Would you just start the antibiotics?

[Whathefisgoingon]

DS 2.5 had the chickenpox vaccine on Friday, then Saturday was very snotty and run down. A low temp developed but never higher than 37.5. Since then, he’s developed a very phlegmy cough and his nose is constantly streaming.

This all started on Saturday but today his temp is even higher, it was 37.8 this morning and now 38.5! I’d expect it to be going as he’s supposedly nearing the end of whatever this is, but it’s getting higher?

Took him to the GP today to check his chest and they said they’d expect it to clear up soon, but if not then to start antibiotics by “the end of the week.” Went to collect prescription and the pharmacist said the shelf life is 7 days, so pretty pointless if we don’t even start until the end of the week.

Anyway, my question is, with the temp getting worse on day 4, would you just start the antibiotics?

I'm pretty sure when the GP gives a prescription like that, its only meant to be collected at the end of the week if needed, rather than collected today and kept in the fridge ready- so by collecting it today 'to wait and see' you've ended up with a batch that will be out of date before the course is meant to finish.

I would personally wait and see because I don't like to give antibiotics without definite need, antibiotic resistance is a very real thing and also if its a viral infection rather than bacterial the antibiotics will be poibtless

(Pressed send too soon! Sorry for the typos) I would go with calpol and ibuprofen alternated to bring the temperature down, especially as they had a vaccine recently so chances are it's a response to that rather than a bacterial infection, and then wait and see.

Why did you collect the prescription early that made no sense.

I collected it after the doctor because she used the words “ill give you antibiotics to “have on hand” and I took it literally. I also had no idea that they have a shelf life of 7 days! I had assumed that you could just keep them unopened in the fridge. He’s never had them before, and I haven’t since I was a child either. It was only when the pharmacist brought it out to me that they told me!

Its an easy mistake to make, especially if you haven't had them in a while. But now you know for next time- doesn't help this time though! Could you call the dr for advice on what to do- given how long the shelf life is. How long is the course for? As if you started it on, say, Saturday, you would have 3 days shelflife but if you started it Friday you would have 4.

No I wouldn't give them anyway. It's probably just a reaction to the vaccine and not anything that will improve with the antibiotics. All you'll be doing is contributing to antibiotic resistance.
Next time, if you must pick up the prescription straight away, ask for it dry at least.

@DinosaurOfFire I did ask the pharmacist and they said we can start whenever, and just get another prescription from the GP for the remaining days we’d need. 👀

Hoping we don’t have to use them anyway, this isn’t the way I want to find out if he’s allergic to penicillin! Just a bit concerned that the temp is going up instead of down as the days go by.

@YomAsalYomBasal It’s definitely not a reaction to the vaccine. His chest sounds horrendous! It started out sounding like whooping cough but changed to a very wet one.

If he’s eating and drinking, and the temp is coming down after Calpol and brufen, I wouldn’t yet.

Struggling to get Calpol in to him. He’s decided he doesn’t like it, and with his nose being so bunged up I am reluctant to be forceful with it.

He’s asleep now and temp is 37.7 after around 3ml of Calpol he unknowingly drank in his juice. Fingers crossed he’s a bit better tomorrow.