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.

I’ve had to take them for four weeks once, luckily they had no nasty side effects, but it transpired they were not needed at all, I had an allergy which couldn’t be explained, it was wrongly diagnosed. I blitzed my body with probiotics afterwards. I try never to have to resort to AB precisely because they are a wonder drug and need to be kept for urgent and lethal infections only in my opinion.

When I was a child I was prescribed an antibiotic called Septrin. - I have been prone to bad ear infections all my life - and l came out in a rash on my legs and fainted. This was noted as an allergy. I read years later that for those patients who have an allergy to Septrin that a second dose can be fatal! Another good one, in a last ditch attempt to help my ear, was Tetracycline, which is one of the oldest antibiotics. It should never be given to children while their teeth are developing. Fortunately it only affected one of my six year molars, which developed a brown stripe and soft enamel. It was repeatedly filled over the years and several years ago I had the inevitable crown on it. I have to say it looks far better with a porcelain crown (I was vain enough not to want a gold one) than it did with a brown stipe and a huge amalgam filling.

They saved my life 8months ago when I had retained placenta bits after giving birth. I was bleeding so heavily until 9 weeks post parturm when they realised I had an infection. I was on 4 different types, pretty darn strong, gave me mood swings, the sweats, insomnia but main thing was I recovered from a very traumatic time whilst having a newborn. My uterus lining was thick prior to taking the antibiotics but it healed and thinned down whilst everything cleaned up inside. Believe me if it saves your life, and having a operation which was the next scenario for me, just take them and be sensible.

I’m allergic to penicillin and any of the cillin group - come up in hives all over - and then I discovered the same thing happened with clindamycin (or was it clarithromycin - prob should find that out 🤣) but think otherwise I’ve always been ok with antibiotics. Thank god because when you’re feeling rubbish the last thing you want is a treatment making you feel worse

Had a 6 week cocktail of them after pneumonia. This was followed by a raging case of thrush and other fun effects. BUT!!!! absolutely essential you complete the course.

@Violinist64

When I was a child I was prescribed an antibiotic called Septrin. - I have been prone to bad ear infections all my life - and l came out in a rash on my legs and fainted. This was noted as an allergy. I read years later that for those patients who have an allergy to Septrin that a second dose can be fatal! Another good one, in a last ditch attempt to help my ear, was Tetracycline, which is one of the oldest antibiotics. It should never be given to children while their teeth are developing. Fortunately it only affected one of my six year molars, which developed a brown stripe and soft enamel. It was repeatedly filled over the years and several years ago I had the inevitable crown on it. I have to say it looks far better with a porcelain crown (I was vain enough not to want a gold one) than it did with a brown stipe and a huge amalgam filling.

I think Septrin was the one that made me most ill as a small child - it led to my being trained to parrot a long and ever lengthening list to anybody and everybody in case of emergency. I swear I could say this shit in my sleep and will probably still be mumbling it on my deathbed. And it's relevant to other drugs outside antibiotics, so it's essential to mention it every time.

Poor doctors. They only want to prescribe something that will help and they get more than they bargained for when they ask the age old stimulus of 'Do you have any allergies?' and receive a long list back.

@djini If you're on Cotrimoxazole, it's worth knowing that it can deplete folate in your blood, so supplements may help. It did strange things to my period and urine as well.

Flucloxacillin for 10 days, followed by 7 days of Clindamycin has absolutely destroyed my gut. Cellulitis sucks on so many levels.

@Shabi444

They saved my life 8months ago when I had retained placenta bits after giving birth. I was bleeding so heavily until 9 weeks post parturm when they realised I had an infection. I was on 4 different types, pretty darn strong, gave me mood swings, the sweats, insomnia but main thing was I recovered from a very traumatic time whilst having a newborn. My uterus lining was thick prior to taking the antibiotics but it healed and thinned down whilst everything cleaned up inside. Believe me if it saves your life, and having a operation which was the next scenario for me, just take them and be sensible.

Oh, I'm taking them. I'm just blowing off steam.

There are several contraindications for these particular antibiotics and my medical history/other medications. So the fact that they knew that and prescribed them anyway, tells me how much the risk of not taking them outweighs the risk of taking them.

I'm to have them and simultaneously upset at feeling rubbish and knowing it's going to be a long time before I feel normal again.

I’m awful for not finishing a court of ABs

No, you aren't awful. Just human.

@Buggersticks

Had a 6 week cocktail of them after pneumonia. This was followed by a raging case of thrush and other fun effects. BUT!!!! absolutely essential you complete the course.

My GP used to prescribe me a course of flucanazole to take with antibiotics to prevent thrush. Unfortunately she retired and other GPs just told me to buy it over the counter. I tried to explain it had to be a course and the one off treatment didn't work but didn't get anywhere.

@user1471453601

crickey, anti bs, I have to take one called doxycycline (sp?) And it's is truly evil. I once made the mistake of taking one an empty stomach. I was so embarrassed when I rushed to the loo to throw up, and because I was abroad, with only a very rudimentary grasp of their language, I couldn't even explain to the staff why I had to make a run for it.

Right so you didn't read the leaflet and take as instructed then did you?

Honestly, some of the comments on here. Here's how to be a good patient:

1.Ask questions. Don't be a good compliant little sheep, if you're unsure, bloody well ask.

1. Read and understand the leaflet in the pack. Look up on wiki simple english anything you are not sure of or ask your pharmacist.

1. If you develop adverse side effects - these are the super rare ones, and are on the leaflet, refer to point 2. - call 999 or 111.

1. If SEs are super bad, call your GP and explain and ask for an alternative med, If you cannot get through call nhs 111 and ask for help.

1. If your GP is crap - too many are these days - complaint to the practise manager. Kick up a fuss. poor care is rife and unacceptable and needs to be challeneged.

Ultimately, abx resistent illness is a serious threat. If you can't finish your course and can't be arsed seeking an alt, then you're basically contributing to a serious issue for the human race as a whole. Genuinely floors me people will happily slap their flappers and whack their pots to support the NHS (What a joke) but are too lazy for a bit of self advocacy.

Too Lazy.
Or sick, exhausted, on morphine, facing surgery, and life-changing illness...

But fuck me, yeah, we'll go with lazy.

I work in pharmacy and people never finish the whole course of antibiotics. The amount of childrens 2nd bottles of antibiotics which are not picked up is outstanding. Patients rush to the doctors and badger them for antibiotics only to moan after taking the first one that they make them feel even worse, cause stomach aches, diarrhoea, sickness etc. The list of adverse reactions is a mile long. There is a lot of wastage which the NHS has to swallow up

@Dontsayfuckorbugger

I work in pharmacy and people never finish the whole course of antibiotics. The amount of childrens 2nd bottles of antibiotics which are not picked up is outstanding. Patients rush to the doctors and badger them for antibiotics only to moan after taking the first one that they make them feel even worse, cause stomach aches, diarrhoea, sickness etc. The list of adverse reactions is a mile long. There is a lot of wastage which the NHS has to swallow up

Of course people finish them. Why are you giving them over 2 bottles anyway? Perhaps if masses of people aren't picking up second bottles (even though the most commonly prescribed for children lasts 14 days when mixed and most courses don't exceed that) it's time to question why rather than assume its just lazy or irresponsible parents. How do you know adults don't finish the course, do they phone and tell you? Doctors shouldn't prescribe them unless they deem them as necessary no matter how much people pester them.

So what are you supposed to do when medical professionals won't believe you about side effects and you're patronised and told it's because you're upset @closetmeupandshootmetotheskies?

@PinkSparklyPussyCat

So what are you supposed to do when medical professionals won't believe you about side effects and you're patronised and told it's because you're upset *@closetmeupandshootmetotheskies*?

Be firm and assertive. I've had problems with persuading medical people that when I say I'm allergic to one type of AB (AB02), that I actually am allergic to AB02, that I am not allergic to a different group of anttibiotics (AB01).

This does not stop them from giving me a prescription for something that will make me very unwell

Be firm and assertive. I've had problems with persuading medical people that when I say I'm allergic to one type of AB (AB02), that I actually am allergic to AB02, that I am not allergic to a different group of anttibiotics (AB01).

When it happened to me I was ill in hospital and I'd never had metronidazole before so didn't know it would affect me. It was when I tried to point out that it had affected me and the nurse made it clear she didn't believe me and it was because I was upset. To right I was upset, I couldn't see properly and the silly cow wouldn't believe me! In those circumstances it was a bit difficult to be firm and assertive unfortunately. I will now refuse to take it and DH has been told that if I can't speak for myself he is to make sure it's not give to me in any form.