Paranoia...

[BookstoreEscapee]

OK, I've been sick for about 3 weeks, now. The week before last I was running a high fever and feeling generally crappy. Went to the doc and he gave me Tamiflu, and I spent several days sleeping at my parents' house. Last week I was coughing so much I could hardly breathe, so I ended up back at the doctor's office. This time I saw a nurse practitioner, and she said I was borderline for pneumonia, plus I had an ear infection, and she gave me antibiotics (Biaxin, or clarithromycin) and an albuterol inhaler, and told me to get some Mucinex. Spent a few more days sleeping at my parents' house. Been on that about 9 days now (last dose will be Sunday morning). This week I was back at work, though I'm not completely better. Still coughing and I have no voice. I went back to the nurse practitioner today, just to check, and she said my ear is still a bit messed up, and my chest still sounds a bit tight. She gave me a second antibiotic, a different type (five days worth), and a prescription cough medicine/decongestant syrup called Rondec to take at night.

So, where am I going with this?

Taking medicine freaks me out. Especially antibiotics, for some reason. I guess because you always hear about people being allergic to them. I always have to read all the info to make sure I know what to expect if it's going to kill me. So of course I looked up the new antibiotic (Avelox, or Moxifloxacin) and read all the scary stuff. And I'm afraid to take it.

Why is this so stupid?

I have never had an allergic reaction to any drug, of any kind, ever. (Or anything else, except for the occasional bout of spring hay fever.) So why do I let this freak me out so much? I'm afraid I'm going to take it and spend the rest of the night waiting for my throat to close up or something. Or, you know, that it actually will close up. (Would not be the first time I've sat up at night waiting for this to happen. Of course, it never has.) I'm already feeling weird feelings in my throat...partly stress (this is one of my primary panic attack symptoms), partly post-nasal drip/coughing.

Someone slap me and make me get over this.

[Der Cute]

*SMACK*

Now take your pills and just go with it.
Keep an eye on yourself - always do that with any kind of medication - and REST! Your body needs all the help it can get to kick the bad bacteria's asses.

Oh. And eat yogurt. Probiotics will help counteract the antibiotic's Kill It All function. Yogurt is what you WANT when you have to take antibiotics.

Lots of fluid, Gatorade, etc, and hot showers are your friend!

Cutenoob

[Amina516]

PLEASE take it. Please take it now, as prescribed. Please take the entire dose.

Yes, medications can be scary and sometimes honestly harmful. But its all about weighing the good with the bad. Yes, there are side effects but your symptoms are bad enough that your doc/NP felt they needed to prescribe them. They felt you needed them. Take em!

Now that you know the side effects, be on the lookout for them. But dont prevent yourelf from recovering more quickly and strongly.

And calm down. Youll stress yourself out and prolong your recovery.

*chicken soup to ya*.

Feel better.

[BookstoreEscapee]

And calm down. Youll stress yourself out and prolong your recovery.

Feel better.

Heh, easier said than done....

Just took the cough medicine and brushed my teeth. I'll take the other when I get in bed.

Thanks.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Man, what is up with the ear infections? I had one, and met someone else who had one.

Listen, don't let it get any worse. You aren't likely to die from a round of antibiotics, but believe you me pneumonia can kill you deader than Elvis.

And if your ear infection is anything like mine was, let it get bad enough and you'll WISH you could go quietly into that good night.

Take the meds.

[Boozy]

Take your pills, BSE. You're more likely to develop complications from pneumonia than have an allergic reaction at this point.

I'm so sorry you've been sick for this long. Get better soon!

[Ree]

So of course I looked up the new antibiotic (Avelox, or Moxifloxacin) and read all the scary stuff. And I'm afraid to take it.

I just finished a round of that antibiotic.

I looked it up on the internet, too, and I read the sheet that the pharmacist gave me.

It's scary, but in this lawsuit happy world, the drug companies have to print every little scenario.

It's a very powerful antibiotic, but from what I read, it's also very effective.

I admit, it made me feel really crappy, and I didn't even keep the first pill down.
I called the pharmacist and he suggested taking it with food.
I did that, and was able to get through the whole prescription.

You have to think about the consequences of not taking it compared to irrational paranoia about having a reaction.

Is there someone who can call or check in on you every little while to make sure you're tolerating the medicine, just to give you some peace of mind about things?

[Jester]

Drugs are good, Mmmmkay?















(Someone had to do it.....)

[BookstoreEscapee]

Is there someone who can call or check in on you every little while to make sure you're tolerating the medicine, just to give you some peace of mind about things?

I have a roommate. Clearly I made it through the night. Woke up at 8 this morning to take my other meds, read for 20 minutes or so, then went back to sleep. It's almost 5pm and I just got up. I guess I needed the rest.

Jester -

[Ree]

I have a roommate.

I was pretty sure you did, but the way you were talking about being afraid of the reaction, I assumed you were alone. Sorry.

[Supermarket Slave Girl]

You keep taking those meds missy, they are doing you a world of good.

(Shakes finger at you like an annoying mother)

[trailerparkmedic]

Yay for taking the drug!

You could always keep some Benadryl on hand if you're worried about an allergic reaction. It would take care of mild things (a rash, itching, etc). Assuming you trust your doctor/NP, it's important to listen to their advice. They know the risk of what they're giving you and have decided that the benefit outweighs the risk. If you aren't sure, talk to your doctor (or the pharmacist if it's a med) and they can explain the risks and the chance of those things actually happening to you.

Yogurt is good, to prevent yeast infections. I learned that the hard way!

[BookstoreEscapee]

Yogurt is good, to prevent yeast infections. I learned that the hard way!

Yes, I have some Activia yogurt. I had some minor stomach troubles for the first few days of the first antibiotic, but so far nothing too bad. Of course, now I'm taking two antibiotics at the same time (though my last dose of the Biaxin is tomorrow morning).

[BookstoreEscapee]

'K, so I've been a good girl and taken my medicine. 3 days so far, 2 to go (tonight and tomorrow). It's giving me major anxiety though. Don't know why this one is bugging me so much. I got over the last antibiotic after a couple doses.

[Flying Grype]

The slap you need is that the illness is statistically more likely to hurt you worse than anything that could go wrong with the medicine. If that wasn't the case, you wouldn't be taking it.