GUM, because they really are experts in this area and can help you. You can request a female clinician if that’s an issue. GP’s are not sexual health experts, there are new and persistent bacteria’s emerging all the time and GUM doctors have a lot more testing resources available to them

They don’t provide sexual health testing as this is provided and funded by Public Health. You can keep on wondering - it won’t help you.

PookieDo · 01/10/2019 20:05

*GP’s don’t provide certain testing because this is funded by Public Health

Original poster
Sugartits87 · 01/10/2019 20:13

I've taken metronidazole before and didn't have any side effects. And if I go to the gum clinic and test positive for either bv or trich they will prescribe it anyway.

OP posts:
HarissaPaste · 01/10/2019 20:13

You know you don’t have an std because you’ve done a home test? There isn’t a home test that covers all STDs.

Get down the GUM clinic and sort it out. Trying to bypass a diagnosis and self-medicate won’t end well.

Original poster
Sugartits87 · 01/10/2019 20:19

There are several home test that covers them all. You can order swans and bloods which I did at the start of my current relationship as did he. All clear.

I'm really not up for a debate about going to the gum clinic. And if people read the thread they would see I have already been to the GP who don't test for trich for some reason.

My question was about antibiotics. And the fact is if I'm going to have side effects they'll happen whether a GP prescribes them or I get them myself. Because I've had them before and not had symptoms I think it should be ok. Must admit I was surprised to see you can get them this way but Superdrug is a fairly reputable chemist/drugstore so I'm sure it's above board.

OP posts:
Original poster
Sugartits87 · 01/10/2019 20:20

Swabs* obviously.

The one thing that doesn't seem to be routinely tested for is trich.

OP posts:
TheTrollFairy · 01/10/2019 20:26

Just looked at my medical history for meds and I took that many moons ago for BV. The dr tested me for it but gave me the antibiotics before the results were even back so I guess the drs don’t wait for the test to come back

PookieDo · 01/10/2019 20:26

I don’t care anymore why did you ask anyone for their opinion when you are clearly determined to do it anyway

PookieDo · 01/10/2019 20:27

And I have explained the reason they don’t test for it - they can’t. It comes under Public Health who provide sexual health testing. Not general practice

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