Antibiotic Resistance 'one Of The Most Dangerous Global Crises Facing Modern World'

[naomi24]

//Public Health England (PHE) has launched the new "Keep Antibiotics Working" campaign to tackle the growing resistance to the drugs.

TV and radio adverts and posters have been produced to discourage patients from asking their GPs for antibiotics as the NHS heads into the busy winter period.//

http://news.sky.com/story/campaign-urges-people-to-stop-asking-for-antibiotics-to-prevent-apocalypse-11094616

Do you often ask your GP for antibiotics?

[pixie374]

Sorry- I meant the most recent discovery...

[Sqad]

anne....LOL.....no idea.
It depends upon the opinion of the DR.
I would guess that older Drs would say finish the course, younger Drs would suggest not.
Me? my advice (for what it was worth) would say, when you feel better, stop the antibiotics.

[dannyk13]

Anne, patients notes are still advocating that the course be completed.

[anneasquith]

It would appear at the moment our medical / pharmacy staff don't agree with your opinion ( yet) maybe in the meantime we continue to take the advice given to us ,so as not to cause any confusion ?

[albaqwerty]

I can't remember the last time I was on anti-bugs.
(thankfully) I'd never ask my GP either.

FIL has COPD and when he gets a chest infection, he has no choice but to finish the course as his carers visit regularly to feed him his pills.

[anneasquith]

Where is the evidence " younger doctors may advise not finishing a course of antibiotics ?

[albaqwerty]

Meant to ask, why does one course not always work and a different course is then prescribed?

[pixie374]

They use the cheapest first, albs. Sqad told me that :-). And then go for a stronger one. Some of them here have a definite policy of which to offer first.

[Sqad]

Anne

Advice to a patient should be on an individual basis and the advice may differ be it for an acute condition or indeed an acute exacerbation of an underlying chronic condition.
Advice is based on research and opinion and in medicine unfortunately it is just that........an opinion.
You either take it OR ignore it........it is your choice.

[jno]

alba, because different drugs do different things? I've had that; one antib did nothing for what turned out to be pewmonia, another one fixed it.

[Sqad]

Anne......just seen another of your questions.
There is no evidence......it is just my opinion.
What "evidence" would you like?

[anneasquith]

You have not answered my question sqad .

[albaqwerty]

I have no reason not to believe that, Pix, no wonder the NHS is having a few financial hiccups.

[Sqad]

Oh! God.......what question is that Anne?

[ummmm]

I have never been told by a doctor to finish a course. It says it on the label...

[murraymints]

I am told every time to finish the course !

[Islay]

The last time I had antibiotics I was not told by the dr to finish but the pharmacist.

[jno]

yes, I get told that by the chemist too. Probably because she assumes that's what the doctor said (the prescirption will just say three a day for five days, nothing about stopping earlier) and she doesn't want to countermand it or confuse me.

[ummmm]

I haven't had them prescribed for years but I do remember the label saying finish the course.

[naomi24]

I was given antibiotics a few weeks ago for a severe ear infection. The label told me to finish the course.