Taking antibiotics when you don't need them puts you and your family at risk of developing infections which in turn cannot be easily treated with antibiotics. Without urgent action from all of us, common infections, minor injuries and routine operations will become much riskier.
Taking antibiotics when they're not needed won't help you, and their side effects can still cause harm. Your doctor can decide the best treatment for you when you're sick.
If you take an antibiotic when you don't need it – for example, when you have a cold or the flu – it can make you feel worse and make your illness last longer. In fact, when used the wrong way, antibiotics can cause more severe illnesses like diarrhea, nausea and rashes.
Bottom line. Antibiotics should only be used to treat bacterial infections and won't help treat viral infections. Taking antibiotics when they aren't necessary can lead to antibiotic resistance as well as possible side effects.
CDC'S Get Smart campaign, on appropriate antibiotic use, urges people never to skip doses or stop the drugs because they're feeling better.
Taking antibiotics too often or for the wrong reasons can change bacteria so much that antibiotics don't work against them. This is called bacterial resistance or antibiotic resistance. Some bacteria are now resistant to even the most powerful antibiotics available.
Taking more antibiotics than your prescribed doesn't increase immunity or prevent future infections. Research has shown that early use of antibiotics can lead to decreased protective immunity to infections and increased susceptibility to reinfection.
Never take antibiotics without a prescription. Always follow your doctor's instructions and take all of your prescribed antibiotics even if you feel well.
The most common amoxicillin side effects are nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. These usually go away after you finish taking the medication. Contact your healthcare provider right away if you experience any serious side effects, such as severe diarrhea or signs of an allergic reaction.
Amoxicillin begins to fight your infection soon after you start taking it, and you should start to feel better after about 2 to 3 days. But even if you feel better before your prescription runs out, make sure to keep taking it for as many doses as prescribed. Amoxicillin is widely available as a lower-cost generic.
Amoxicillin is used to treat a variety of bacterial conditions. Its effectiveness against multiple strains of bacteria explains why physicians consider it a strong antibiotic.
Side effects of amoxicillin are typically mild, and include gastrointestinal issues like upset stomach and diarrhea as well as headache, rash, abnormal taste, and vaginal yeast infections. Less common side effects like allergic reactions, breathing problems, and seizures have also been recorded.
Even amoxicillin carries a risk of serious side effects. Besides the risk of side effects, there is another reason to avoid prescribing antibiotics when they are not needed: antibiotic-resistant infections.
Amoxicillin overdose
It is possible to take an overdose on amoxicillin. If you or someone else has overdosed on this medication, seek emergency medical attention right away. Symptoms of an amoxicillin overdose may include: Nausea.
Amoxicillin is a penicillin antibiotic. It is used to treat bacterial infections, such as chest infections (including pneumonia) and dental abscesses. It can also be used together with other antibiotics and medicines to treat stomach ulcers.
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
MRSA has become resistant to common antibiotics such as beta-lactams, including methicillin, amoxicillin, penicillin, nafcillin, oxacillin, and cephalosporins. MRSA is spread by contact.
Eat fermented foods
Fermented foods are produced by bacteria and include yogurt, cheese, sauerkraut, kombucha, and kimchi, among others. They contain several species of healthy bacteria, such as Lactobacilli, which can help restore the gut microbiome to a healthy state after antibiotics.
Cons of taking antibiotics
If you take antibiotics often, your body can build a resistance to antibiotic drugs, which could cause antibiotics to become less effective. The longer the course of treatment for an antibiotic, the more damage that can be done to the body's immune system.
Typically, it will take the body time to balance the microbiome to healthy, diverse bacteria levels. In fact, research shows that it takes about 6 months to recover from the damage done by antibiotics. And even then, the body might not even be back to its pre-antibiotic state.
There's an increased risk of side effects if you take 2 doses closer together than recommended. Accidentally taking 1 extra dose of your antibiotic is unlikely to cause you any serious harm. But it will increase your chances of getting side effects, such as pain in your stomach, diarrhoea, and feeling or being sick.
Antibiotics are only needed for treating certain infections caused by bacteria, but even some bacterial infections get better without antibiotics. We rely on antibiotics to treat serious, life-threatening conditions such as pneumonia and sepsis, the body's extreme response to an infection.
Testing. A lab test is the only ironclad way to determine if you truly need an antibiotic. A physician can collect a sample of bodily gunk (whatever you can cough up or blow out of your nose) or take a throat swab. In general, a culture, in which bacteria are grown in the lab and tested, can take a day or two.
Many common infections are caused by germs called viruses. Antibiotic medicines do not kill viruses. Also, many infections caused by germs called bacteria do not need antibiotics. These infections often get better without antibiotic treatment.
If you take an antibiotic when you have a viral infection, the antibiotic attacks bacteria in your body. These are bacteria that are helpful or are not causing disease. This incorrect treatment can then promote antibiotic-resistant properties in harmless bacteria that can be shared with other bacteria.