It's cold/flu season again! Why do doctors never prescribe antibiotics until it's almost too late?
My family has cold-induced asthma. Everytime one of us gets the flu we wind up needing to take antibiotics. First it starts with runny nose and fever, followed by coughing for weeks. Eventually the cough settles into the chest leading to infection almost always requiring antibiotics. My question is if they know the end result, how come doctors don't prescribe antibiotics sooner and instead wait until it's almost too late (i.e., high grade fever, etc.)? And are we unique in requiring antibiotics to cure our complications due to colds/fevers? Does anyone else have the same problem?
Posted by Give Peace a Chance!
No offense...
But Anitbiotics won't do anything!!!
Seriously....Try VITAMIN C powder that you can just mix a teaspoon into a drink of water every moring!
It actually tastes really good and is so easy and more natural!!
Try it!
Health Food stores will have it!
Posted by Eirin
Colds and flu are viruses, and not affected by antibiotics (which only work on bacterial infections). Doctors in the past over-prescribed antibiotics for many ailments, and now are realizing the problems this causes when bacteria become resistant to treatment by mutation.
A virus has to be waited out, there is no cure. You can treat the symptoms, but this can even be dangerous as treating a fever (that's not unreasonably high) can actually hide symptoms of something more severe.
I'm not sure why the doctors are prescribing antibiotics for your family at all. A better result would come from an expectorant (which loosens phlegm) and an inhaler for asthma which opens up the bronchial airways. Unless you later develop a bacterial infection, any help from the antibiotics is placebo.. in other words, it's not actually doing anything. More likely, the virus is naturally coming to an end of its effects by that point.
Posted by Doncaster
most good doctors only use antibiotics as a last resort,they know that certain germs/virus can build up resistance to them and mutate so that the antibiotics them have no effect and there is nothing to fight the mutants with,
this can also happen when the patient does not take the full course as prescribed
Posted by claire herbalist
The doctors do not prescribe antibiotics for colds and flu as they are caused by a virus and will only respond to anti-virals. The antibiotics are used to treat a secondary infection caused by the cold/flu, suprised that the doc hasnt offered you a flu jab. Sounds as though weak chests run in the family, secondary infections are common in this situation. Would suggest looking in to ways to strengthen the chest and immune system. Prevention better than cure and all.
Posted by Chaos Named
Your body becomes resistant to antibiotics so doctors won't prescribe them till you actually need them. Have you tried getting a flu shot. I'm not being sarcastic. Seriously, if you get a flu shot you don't get the flu.
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