Antibiotics - Weapons of Health
Using your weapons correctly
A patient asked me yesterday - 'Doc, if I'm feeling better after a few days, can I stop the antibiotics?'
I think we can't overstate this so here it goes again - always complete your antibiotics after they have been prescribed by your doctor - unless you develop side effects or are told otherwise by your doctor.
Here's my analogy.
Antibiotics are kind of like a weapon - Weapon against infection.
The use of weapons follows strict guidelines and rules, to achieve intended effects while avoiding unintended consequences.
Now, the germs that antibiotics are meant to kill are very clever.
If you do not use your antibiotics as prescribed (following guidance and rules), you may not kill the germs properly.
Like the white walkers, they will rise again!
Not completing your course of antibiotics means you may weaken the germ while it carefully studies your antibiotic and restructures itself to overcome it next time you use it.
Yes, the pain started to get better, the swelling or other signs of infection stopped and you thought - hey I'm done after 3 days - but really, your Dr. has asked you to have the medicine for 5 days or 7 days because the intent is to kill the germs and not just to weaken them.
So when the Dr. prescribes antibiotic for 1 week, please don't stop after '3 days' or just because you have started to feel better as you would be doing 2 things:
(1) giving the germ more ammunition to hurt you; and
(2) rendered your weapon ineffective.
So, just like the proper use of other weapons should follow strict guidelines and rules, the use of antibiotics should follow proper prescriptions.
This means the prescription of the appropriate antibiotics, in the right dose and for the right duration for the infection.
This would mean that antibiotics should be prescribed by qualified healthcare practitioners who should know.
They also have a responsibility to provide education and accurate information about antibiotics as part of their stewardship to benefit the individual, families and the community.
Stay Well.
Editing by AskAwayHealth Team Disclaimer All AskAwayHealth articles are edited by practising Medical Practitioners on a wide range of health care conditions to provide evidence based guidance and to help promote quality health care. The advice in our material is not meant to replace management of your specific condition by a qualified health care practitioner. To discuss your condition, please contact a health practitioner or reach us directly through info@askawayhealth.org
