is anyone else against antibiotics?

[queenballerina]

I got sick a lot when I was a kid and seemed to always have antibiotics.. always felt that I was building a tolerance, and now seem to have chronic sinus infections..

Now that I have a baby I am feeling really against it. Like I never want her to take them.

Just found out she has mild pneumonia and they have given her a heavy dose. Its her first time and I am really upset about it.

Does anyone else feel this way?
What are the alternatives?

I think when you say tolerance what you are probably referring to is antibiotic resistance - ie a certain strain (or type) of bacteria become resistant to one (or more) of the antibiotics used to treat them. This happens increasingly when people don't finish the course of antibiotics or when they are over used. Most doctors are not keen to prescribe antibiotics unless they are pretty sure that a bacterial infection is present.
There is nothing to stop you asking your doctor if they are sure that an antibiotic is required (in future as obviously pneumonia requires antibiotics) but having asked this I would always follow their advice.

GPs hardly ever prescribe antibiotics so I'm guessing they were necessary.

baby is doing fine.. thanks for the well wishes. its pretty mild.

No need to call me a 'stupid woman' ACTIVATE
I never said I was thinking of NOT giving them..

just fancied a discussion. and wondered if others felt they were over used... or if you could build a tolerance to them...

All I can say is "Thank God for Antibiotics!!"

DS was in hospital for nearly a week recently with pneumonia, and had to be on IV antibiotics.

You are being utterly ridiculous to be upset because your DC has had some.

They have been overused in the past, but are necessary in certain situations.

There are no prizes for being 'antibiotics free'; I'm also a mum of a meningitis survivor and eternally grateful that we live where we live, and that lifesaving medicine is available as and where we need it. That is certainly not the case in many other parts of the world... maybe once children have grown up into adulthood they are 'never sick as adults', but in Asia, and Africa and loads of other places a hell of a lot of children never make it to adulthood (although admittedly most children die of diseases that are entirely preventable/curable without antibiotics)

hope your DD gets better soon - don't waste energy beating yourself up over her having AB

I think that antibiotics have a very important place. My doctor only gives them out if you have a serious infection. Some people reach adulthood without ever contracting a serious illness. They are lucky, IMO. DS1 is 10 and has only had one course of antibiotics, for tonsillitis when he was 2. I didn't hesitate to give them to him.

I understand where you are coming from queen

I don't really like giving anti-biotics to my toddler but sometimes needs must.

I make a decision based on the illness. The first time he was prescribed them was for a slight ear infection. I decided not to give them and he was back to full health in 2 days.

However he has just had 2 courses to get rid of a nasty chest and throat infection that just wouldn't shift but I made sure I was getting extra vitamins into him also in that time as I know how shitty the after effects of a course of anti-bots can make you feel.

For something like pneumonia I wouldn't hesitate to give them.

Well antibiotics can be overused and taken inappropriately. If people don't finish the course then antibiotic resistance can develop so common antibiotics can become less effective.

But antibiotics save lives so you can't dismiss them out of hand.

I think GPs are better at dispensing less antibiotics than they used to. BUT patient expectation plays a huge part too - many people feel a bit hard done by if they come out of the surgery without that little green piece of paper in their hand.

Some infections will resolve in their own time without intervention, especially superficial skin infections and ear infections. But in many cases antibiotics are essential.

60 years ago my mum's dr drove from newcastle to edinburgh to get the penicillan that saved her life. I wouldn't be here without the medical miracle of antibiotics.

Everything in moderation- use your common sense.

The alternative to antibiotic use is not challenging the infection and waiting for the body to overcome it. Which it may indeed do as we have a good defence system. Of course if it doesn't overcome it you will be unable to make any further 'alternative' experiments as you will in fact be dead.

Your baby has pneumonia. It's 'mild' because she lives in a country with a free health care system and that system is taking care of her and providing her with appropriate treatment. 70 or so years ago that 'mild' pneumonia would probably have lead to her death.

No she won't build up tolerance assuming you administer the antibiotics properly and completely and thus don't allow the bacteria the chance to regroup.

With all due respect to the OP: being 'against' antibiotics is just as silly a statement as being 'for' them.

They treat bacterial infection - not viruses.

Pneumonia can kill.

They do NOT cause problems with immunity in individual people.

They can (of course) have sideeffects - like any other effective medicine.

Problems arise from overuse, people's expectation that every infection can be cured with an antibiotic, courses not being completed etc etc. Bacteria can become resistent to antibiotics hence MRSA etc.

Anybody and everybody will know somebody who 'never had an antibiotic and is now never ill' - what does that prove?? Nothing.
And the friend in India was clearly not talking about all the children there who have no access to antibiotics and DIE of infectious diseases we in the West do not even know about.

Gah!

I read this and relate to op's concern but i have possibly stronger reason to worry: dd (4) is about to start a 4th month on strong antibiotics and in my case I think there is a strong concern about negative effects and yet I feel we have no choice. dd tested positive for Lyme disease and 1st month treatment wasn't enough so had to go up to 3. It really upsets me as her stomach flora etc in a mess and i have no conviction we're doing the right thing but the alternative of stopping too early feels worse

Looseleaf- recommend you get some acidophilus from the health food shop. It's pink powder you keep in the fridge and add to drinks. Works as a probiotic and helps keep gut flora in tune whilst it's being bombarded with ab's

My dd rattles with ab' s. She has had daily preventative doses since being a few months old, numerous ivs and generally a full course of oral ab' s every 3 weeks or so. Generally co amoxiclav. Obv it's not ideal but they keep her going (she has multiple health problems)

Looseleaf - your problem is not the antibiotics but the virulent and dangerous bacteria they are combating. Yes they have side effects but the effects of the disease are apalling. If that hasn't been adequately explained to you please go back to your doctor and ask them to explain the rationale behind your daughter's course of treatment again.

looseleaf -so sorry she's still not better (only now found your reply on the other thread from November) - that's really rotten. It's not nice to be on antibiotics so long - but as you say, the alternative isn't very attractive either. Have they found any other infections?

will keep my fingers crossed that the fourth month will do the trick

DD was hospitalised and diagnosed with pneumonia. Nothing mild. Intra-venous anti-biotics saved her life. Agree with other posters, they are absolutely wonderful and we are so lucky to have access to them.

Years ago GPs dished them out like smarties and hence MRSA etc.

Today most GPs will not give for minor ear, throat and chest infections - even bacterial ones dont always need antibiotics.

My DD never had abx until she was 19 (viral meningitis) but also was a fairly healthy kid so we were lucky.

Working for an out of hours service I am amazed at the number of parents ringing and demanding abx for minor ear/chest stuff. They insist on seeing the Dr every day until they get the prescription!

thanks oricella. She also tested positive from giardia (amoebic parasite) in December which friends local to us had over a year ago without us knowing so I just hope this has exacerbated her tiredness not the Lyme and a CD57 test this week should clarify.
Northernlurker i'm well aware of how nasty borellia bacteria unfortunately is and hate it with a vengeance but thank you! Have read and read on the subject and it terrifies me as so complex to treat. Dd had another infection undiscovered and improved radically on just 1 week's antibiotic for this so it was this issue which made me question whether dd's further Lyme treatment was in error. It would be wonderful if it's gone but as i said we can't risk it and she's becoming tired again so am glad she has another appointment coming up.

Herjazz i'm so sorry your dd has these problems and grateful for your tip- i have been trying to do this. I'm never sure whether antibiotics kill any good bacteria i introduce but trying daily in case and discovered drinking straws with probiotics in too (we keep them in the fridge)

Alexander Fleming would turn in his grave he read this.

looseleaf, I too had Lyme Disease over 2 years ago (after a holiday in Germany) and had to take ABs for several weeks while pregnant with DS3.
I do understand your discomfort, but surely treating it is the lesser of two evils, no?

I hope your DD gets better v soon and has not too many ill effects from taking a prolonged course of ABs. There are some studies that seem to confirm that taking probiotics can mitigate some of the downsides of ABs.

Gardia on top of Borrelia is truly bad luck!

OP, I agree - I do not like giving them, anecdotal evidence I know but friends of my mine who are of the "go to the doctor and get antibiotics at every sniffle" school's children are always ill, another problem is where I live you have to pay a substantial amount to go to the GP and so a certain amount of people feel that they have to get their worth out of the visit.

Also, I wish people would read your posts, the OP is not contemplating NOT giving the antibiotics to her child with pneumonia but that is what has triggered her being upset.

PacificDogwood you're right I round ungrateful and I really am not- amoxicillin has been completely invaluable and not in a million years would i wish to be without it! I guess what I mean really is just that I wish I'd known about the giardia (i know, i can't believe our luck last year either) as then we'd be clearer which infection was really the trouble after dd's initial treatment for Lyme as I'd had many medical opinions to check that first treatment was sufficient and long enough. But maybe it wasn't so I'm sure we're doing the right thing still treating it...
So sorry you had Lyme too and glad you knew and treated it.