It’s important to use them safely though. After all, these infection-fighting medications can pose serious risks to you and thousands of other people who rely on antibiotics every day.
Life-threatening side effects and antibiotic resistance—when bacteria are no longer sensitive to a certain antibiotic—are concerns when it comes to antibiotic safety. Here are seven steps you can follow to ensure that you and your loved ones are using antibiotics properly at home.
1) Take your antibiotics on time.
Timing is critical when it comes to antibiotics. That’s because a certain amount of the antibiotic needs to be inside your body for a certain length of time in order to get rid of the bacteria that’s making you sick.
Here’s an example: You may have heard of a popular antibiotic called Bactrim (sulfamethoxazole / trimethoprim) that treats common bacterial infections like urinary tract infections (UTIs) or traveler’s diarrhea. If your doctor prescribes Bactrim for your infection and wants you to take it once daily, follow those instructions and take it as close to the same time each day as possible.
We’re human, so it’s normal to forget sometimes. If you do forget to take your antibiotic, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it’s now time for your next dose and you completely missed the last one, don’t take both doses at once. Simply continue on with your schedule.
2) Take your antibiotics for as long as your doctor says—even if you start feeling better!
Remember that nasty antibiotic resistance we talked about earlier? Stopping your antibiotics early increases the risk of resistance occurring.
If you stop your antibiotics before you finish the full prescription, you may not get rid of all the bad bacteria that made you sick.
The saying “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger” applies here. The leftover bacteria can grow, multiply, and may eventually take over. Since the bacteria are stronger, it may be harder to treat your infection the next time around.
So unless your doctor says it’s okay to stop early, be sure to finish your entire course of antibiotics.
3) Avoid mixing alcohol and antibiotics.
If you’re someone who likes to partake in alcoholic beverages, two weeks of an antibiotic like Flagyl (metronidazole) could put a wrench in your plans.
It’s best to avoid alcohol while taking antibiotics. Here’s why:
- Alcohol weakens your immune system which slows down your body’s healing process.
- Taking alcohol with Bactrim, Flagyl, or Tindamax (tinidazole) can result in severe nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and headaches.
It’s probably best to err on the side of caution.
4) Store antibiotics exactly the way your pharmacist tells you to.
Some antibiotics must be refrigerated in order to remain strong enough to get rid of the bacteria that are making you sick. On the other hand, some antibiotics like Biaxin (clarithromycin) are more effective when stored at room temperature. Then you have antibiotics like Zithromax (azithromycin) that can be stored in a refrigerator or at room temperature.
You’ll find out how to store your antibiotics at the pharmacy. When you pick up your prescription, your pharmacist may give you instructions in person and will also usually place a sticker on the prescription bottle to remind you of them.
5) Don’t save antibiotics for later.
Though it can be tempting to keep them, it’s important to dispose of any leftover antibiotics after you’ve completed your full course.
Once antibiotics have expired, they may lose their ability to fight infections. Taking expired antibiotics that don’t work well could actually cause your infection to get worse. It could also be harder to treat your infection in the future because of antibiotic resistance.
It’s also important to remember that different antibiotics treat different infections. When you self-diagnose an infection, you run the risk of misdiagnosing yourself and taking the wrong antibiotics. Taking the wrong antibiotics won’t help your infection. Instead, it can make your infection worse and unnecessarily increase your risk of unpleasant side effects.
6) Don’t let others “borrow” or share your antibiotics.
Sharing antibiotics doesn’t come without risks, especially since different people can have different reactions to them. Penicillin might be perfectly safe for you, for example, but someone you know might be severely allergic to it. It’s also possible for one of your friends to get hives after taking Bactrim, even if you’ve taken it before with no such reactions.
Sharing antibiotics with others increases the risk of that person experiencing side effects or potential medical emergencies. Disposing of any left over antibiotics after you’ve finished a full course will help prevent the urge to lend antibiotics to others.
7) Let your doctor know ASAP if you develop diarrhea.
Last but not least, keep an eye on your bowels while taking antibiotics and within the following weeks after finishing them. One important side effect of any antibiotic is a subsequent infection called Clostridium difficile, or C. diff, for short. C. diff can lead to diarrhea and serious, possibly life-threatening colitis (inflammation of the colon).
If you notice that you or a loved one develops diarrhea and has taken an antibiotic recently, contact the doctor right away.
Takeaway
Chances are you or someone you care for will need to take antibiotics. Knowing how to use them safely is a great way to keep you and your loved ones safe and on the road to full recovery.
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