After last week's story that people should stop taking their abs when they feel better there has been a ful page opinion piece by a microbiologist in the i newspaper.
He explained that the original findings were based on "a very limited set of clinical trial data for some specific infections".
He described the process by which abs cure the infection and the difference between feeling better and being cured, I. e. Most of the bacteria being eliminated and all the bacteria being gone. The serving bacteria are the 'persisters' which have survived after the patient feels better although they are not abs resistant and are likely to regrow the infection if treatment is stopped.
His conclusion is that the full course should always be completed.
He also queried why one of the original article authors was a retired quantity surveyor.
Mmm, think I'll be sticking strictly to instructions 'to complete the course', my only concern is - will doctors feel inclined to cut down on the number of days they prescribe them for in order to save money? I wonder why the dosage has suddenly come into question anyway, as far as I'm aware there hasn't been any reported problems arising from antibiotic 'over dosing' (as opposed to over prescribing) I may be getting cynical in my old age but I can't help wondering if it has more to do with cutting the cost to the NHS, than the efficacy of antibiotics. I can't imagine how a retired quantity surveyor came to contribute to an article about medicinal matters - does 'number of days x number of tablets' equate with 'number of bricks x litres of concrete', d'ya think?😀
Got to agree with you Magpuss and I think most of us are far too well informed to stop taking our abs before the course is finished. Let's face it, in our case 'the persisters' have been known to persist even after a 14-day course, so we're hardly likely to expect them to roll over and die after 3 or 4 days
The head honchos that are put in place are never clinically or medically qualified same as the dunce that took over the biggest hospital in X many moons ago thought he would cut down the deficit by getting in more managers who also didn't have a clue what a suture was let alone an antibiotic....5 years later deficit was 3 times the size and head honchos were sacked with massive payouts....oh yes I forgot to mention prior to stuffing up at the hospital he was a car sales director for Aston Martin 😀😀😀 it's laughable really
Same thing happened at Z, as the CEO was sacked, then got a similar job at a trust in E, and guess what, he was sacked again. Wonder what trust he is ruining now.
Totally agree. Why should anyone whose failed to do what they were employed to do be rewarded when they leave, And why should anyone get a bonus for doing what they're paid to do. I wouldn't mind if a bonus was reserved for doing more - and better than was expected of them, but annual bonuses- they're a joke and unfortunately the laughs on the rest of us.
It does affect the health and safety of everyone..but I'm coming down off my soap box now and putting my flat cap and hob nailed boots away as the whippet needs a run out lol xxx
Me too. I now have the task of getting her to take her antibiotics for the next ten days😳 - oh joy, what fun that's going to be! She had a fast acting injection this morning so is more comfortable now, thank goodness.
I know that for tb you have to take the pills for six months. The problem is that patients feel better quickly so strategies are in place to ensure the pills are taken like standing in front of a nurse every day while you take your pill. Problem being that otherwise some tougher bacteria survive. Hence antibiotic resistant tb. So a stupid article, doesn't stand up to any scrutiny.
At one point I was suspected of having a nasty lung bacteria. Can't remember the name but it was a two year course for exactly the same reason. One of the two ant biotics I would have makes your tears red, I thought that would have been cool.
here is another query my consultant now advises to take one antibiotic monday wednesday and friday permanently he thinks it will keep down infections thus helping stays in hospital any one else on this idea
I believe many here are on azithromycin 3 times a week as a prophylactic. Others, including myself, are on daily nebulised abs such as colomycin. This is to prevent an infection getting started.
my only problem is they upset my stomach really bad stuck full course of them out ended up with bloated stomach and in agony took nearly 4 weeks get gut settled lost a stone in weight lived on goat milk yogurt dry toast i was saying few naughty words but then i am not your normal sweet old lady !!
The number of abs that you give your hamster is not relevant to whether or not people should complete a prescribed couse of treatment if they are feeling better.
Antibiotic use in intensive pastoral farming is a serious issue but not the one we are discussing here.
What are you discussing. Someone ripping off the system? There is an outcry that the overuse of abs is creating super bugs, resistant to the ones we are prescribed. Your original post would infer that!
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Update - I saw rheumologist today 
