General Medical issues thread

[RooFlyer]

Likely just a muscle cramp.

Which we treat with an antibiotic for a day.

I wonder when we start complaining that we are resistitant to antibiotics and gets a superbug infection? Someone else will be to blame.

 

[prozac]

I take a magnesium supplement. Haven't had a muscle cramp for years.

Good for the heart as well. I take Mag-sup brand as it is what the hospital uses. Alternative is same product Mag-min by Blackmores. I stock up when I can get 250 tab bottles half price.

 

[drron]

This is the problem with GPs in Australia at the moment. This is now my 3rd cellulitis infection in 18 months. GP should give me a script of Keflex to have on hand. Time is of the essence with these infections. By the way Keflex did not work with 1st infection and I ended up with Augmentin for 4 weeks.

Actually they shouldn't under PBS regulations unless you actually have an infection when seen.
They can though write a private prescription for you to have it on hand but then you pay full price for the drug.

 

[JohnK]

Actually they shouldn't under PBS regulations unless you actually have an infection when seen.
They can though write a private prescription for you to have it on hand but then you pay full price for the drug.

Thanks Doc why should I pay full price for the antibiotic? It should be on PBS. I pay more than enough Medicare levy. But let's not worry about it. I'll just get my prescriptions privately in Thailand and some are cheaper than what they are here on PBS.

I'm really sorry but I don't care what people think of me. I have to be prepared to self medicate. I'm struggling. My ankle was OK this morning. Very tender and painful. Now warm to the touch again and very sensitive. If I had waited until tomorrow I may end up with sepsis again. Not far off it the past few days.

I do not understand why I didn't get Keflex in Thailand. I bought Amoxil, Augmentin, Doxycycline and Roxythromycin. Guess what I'm buying next time?

And I also have Augmentin for my daughter. Not waiting weeks for her to suffer with each infection and go to medical centre and doctor prescribe puffer/inhaler. Yeah right that will clear up the infection. Waste of money. Still sitting on counter in apartment as it's useless.

 

[Pushka]

Thanks Doc why should I pay full price for the antibiotic? It should be on PBS. I pay more than enough Medicare levy. But let's not worry about it. I'll just get my prescriptions privately in Thailand and some are cheaper than what they are here on PBS.

I'm really sorry but I don't care what people think of me. I have to be prepared to self medicate. I'm struggling. My ankle was OK this morning. Very tender and painful. Now warm to the touch again and very sensitive. If I had waited until tomorrow I may end up with sepsis again. Not far off it the past few days.

I do not understand why I didn't get Keflex in Thailand. I bought Amoxil, Augmentin, Doxycycline and Roxythromycin. Guess what I'm buying next time?

And I also have Augmentin for my daughter. Not waiting weeks for her to suffer with each infection and go to medical centre and doctor prescribe puffer/inhaler. Yeah right that will clear up the infection. Waste of money. Still sitting on counter in apartment as it's useless.

PBS expects and likely, requires, Doctors to only provide scripts for diagnosed conditions.

You have no idea what coughtail of substances you are purchasing overseas.

Please get your daughter treated by a Doctor. Augmentin created significant gut issues for our son. And a blinding headache for another family member. And you have assumed that what you've bought is actually the real thing. If the Dr prescribes the inhaler then it sounds like a preventive action so it doesn't progress to that infection. This is one positive parenting thing you can do for your child.

 

[drron]

Thanks Doc why should I pay full price for the antibiotic? It should be on PBS. I pay more than enough Medicare levy. But let's not worry about it. I'll just get my prescriptions privately in Thailand and some are cheaper than what they are here on PBS.

I'm really sorry but I don't care what people think of me. I have to be prepared to self medicate. I'm struggling. My ankle was OK this morning. Very tender and painful. Now warm to the touch again and very sensitive. If I had waited until tomorrow I may end up with sepsis again. Not far off it the past few days.

I do not understand why I didn't get Keflex in Thailand. I bought Amoxil, Augmentin, Doxycycline and Roxythromycin. Guess what I'm buying next time?

And I also have Augmentin for my daughter. Not waiting weeks for her to suffer with each infection and go to medical centre and doctor prescribe puffer/inhaler. Yeah right that will clear up the infection. Waste of money. Still sitting on counter in apartment as it's useless.

It is on the PBS if the scipt is written for a current infection but not if you just want it on hand for the next time you diagnose an infection.
you should in fact be thanking your GP if they do give in to your demands as they are breaking the PBS regulations to do that for you.

Yes John I know you are never going to change. The problem is that is people like you that are one of the major factors in antibiotic resistance in Bacteria. If it developes in your body you might in fact not have a major problem but if you pass it on someone else may have a life threatening infection. Let's hope that is not someone close to you.

 

[tgh]

Actually they shouldn't under PBS regulations unless you actually have an infection when seen.
They can though write a private prescription for you to have it on hand but then you pay full price for the drug.

Very informative, thanks...
I will also remember to thank our "rule breaking" GP who, if asked, will always gives us an antibiotic to carry when travelling.
Penicillin may have still been our star antibiotic if the whole world had not abused it.

 

[mrsterryn]

Just a curious question. I know this isn't medical information per say
Antibiotic resistance is from when one uses antibiotics or has to use them constantly?
Have to say I haven't had antibiotics for years (last time I had a very particular ladies problem and so avoid ) however I do have a stack of other meds for fat and old

 

[drron]

It is more than one person's use of antibiotics although that may induce an antibiotic resistant bug after the introduction of antibiotics they were overprescibed. And also not just for human use. Widely used in animal farming as well.
One of the newer antibiotics Ciprofloxacin was very useful when first introduced but multiple bug resistance became a problem. It was often used for poultry farming and sometimes routinely.

https://applications.emro.who.int/imemrf/Professional_Med_J_Q/Professional_Med_J_Q_2015_22_1_1_5.pdf

That is why when a new powerful antibiotic is introduced it can only be used by an authority script at the recommendation of an Infectious Disease specialist.

 

[mrsterryn]

Ahh so the bug itself becomes antibiotic resistant ?

 

[TheRealTMA]

Ahh so the bug itself becomes antibiotic resistant ?

Yes. This occurs naturally when bacteria etc mutate in the presence of the antibiotic and not all are killed but some survive with new resistance to the specific antibiotic. Overuse makes this worse. There are many good articles on the science. For example, What Is Antibiotic Resistance?

Thats why it’s recommended that you should finish the full course ( although some research indicates otherwise).

Overuse and self diagnosis and administration without good clinical advice should be very strongly discouraged. Just makes the possibility of mutation worse and does not help the individual or other family members.

 

[tgh]

Magnesium certainly helps my tired old muscles, but for me stretching is the key to keeping the cramps at bay

 

[RooFlyer]

Overuse and self diagnosis and administration without good clinical advice should be very strongly discouraged called out as stupid, selfish and ignorant and writing about it just attention seeking and so best ignored entirely.

Fixed that. Did I miss anything?

 

[JohnK]

PBS expects and likely, requires, Doctors to only provide scripts for diagnosed conditions.

You have no idea what coughtail of substances you are purchasing overseas.

Oh. So just suffer until Monday and risk sepsis so I can wait for doctor to prescribe me antibiotics that PBS covers. Or go to hospital and wait and wait and wait and wait in the hope that I am seen and they get the right diagnosis?

@drron if you knew me well enough you'd know that I don't just take antibiotics at the drop of a hat. I knew my wife was suffering and we went to medical centre where it took 3 days for the results to come through but "doctor" was more concerned that my wife had covid with 2 episodes 1 week apart and doctor didn't want to catch covid. LOL. No. Wife is complaining of kidney pain. Wife has fever and chills. It is not covid. Same symptoms 1 week apart. It is more than likely UTI but we've it left too long. Hospital 24 hours later in serious condition.

@Pushka I know exactly what I'm buying in Thailand. I'm buying from reputable pharmacies. These are reputable antibiotics.

As for daughter seeing a doctor. We saw our doctor. He said let her get over it naturally. Went to medical centre and she prescribed puffer/inhaler. FFS that's not going to help with a severe infection that being going 3-4 weeks. She had 11 infections last year. Too many in my book. One of them lasted 6-8 weeks. This year shes had 2 already.

@drron I don't need to change because I'm not doing anything wrong. My GP of many years who knew how I'd suffered for many years said "John, you need to self medicate. Don't wait to see a doctor."

I was getting throat infections 3-4 times a year. I could not breathe. I could not swallow. Some were in Thailand. Run around trying to find a doctor that speaks English or go to hospital and tell them what's wrong like I did when I had cellulitis. Some were here on a weekend. I know they were serious. Any doctor would know they were serious. There was no way I'd wait to see if my body would fight these infections. It's torture. I don't need to prove Im tough. In 2019 I had 2 serious infections that lasted between 6-8 weeks each. That was torture. Antibiotic the only way to go.

So please be critical if I've done something wrong otherwise tell me I've done well to get to infection quickly.

 

[Lynda2475]

Penicillin may have still been our star antibiotic if the whole world had not abused it.

Nope that stuff is deadly for those like me who are allergic.

We need more than one antibiotic option; and need people to only take them when prescribed for am actual bacterial infection, not popping them when they have a virus or just in case.

 

[Pushka]

Nope that stuff is deadly for those like me who are allergic.

We need more than one antibiotic option; and need people to only take them when prescribed for am actual bacterial infection, not popping them when they have a virus or just in case.

Yes. My father almost died after being given penicillin in the navy, for pneumonia on an aircraft carrier whilst charging off to fight in the Korean war.

Post automatically merged: Feb 18, 2024

Oh. So just suffer until Monday and risk sepsis so I can wait for doctor to prescribe me antibiotics that PBS covers. Or go to hospital and wait and wait and wait and wait in the hope that I am seen and they get the right diagnosis?

Go to hospital.

 

[Lynda2475]

Yes. My father almost died after being given penicillin in the navy, for pneumonia on an aircraft carrier whilst charging off to fight in the Korean war.

Yep it almost killed my paternal grandfather and saw me hospitalized as a baby (we are the only two in the family who are allergic) and a girl I went to school with was inadvertently prescribed it, had a severe anaphylactic reaction, was in a coma and ended up with mild brain damage from lack of oxygen.

Whenever Im prescribed a drug I haven't had before, I always take the first dose when Im with someone so if there is any severe reaction they can call am ambulance immediately. I rarely take any medication, but if getting drugs for travel I make sure they are ones Ive had before reaction free.

 

[JohnK]

Go to hospital.

I went to hospital around 3-4 weeks ago with what I thought was a series condition and I was waiting with homeless and drug addicts stressed even more than what I was stressed before. I left after more than 2 hours as I would more than likely waited until morning.

Our hospitals are not geared to treat people unless it's serious or looks serious.

I'll see what GP has to say tomorrow.

 

[Pushka]

Yep it almost killed my paternal grandfather and saw me hospitalized as a baby (we are the only two in the family who are allergic) and a girl I went to school with was inadvertently prescribed it, had a sever anaphylactic reaction, was in a coma and ended up with mild brain damage from lack of oxygen.

I usually avoid penicillin just in case.

 

[TheRealTMA]

I usually avoid penicillin just in case.

Penicillin and more recent developments of derivatives and analogs are very useful but if in doubt you can get a penicillin allergy skin test I believe?