Pharmacist told me to go to a&e, 111 told me to leave it?

[Emmalanexxx]

Just wanted your opinion, I’ve been in hospital given IV antibiotics for a nasty tonsillitis infection I’ve had for 2 weeks. When I left they gave me a 10 day course of clindamycin, 12 a day. The pharmacist took me aside (this was Wednesday) and said that if I got any diarrhoea to go to a&e because this antibiotic is most likely to cause a form of colitis? Since being home I googled the antibiotics and found a few warnings involving this drug specifically saying it should only be used as a last resort due to serious side effects ( I’m allergic to penicillin and other AB hasn’t worked).
Last night I had to run to the toilet and had such bad diarrhoea, I never suffer with this, last time I did was probably 7 or 8 years ago with food poisoning. I rang 111 and an out of hours gp advised me to carry on taking the medication and diarrhoea can be normal with AB, which is fine just I’ve had to take a few of AB the past few years and never had this, and I was only following what the pharmacist told me to do and speak to somebody. Now I’m not sure who to listen to? Would you guys reccomend I get a second opinion or just take as normal?

Hey, the ward weren’t clear exactly when I called them where to go and when I got to the hospital they were listening to your issue and deciding where to put you and they sent me in minors and even then they were reluctant, because they said it’s normal with antibiotics..

Call the ward again.

Seriously.

My mum was in due to infection in her portacath.

When she had sickness and diarrhoea she waited then called GP who sent to hospital.

They asked her why she didn't come in sooner (like immediately!) admittedly she does have terminal cancer.

Then when she has it again at 3am and waited until 9am before ringing ward and being told to back in. When they saw her - again "why did you wait?"

Even mum saying it was 3am and didn't want to bother someone at that time she was told.

That's because what she had (c diff from original infection) the 'rules' were immediate medical attention with diarrhoea

Honestly don't know what you want them to do here, you clearly trust the pharmacist over doctors. It's not always textbook. How many bouts of diarrhoea have you had? Are you feeling unwell? If not then just stop the antibiotics.

@vixxo

Honestly don't know what you want them to do here, you clearly trust the pharmacist over doctors. It's not always textbook. How many bouts of diarrhoea have you had? Are you feeling unwell? If not then just stop the antibiotics.

Don't listen to this comment. Vixxo possibly doesn't understand that medications are pharmacists domain, they are specialists with them unlike doctors.

Can you go to the hospital pharmacy where the meds are from to speak to a pharmacist - they should have access to your hospital records or try & ring their medicines information line. If the hospital has one the number Should on your discharge letter

I'm a nurse and I would trust the pharmacist on this one. Not a 111 operator following a flow diagram.

I’d trust medical advice from fleas before I trusted 111. Keep pushing, OP

Yy pharmacists are far more likely than doctors to know about side effects. Doctors may have never seen that particular side effect so think it doesn’t exist or doesn’t happen. And some can be a bit gung-ho about side effects ime. It’s the pharmacist who’s looking at the medications a patient is on and going ‘hang on a minute!’

@LaLaLandIsNoFun

I’d trust medical advice from fleas before I trusted 111. Keep pushing, OP

Brilliant 🤣

And yoghurt - also probiotic formulations - antibiotics kill off bacteria so these will have limited efficacy. However there are yeast-based probiotic formulations which will help maintain the balance and as they are not bacterial, and are not killed off by the antibiotics (as this isn’t an anti fungal antibiotic).

Right because doctors that see and treat inpatients all the time with c.diff/pseudomembranous colitis and are aware of antibiotic policies don't know about the side effects. Sure, if you want to believe that go ahead. Even your average daily mail reader knows about the side effect of broad spectrum antibiotics, it's risk assessment and what you do about it that matters here. Yet you don't want their advice.

I'm not dissing the pharmacist here but clearly egos are hurt.

@HoratiotheHorsefly

Of course it's their domain. But have they come up with a solution here other than stating the obvious?!

[quote vixxo]@HoratiotheHorsefly

Of course it's their domain. But have they come up with a solution here other than stating the obvious?![/quote]
The Op was seen by a doctor in minors not on the ward where the antibiotics were given. So the probably junior doctor in A&E is not going to have an in-depth knowledge of why they were prescribed and any possible side effects.

So yes the Op should be taking the word of a pharmacist over a doctor in minors.

You don’t need 111 permission to go to A&E so that’s where you went wrong.

I say that as nurse who works in A&E and the GP OOH and in the past as a 111 clinician.

Why did you ring 111 instead of following the pharmacist's advice?