Do you think antibiotics should be given out so readily?

I am by no means an expert but I try and never give myself or my children antibiotics due to bacteria resistance.I'd like to think if any of them ever needed antibiotics for a serious illness then because they haven't had them in the past they will work more effectively.

My doctor said with many childhood illnesses the antibiotics can take a week to work-but in many cases the child will fight off the illness within a week anyway,naturally

I'm not saying don't give medicines to help pain,fever and discomfort.Just not antibiotics for minor ailments.

What do you think?

I think a lot of us have been exposed to LOTS of antibiotics. I will only take them when I have a chest infection as that triggers my asthma.

When I was younger the Docs were giving me antibiotics every other week before they finally diagnosed me as asthmatic. I was 7 when they did that, so I had needlessly been given antibiotics for a long time. I know they stuck to alternating between 2 types over that period of time, so there are still other types I can take. I was given a type I hadn't had before and had a pretty bad reaction to them, so I have that to contend with in the future. Sorry I'm rambling

Antibiotics can be good if given for the right things. In the past Dr's were too quick to prescribe them as a fix-anything medicine. We are going to see the effects of that pretty soon.

Our docs won't give them unless completely necessary, for example if you have earache it's paracetamol, ibuprofen and a hot water bottle unless there is stuff running out the ear, then they'll hand out the antiB's!

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I hate taking them bit seem to be on them virtually permanently with all these urinary tract infections I keep having. Thing is it's very difficult to shift UTIs/bladder infections without them and you risk it going to your kidneys if you don't treat the infections. It's a devil deep blue sea situation.

Hi Kathryn,

A bit off topic but I have suffered from recurrent UTI's for years (oddly enough this pregnancy is the longest time I've not had one - although I did get one after conceiving ). Have you tried cranberry tablets? They are safe in pregnancy too and I found taking one a day was enough to prevent me getting a UTI. I don't take them everyday anymore but if I feel one coming along I will take two cranberry tablets (you can take up to four a day). The other benefit is that they don't have sugar in like cranberry juice often has as that can make the UTI's worse. Also try to avoid acidic foods like tomatoes in addition to sugar as this can make it easier for bacteria to breed.

Apologies if you have heard all this before - I'm just very keen to help anyone suffering from UTIs as I know how much of a nightmare they can be!

Emma

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My doctor never gives out anti-biotics unless its really nessessary. He always says to give paracetemal or Ibruprofen. Cameron has just had to have ab's though because he had a bad chest infection and nothing else was shifting it.

Thanks for that Emma. I used to do the cranberry tablet thing but unfortunately they didn't have much impact on my 'problem'. I know about the cranberry juice thing - isn't it amazing how many sources recommend cranberry juice when really they should be advising against any fruit juices because of the acidity.

Nice to see you posting in different areas Emma.

thia is a hard on i try and not give them to callum for anything but he has had them a few times due to tonsilitis i think only take them if ness when i was younger i had them every other week for my throat and now i am totally amune to penacillian so i do try and stay away from them xxxx

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Hi Kathryn, Sorry to hear the cranberry tablets haven't worked for you it's such a miserable condition to suffer from. (Also it's so easy to get carried away posting on here as everyone is so lovely and friendly!)

Emma

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I do thik they are given out too frequently. I refuse them and ask for a short dose of steroids if my asthma is bad. I also try to seek Homeopathic remedies too

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