To have never realised why people don't finish their antibiotics?

[WhoWants2Know]

Every time I hear antibiotics discussed, it's always with the warning that "You must keep taking them until they're finished, even if you start to feel better." Otherwise super germs, etc.

I always thought it was strange that they have to keep emphasising that point, and wondered why someone wouldn't just follow the doctor's instructions.

But then I never really needed antibiotics much... Until now. And they're actually bloody awful, aren't they?

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy about not being dead or in pain. But the cure involves feeling like I swallowed drain cleaner for a fortnight.

Depends on the antibiotic but Metronidazole was grim. Took it for a dental abscess which hadn't responded to amoxillin. I was always going to finish the course because I didn't want the abscess to come back but IIRC I spent the last two days of the five day course feeling too ill to get out of bed.

Nitrofurantoin was three days in bed for me, while trying not to throw up. I'd almost rather have kept the UTI

I’ve not had antibiotics for years, but, I was prescribed a course about a month ago, took them til I felt better 😳🤦🏼‍♀️
Lo and behold symptoms came back with a vengeance. Am on second lot of antibiotics now and it’s not making much difference. 🙁

@PineForestsAndSunshine

I had the misfortune to be prescribed Erythromycin some years ago. I was literally unable to keep it down so they switched me to a different antibiotic which I was able to complete a full course of.

Might be worth asking to switch rather than suffering needlessly

it's the work of Satan - made me puke black bile - awful stuff

I agree with seeing if there is another you could take

Try having tuberculosis. Six months of multiple very very nasty antibiotics. That is hell.

Agree I never noticed until recently that they can make you feel depressed.
I notice my DD’s behaviour is always affected negatively by ABs
We take probiotics and drink fermented drinks whenever we have to take ABs which is fortunately not often

@PineForestsAndSunshine

I had the misfortune to be prescribed Erythromycin some years ago. I was literally unable to keep it down so they switched me to a different antibiotic which I was able to complete a full course of.

Might be worth asking to switch rather than suffering needlessly

yup that makes me barf too.

They make me feel rough, I always feel on the verge of vomiting or actually doing so and a really upset stomach.

The only time I have struggled is when I had to take 28 days worth of doxycycline for Lyme disease, I felt really nauseated (but figured it was better than full blown Lyme disease)

I can’t say I’ve ever had any issues with antibiotics but I don’t often have side effects from medication.
I have a family member who gets very poorly when taking medication, even paracetamol, it seems to act like a tranquilliser and they often end up sleeping all day.

@monkeysox

Metronidazole. Work of the devil

Completely agree. Felt so ill - worse than the underlying issue.

Amoxicillin is my friend though.

I generally tolerate antibiotics well - no ill effects whatsoever from Metronidazole and Erythromicin in the past. Macrobid, though, was something else. I'd have sawn my own head off quite happily to get rid of the appalling 4 day headache it gave me. 4 days because on day 3 I phoned the GP in tears and begged for an alternative but it took a good 24hrs after the last dose to feel better. It was absolutely awful, I can easily see why someone wouldn't finish the course feeling like that, tbh, the UTI it was meant to be getting rid of was preferable.

They give me the squits really badly. Poor DS reacted very badly to done that he had fir an ear infection when he was 2.5. It was awful, he hated taking it and on day 2 started projectile vomiting and pooping.

@SquirrelG

I've never had any issues with antibiotics - quite the reverse, and I've always been happy to take them. The reason people stop taking them is usually because they feel better so think they don't need them any more. However, if the bottle says "take with food" then it's a good idea to do so.

Same here. But I must be quite strange because I've twice drunk alcohol on Metronidazole with no ill effects, unlike most of MN, who vomit violently if they walk past the off licence on the way home from picking up their prescription for it. The first time was because I genuinely forgot I wasn't supposed to drink and the second because nothing bad happened the first time. I don't get any side effects due to cocodomol either and I've seen people complain that makes them ill in some way.

Mine are metronidazole and cotrimoxazole. I don't know which one gives me the nausea and dizziness and burning metallic taste. 🤢

They used to give me the most awful thrush in the days when I still had periods - plus bloated stomach and diarrhoea. I finished them once I'd started but I hated taking them.

Depends on the antibiotic. I had some really awful ones a few years ago. Made me feel extremely sick.

Others, nothing.

@BarbaraofSeville same here - no ill effects whatsoever for me from drinking when taking Metronidazole (I was young and daft and didn't take the advice very seriously!)

Wonder effects of IV antibiotics on new mums/new babies?
Obviously grateful for their existence. But curious if they cause any unforeseen disturbances for instance

I started on Macrobid last weekend but got a text from my surgery on Monday morning saying they weren't appropriate for the lab result that came back and I was put into Trimethoprim.. Macrobid made me feel drunk and my joints hurt like fuck on those monsters.

I get regular urine infections and the antibiotics have so many side effects that I haven’t finished a course yet. I just can’t. I’m bed ridden with them.

I felt very sick taking them and had to stop but it was the second to last day so I thought it would be OK and it was.

How do you all remember the exact names of the antibiotics you were on? I wouldn't have a clue - they're just antibiotics prescribed by the doctor and collected at the chemist 🤷

Plus, you get really low doses in the UK- which you're then stuck taking every 6hr, rather than 24. Bane of my life.

Oh, and my period has gone nuts and the sudden rushes to the toilet aren't my favourite, either.