Morbid fear of antibiotics

[worriedone]

I have been prescribed Erythromycin 250mg (four times daily for a week) and am shaking with fear and crying because v* is among the side-effects, along with diarrhoea, n* and stomach cramps. The doctor says these are fairly common!

I have mild tonsillitis on one tonsil, with only a couple of small puss spots, a little reddening and swelling and barely a sore throat. The infection has lasted just over a week and is showing some signs of modest improvement (swelling has gone down and the sore throat has almost gone) - the doctor has not done a swab test to check if the infection is bacterial. She didn't want to prescribe penicillin because I had never taken it before and she was afraid that I could have an allergic reaction. I kept asking her for alternatives, but she wasn't listening to me. She did give me an enteric coated form of the drug, so it won't dissolve in the stomach but the small intestine. Other than that, she was fairly dismissive of me - she would ask me a question and after just a few words, she would tell me to be quiet and asked another question.

What the hell do I do? I am shaking with fear and I haven't even started the drug - I'm thinking of waiting to see what happens after a couple of days. I don't know if I can cope with a week of it. I can't work because of the worry, so I am falling behind.

Does anyone have any experience of this drug and what is the best way to counter the side-effects? Can tonsillitis go of its own accord without drugs? I've not had much experience of it, although I think I had it a couple of years ago and didn't go to the doctors.Edited by: worriedone

[harmonygirl72]

The only thing I know that helps the d* that often accompanies antibiotics is probiotics. I have taken them in the form of acidopholus, or the newest one my doctor suggested was called Florastor. They restore the good bacteria in your stomach that the antibiotic is killing, along with the bad bacteria. Not sure about in the UK, but here in the US, they are very easy to find. I take them whenever I take antibiotics, and have not had a problem. Good luck!

[worriedone]

Thanks very much for your support and advice.

Well, I've just taken the antibiotic - my wife insisted, after cooking me a nice meal of rice, fish, chickpeas and veg. I followed it with a banana, but made sure I had a good dose of probiotic yoghurt a couple of hours before the dose. I'll take some lactobacillis acidophilus in about an hour, so that any good gut fauna killed by the antibiotic will be replaced to fight the bad stuff that gives d* and other unpleasant things. I've got a week of this terror to go through and hopefully things will be OK.

I'm generally a healthy person, but the idea of v* terrifies me like nothing else. I've just put myself in a dangerous position, but I guess these things should be challenged and if I come out of this OK then I'll feel a sense of triumph over my phobia. If I don't, well ... at least I know that there was a cause and I don't have to have the drug again.

Thanks again.Edited by: worriedone

[grgygrl]

Just remember to take the medicine with some food, it will help your body absorb it better. Never take anti-biotics on an empty stomach. I take pro-biotics religiously everyday and Cinnamon capsules may help if diarrhea comes with the medicine. Make sure you take it, you dont want it to turn into something worse like strep, ugh [img]smileys/smilies_11.gif[/img]

Good luck and I hope you are feeling tip top soon [img]smileys/smilies_02.gif[/img]

[virgo_witch]

I am terrified of anti-biotics, as well, because I tend to be allergic to most of them... [img]smileys/smilies_12.gif[/img]

I don't get d* OR v* with them, even the ones I'm allergic too...I just get a fever and a yeast infection...

But while acidophilus is good for helping with d*, you shouldn't take too many probiotics while taking an anti-biotic...they counteract each other, at least that's what my doctor told me...

[jkl81]

I think your doctor may be full of it Virgo Witch. You're not trying to kill your intestinal bacteria as you know. I'd agree with him if you were trying to kill something in the gut but something in the throat or respiratory tract?? If its any comfort, I've taken many antibiotics for various things(acne, staph infections, ear infections) and never v* and only had mild d*. The only exception was with some generic brand Minocin for acne, and even though I had extensive nausea, never v*ed with it. I have never taken Erythromycin, I think it usually is pretty well tolerated by most people, just don't take it with seldane( a certain prescription allergy med) it'll kill you.

[xmdslatx]

How do you get tonsillitis?

[worriedone]

I am terrified of anti-biotics, as well, because I tend to be allergic to most of them... [img]smileys/smilies_12.gif[/img]

I don't get d* OR v* with them, even the ones I'm allergic too...I just get a fever and a yeast infection...

But while acidophilus is good for helping with d*, you shouldn't take too many probiotics while taking an anti-biotic...they counteract each other, at least that's what my doctor told me...

I've always been very fortunate to have generally good health, so I've rarely needed antibiotics. Consequently, they don't know whether or not I am allergic to penicillin, which is meant to be easier on the gut, and won't prescribe it.

As for probiotics, they only help to balance out the bad bateria - C difficile - which causes d* and v* and which grows when the antibiotics are killing all bateria, including the good stuff. Anyway, probiotics are for the gut, not the tonsils, so won't go anywhere near the site of infection.

I'm just completing breakfast and am now preparing for the second dose - the first, taken last night, caused no ill effects so far. Hopefully, if things go OK, my experience can encourage others looking at this post in the future to ignore the warning labels and just take the medicine.

[tessa17]

I've had to take a medicine where the most common side effect was v*, and I've been taking it for 7 months now every day with no problems! (at least in that area) most meds have a chance of causing v* in certain people, but then again the percentage of people who actually get side effects must be small, or they wouldn't give it out. so I know how scary it can be, but I think emets especially have a very low chance of v* from any "normal" medicines.[img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img]

[worriedone]

Well, I've had five doses and no reaction so far - just 23 more to go! When is the most likely time side-effects like d* and v* occur? I'm fully dosed on acidophilis, which I am taking religiosly because I am so scared.

[andee]

Hi. I was always ok with antibiotics until recently. I was given Biaxin, and had horrible d* and then one night very bad n*. I took compazine which saved me, then told my doc I am not taking this anymore. Now I always ask for either amoxicillin or zithromax. I find amoxicillin is the mildest...

[xmdslatx]

What is that nasty pink crap called? I had to take that when I had pink eye as a kid and that was the only kind of antibiotics I had to take.

[jkl81]

The pink stuff could be anything in the extended penicillin family. My guess would be either penicillin or cephalexin. I have never heard of anyone getting oral antibiotics for pinkeye, usually if its bacterial they give antibiotic eye drops or if its allergic or viral just let it ride. Worst think about pinkeye is you can contaminate the entire family real fast, thankfully noro is nowhere near as contagious.

[supernanny]

I wouldnt take them,personally. Tonsillitis always clears up on its own, gargle with salt water OFTEN,go and get some olive leaf extract from the health store, use some drops of that into your throat a few times a day and you should be fine. i recently had tonsillitis and it took about 2 weeks but cleared up. i am dealthy allergic to erythromycin.it makes me vomit like i am dying and have a massive rash. i hate drs that just prescribe something without checking if it bacterial or not. thats why MRSA is about. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR [img]smileys/smilies_11.gif[/img]

[supernanny]

but i forgot to say that my older son takes erythromycin and it never gives him diarrea or anything. take probiotics 3 hours AFTER the dose of antibiotic. never take the probiotic with the antibiotic.

[jezebel89]

I have lupus, and since I don't want to take immuneosuppressants (OMG CAN YOU IMAGINE?! It's an emet's worse nightmare!!), they deal with each of my symptoms. I'm on antibiotics MOST of the time, which I know is horrible horrible, I don't want to build up a resistance to it! But I've never in my life had any bad experiences with any type of antibiotic, even before emet started. V* is a common side effect with anything. But that doesn't mean you will...

I have been told that probiotics don't generally help you that much. I've never taken them, not even yogurt (ahhh, I've YET to find a yogurt that doesn't contain high fructose corn syrup!). I don't even get yeast infections, which my doctor says is really common with my antibiotics. I think maybe it depends on the person...

But you really shouldn't be afraid of the antibiotics. They were made to help us. But if your infection doesn't get better after a few days on meds, I'd go back =/

I also wouldn't recommend letting something like tonsillitus 'go away on its own,' because you don't want it to get out of hand and then have to have surgery! Yikes!

[emetmama]

that medication made me very sick.

[*mandi*]

I have always been terrified of antibiotics. Even though none of them actually ever made me sick enough to *V , I always tend to over react b.c. as soon as I get the antibiotics in my hands, I immedietly search the side effects, and sure enough N* and V* are the first two side effects.
The key is to take it with food and drink a lot of water with it, it wont make you as N* if you get N*.
But you have to take it to get rid of that infection! YOu wont want it to get any worse, or the infection could make you sikc enough to V*. Good luck and hope you feel better soon.

[supernanny]

Antibiotics are only used on tonsillitis when the actual bacteria has been tested and proved to not go away. Most cases of tonsillitis are caused by a virus(antibiotics do not help viruses at all) so see that is why tonsillitis goes way on its own usually. You can google the info yourself and read about it, its proven by science. The only reason people take antibiotics for tonsillitis or strep is to lessen the amount of time they are sick, and to prevent a second bacterial infection(especially ith step, some serious stuff could happen) However, my son and I both have had tonsillitis on two occasions, as well as ear infections adn we do not use antibiotics and it always clears up. If it didnt clear up or got worse, I would go for an antibiotic, but it never does or did. Also, probiotics are proven to help, and I do always take them with my antibiotics and they always help me not to have serious side effects.Also, taking probitiocs regularly can lessen stomach viruses symptoms, and help prevent viruses in some cases.

[jkl81]

The only danger I can see about leaving tonsilitis alone was if it was actually a strep infection it could go into rheumatic fever and possibly damage your heart valves. There are a lot of doctors out there that just write prescriptions for antibiotics like it was candy THEY and parents that DEMAND antibiotics for their kids are most responsible for our problems with superbugs like MRSA and such. Antibiotics are great drugs when needed and have saved countless millions of lives around the world but they should be a last resort for anybody, emet or not.

[madisonsmom]

I know I am late responding... but always remember. I think ALL medications have those side effects. When I was in nursing school I remember a Professor telling me... when you are asked possible side effects of a medication you can always rely on nausea and v*. Its just always a possibility but does not mean it will happen.

You did the right thing by taking it and its always a good idea to eat with it too. Hope you are better!

Probiotics and such are good to take following an antibiotic. The antibiotic breaks down your good bacteria too along with the bad. Edited by: madisonsmom

[xmdslatx]

I have been told that probiotics don't generally help you that much. I've never taken them, not even yogurt (ahhh, I've YET to find a yogurt that doesn't contain high fructose corn syrup!)

probiotics help a great deal at replacing the good bacteria that the antibiotics basically deplete.

i take it in pill form though because i don't really like yogurt anymore.

[worriedone]

I'm almost coming to the end of the course of erythromycin anti-biotics. I had gassiness on day two of the course just for a few hours, but it soon went away. No v*, d* or nausea. I took 125mg of Lactobacillus Acidophillus twice a day as well as two servings of live yoghurt (which has prebiotics in it) at other times of the day. I am sure this prevented the usual side-effects.

According to studies I read, 10-20% of people get v* and 85% get loose bowel motions from this anti-biotic and as I have often had IBS attacks, I convinced myself I would get an upset stomach. But nothing really happened - not even the IBS came back, although I became more regular on this anti-biotic (perhaps because of the Acidophillus).

Additionally, the GP told me the tonsils were no longer infected, neck lymph nodes were normal, no fever and only a residual reddening of the throat that should disappear soon (apparently it takes time to get back to normal after an infection). However, I still have to take the remainder of the course.

I hope that anyone else reading this, who is worried about the side-effects of anti-biotics, can be encouraged to take counter-measures to ensure that the worst doesn't happen. I wish I hadn't read all those websites (particularly askpatient.com) which hype up the side-effects, because they made me unnecessarily anxious.

[worriedone]

PS: I was also given enteric coated pills, which means they are absorbed in the small intestine instead of the stomach and therefore far less likely to cause v*. I am sure this also helped.