How to take antibiotics correctly: useful tips

As early as the beginning of the 20th century, when Alexander Fleming discovered the world's first antibiotic penicillin, he could not have imagined how great his discovery was. Indeed, the introduction of antibiotics was a real breakthrough in medicine. People stopped dying from infectious diseases, doctors finally could save a person from dysentery or typhoid.

But who would have thought that today, in the period of modern technologies, an antibiotic should be taken according to certain rules. After all, this drug can not only help. With illiterate use of the drug, an antibiotic can kill beneficial microorganisms along with harmful bacteria.

Do I need an antibiotic

The most important rule is to take an antibiotic strictly as directed by the doctor. An antibiotic is a serious medicine, and you cannot make a decision about taking it yourself.This drug group is appointed only when the organism is infected with pathogenic bacteria. Viral cold is not treated with antibiotics! To use an antibiotic for rhinitis, red throat (if there is no streptococcus pathogen), ear inflammation does not make sense. All this is treated symptomatically, plus you can take antiviral drugs.

However, other diseases cannot be cured without the use of antibiotics. They can manifest persistent, prolonged and indestructible temperature, purulent secretions, infectious tissue lesions.

Only a doctor can identify the true need for antibiotics. Therefore, it is extremely dangerous to prescribe antibiotics yourself. The specialist in this case necessarily asks about the presence of allergic reactions to a particular drug, learns about previous experience with antibiotics, chronic kidney or liver diseases, and the presence of diabetes. A woman must inform the doctor about the planned or actual pregnancy, possible breastfeeding. All these nuances will help the doctor to choose exactly the drug that will help get rid of the disease, without leading to additional problems.

Some doctors may prescribe tests for the body's sensitivity to certain antibiotics. This will immediately select the drug that is effective for you.

How to take antibiotics

1. When buying a drug, pay attention to its expiration date - an expired medication will not only be useless, it may be harmful. If the pharmacy does not have the medicine you specified, do not rush to replace it with an analogue - it is better to coordinate this issue with the doctor.
2. As a rule, a prescription antibiotic should be taken two or three times a day. This means that the medicine must be taken at regular intervals. If you need to drink twice a day - then the appointment is scheduled for 8 or 9 hours. In the morning and in the evening. If the appointment indicated three doses per day, then at 7, at 15 and 23 hours. The effectiveness of the drug will be maximized.
3. Some drugs need to be taken in a specific pattern with different amounts of the drug and the time of admission. Check with your doctor.
4. If you forget to take the medicine, take the missed dose as soon as you remember it. The next technique should be according to the scheme, without a time shift.
5. The antibiotic should not be taken on an empty stomach.Due to the fact that it is a rather aggressive medicine, it negatively affects the walls of an empty stomach. Take the medicine an hour after eating.
6. If you notice an improvement in your condition on the third day of taking antibiotics, do not stop taking the drug. The fact is that antibiotics are a medicine that should be taken for at least five days, ideally 7 days. The fact is that in five days the antibiotic is able to completely suppress the harmful microorganism. And if you stop taking the medicine, the surviving bacteria can again restore their population and lead the person to the disease.
7. Very often, the question arises as to the form in which antibiotics should be prescribed. Of course, an antibiotic, administered intramuscularly, acts much faster, it does not harm the walls of the stomach. This is especially true for patients with gastroenterological diseases. However, if we are talking about a child, it is better to take a suspension than to give an injection. For a baby, the course of injections is an incredible stress that can only be justified by a real threat to his health.
8. Wash down the medicine with warm water, in any case not coffee, tea or sweet soda.This can cause an allergic reaction of the body, as well as lead to unexpected consequences.
9. In no case can antibiotics interfere with alcohol. It is necessary to exclude alcohol intake at the time of treatment. Alcohol-containing beverages may cause the drug to be completely useless. In other cases, alcohol, taken with an antibiotic, causes a strong heartbeat, tinnitus, panic attacks.
10. When taking medication in this group, it is important to follow certain rules in the diet. Exclude acidic foods - fresh juices, vinegar, lemon.
11. Some groups of antibiotics affect the human tolerance of ultraviolet rays. Therefore, while taking these drugs, as well as a couple more weeks after taking it is impossible to sunbathe and visit the solarium.

These simple rules will make taking antibiotics comfortable and effective.

What to take antibiotics

As the name implies - the antibiotic kills live microorganisms. However, the disadvantage of this medication is that, in addition to pathogenic bacteria, antibiotics also kill beneficial bacteria.This is especially true for children and adults who have a tendency to gastroenterological diseases. Often, after taking antibiotics, side effects such as constipation or diarrhea can be observed.

To restore a healthy intestinal microflora, one should immediately drink eubiotics along with the antibiotic. Linex, Bifidubakterin, Hilak Forte - all these medications will help you avoid intestinal upset after taking antibiotics. They need to drink according to the scheme. Usually they are taken 20-30 minutes before meals. This is an integral part of treatment when it comes to small children. In addition, you need to include in the diet of natural bacteria - drink more dairy products. But do not take them down with antibiotics - these drugs do not tolerate the neighborhood with lactic acid.

If you have liver problems, you probably feel bitter in your mouth, nausea when you take antibiotics. To avoid this, you need to protect the liver at the time of treatment. Take Hepatrim, Essentiale. With a serious illness, when taking antibiotics for a long time, you can take care of the prevention of fungal infections - for example, take Nystatin.

Antibiotics are the greatest invention of mankind. But only their proper application can be safe and effective. Take care of your health, follow the instructions of the doctor and do not engage in amateur activities. And then your healthy body will be grateful to you.

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