What else can I try before I have to take these antibiotics again?

[bohemianbint]

Have been ill for 8 weeks now, it turned into a chest infection 2 weeks ago, a course of antibiotics shifted it for 2 weeks (still had the cold and was under the weather) and now it's come back.

Have been prescribed more stronger antibiotics but am breastfeeding and it will be the third lot DS2 has been exposed to in the 5 months he's been alive.

So far have tried 3 days of grapefruit seed extract tablets and last night made a really serious curry full of ginger, onions, garlic and chillis. I still feel crap.

If there's no improvement by tomorrow will have to crack and take the drugs but really want to avoid. Any suggestions to get shot of this in a more natural way? TIA!

How many GSE tabs are you taking a day?

you're probably already doing this but try loads of water and paracetmol when you need it

Have been taking 2 GSE tabs, think I need to up that?

compo - ha, actually, I'm really bad at remembering to drink water, will go and have a pint and some paracetamol and see how that goes.

DH let me have a lie in this morning as the lack of sleep lately certainly won't be helping.

It's just this horrible tickly cough that's driving me mental, am swigging benylin as well but that doesn't seem to help either...

I'm just trying to think how you could do what we do for our boys who both have a tendancy to develop chest infections. To avoid having to resort to abs we inhale vaporised sea water using an electric inhaler, several times a day if necessary. I don't know how you would do this without the machine - bowl of steaming salt water with a cloth over your head? Also keep the bedroom window open a crack at night and leave a bowl of hot water with a few drops of thyme oil nearby, or burn thyme oil in a burner.

bb - I'm not a doctor or in any way medical but I'm sure these are worth a try - it's pretty much our drill when either ds gets bronchitis. Also with all these abs you've had, do try to find a way of replenishing the flora in your gut once you've stopped taking them. So sorry you're having to deal with this and bf.

Codeine is good for stopping you coughing.

You can get codeine and paracetamol over the counter at pharmacy/chemists.