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I am so upset with ER right now!! I need to ask a question about antibiotics...


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Here's the scenario:

ER started feeling poorly on the Saturday after Thanksgiving -- sore throat, stuffy nose, etc. Two days later (Monday), he went to the doctor at the clinic on campus and was prescribed Augmentin for an infection in his throat (tonsillitis, I assume). The medicine was to be taken every 12 hours -- not sure if it was for 7 days or 10 days.

 

He started taking the medicine, and his throat started to improve, but it started hurting again when he began unintentionally skipping doses (I have no idea how many) because he was busy (it's the end of the semester) and he would simply forget. This weekend, he has gone to a friend's house, and of course, he left his medicine at school (1½ hours away)! Arrgghhh!!! He says he thinks he has 7 or 8 pills left -- in other words, 3-4 days worth.

 

He asys that his throat is less sore today than it was yesterday, but it's still scratchy. So...my question is: when he gets back to school tomorrow evening, should he resume the medicine AND TAKE IT ON SCHEDULE (!) or just forget it and hope that he doesn't completely relapse?

Edited by ereks mom
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I would think that at this point, with so many missed doses and few days worth of not taking it at all, he needs to go get a new prescription and start the antibiotic regimen over. I don't know about Augmentin in particular, but it's my understanding that the reason you have to keep taking them even after you start to feel better is because of the way antibiotic work they need to be in your system 24/7 for a period of time to fully defeat the infection.

 

I suggest having him call the clinic (or the pharmacy he got the meds from) and tell them what happened.

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DH would like to know if the clinic tested for strep or simply prescribed an antibiotic. Most cases of tonsillitis are viral in nature, unless it's strep, and antibiotics won't help anyway. That said, it won't hurt to have him finish his prescription if it makes you feel better.:)

 

Thanks! I was thinking I'd tell him to call the clinic Monday to see what they have to say. ER didn't ask enough questions at the clinic to suit me! LOL

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