Antibiotics, WWYD?

[Fleur]

Pie woke with a temp about 3am on Sunday morning & was quite unsettled. She had had a very mild runny nose for a few days but nothing major... I looked at her throat that morning & it looked a bit red.
Trip to the Doctors that afternoon & he confirmed her throat was red, ears fine, chest fine, gave her a script for antibiotics.

I am wary of giving AB's when they aren't needed & I asked if he could tell was it a virus or bacterial infection & he said not really, so AB's to be on the safe side.

I got the script filled that afternoon, she had one dose last night & one this morning. Her temp hasn't come back up since yesterday afternoon and she's perky & happy (well more or less )
I'm not convinced she needs them, but she's had two doses & I know you're not supposed to start a course & not finish it.


So, what would you do?

[Taurean]

I'm so not the right person to be responding to this post but here I go DD was not herself last week, I thought it was teething. Took her to the GP as she was drooling like you wouldn't believe (and still is!) and nothing was settling her. I wanted to get some stronger pain killers. GP said she had tonsillitis and prescribed AB - penicillin. All good, gave her the two doses that night and she slept well, 10 hours straight. Gave her another dose when she woke and undressed her to change her nappy only to find she was covered in HIVES!!! We rushed her to emergency and spent a good couple of hours there. She was taken off the AB's, we were told it was just a virus and she spent the following four days wired on Phernergan.

So no, I'm not really keen on AB's for a 'maybe-virus-infection' now

[UsPlus2]

If that were my son I wouldnt continue with them, but then I'm with Taurean not a fan of "just in case".

Hope Pie and Taureans DD are feeling better soon.

[Fleur]

Thanks ladies.
I'm not a fan of 'just in case' either. The one time a doctor prescribed them 'just in case' and I suggested waiting to see if they were really necessary he looked at me like I was a monster. I think they are over-prescribed and it's already creating problems in the form of super bugs. But it's equally not good to start a course & then not finish it.... so I don't know

[Yeddi]

Can she gargle with honey for the sore throat? Honey is an antibacterial. Also a vitamin C will help fight infection. I'd also be chopping up some garlic and rubbing it on her feet then put her "garlic socks" (we have a special pair set aside) when she went to bed. All much better options for "just in case" than AB's.

[Phteven]

Starting a course and not finishing it is irresponsible.
If she's perkier after a couple of doses it seems likely that the cause was bacterial.
One of the reasons we have superbugs is because people start on ABs and don't finish them. Maybe next time get the script and then hold off for a day or two before filling it.

[mummydreamer]

hmmm....im probably not the best person to give advice, i don't really agree with them......the last time i was in there with DD, my GP put her on some cause she had a chest infection, i was like 'does she really need them!?' the GP looked at me like i was mental....i just hate AB. think though once you start a course it's not the best to stop??

[Fleur]

Yeah that's what i thought.. I know you're not supposed to start & then stop, I guess I just wondered if that was after one dose, two three.. we'll keep going with them.

Yeddi she's too young to gargle, but the garlic socks is a good idea, thank you.
Onyx I think I will wait next time... I was a bit put off because last time I suggested doing that with a doctor he looked at me like I was some kind of monster.... Mummydreamer I'm glad it's not just me, lol.

And 'nuff with the 'I'm not the best person to ask' - the best person to ask is the one who gives me their honest opinion. So thank you all