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doctor or no doctor...
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<blockquote data-quote="Marguerite" data-source="post: 267955" data-attributes="member: 1991"><p>Kjs, get back to the doctor. Yesterday.</p><p></p><p>Here's the drill. When you get a cold, THAT is viral. It doesn't respond to antibiotics. BUT - especially if you're run down, especially if you or someone in your house smokes, you are very much at risk of a bacterial infection moving in and making you a lot sicker. If you have a cold, then the secondary bacterial infection can settle in your lungs, in your throat, in your sinuses, in your middle ear - lots of places.</p><p></p><p>Antibiotics work by getting into your bloodstream and thereby being carried to wherever the bacterial infection is. Depending on where the bug is and which bug it is, depends on how well the antibiotics work. For example, some antibiotics get excreted quickly through the kidneys - therefore they are fabulous for kidney infections.</p><p></p><p>You took a course of antibiotics and it has really helped. But it hasn't fixed things completely.</p><p></p><p>Two possibilites:</p><p></p><p>1) You didn't take enough antibiotics - that can happen, especially with a particularly stubborn infection, or a resistant one. Resistance happens when MOST of the bugs get killed off by antibiotics but not all; the survivors reproduce rapidly and presto! A large population of bugs agian, only now thy're all resistant. Nasty. OR</p><p></p><p>2) You have yet another secondary (or tertiary?) bacterial infection. This would need more antibiotics.</p><p></p><p>Things to note and tell the doctor - </p><p></p><p>1) DO you have any mucus? Either nasal, or coughing it up. If it's thick and green (sorry, for the squeamish among you) it's a strong indication of bacterial infection.</p><p></p><p>2) Your throat - sore, you said. And your sinuses, sore. Yes, it COULD be form coughing/nose-blowing, or it could be more. Make a note of how it feels and how long it has felt like this.</p><p></p><p>3) Ditto for your chest. THAT worries me. I've had pneumonia, I've had pleurisy, it hurts like you describe. Something I remember from my pneumonia - I could put my hand on my side and feel it bubbling there when I breathed. Absence of this sign does not mean you're OK and don't need a doctor - you do.</p><p></p><p>4) Any fever? Even a mild one. Note the amount, keep a chart of sorts, take it to the doctor. Yesterday.</p><p></p><p>5) Ear pain - it could be infection, or it could be muscles strained form the coughing.</p><p></p><p>6) Arms hurt to move - agian, tis could be muscle strain. Or you could have cracked a rib from coughing (it can happen). Or it could be referred pain from pleurisy/pneumonia.</p><p></p><p>As you can see, there are just too many reasons to go see the doctor.</p><p></p><p>Think of it this way - people depend on you. You don't want to skive off for fear of letting people down. But if they have to put you in hospital because the infection got out of control and you became REALLY sick, then you will inconvenience people a great deal more.</p><p></p><p>It's cheaper and faster to knock the illness on the head now. Besides - do you REALLY want to share this with people at work? Or your family?</p><p></p><p>Marg</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Marguerite, post: 267955, member: 1991"] Kjs, get back to the doctor. Yesterday. Here's the drill. When you get a cold, THAT is viral. It doesn't respond to antibiotics. BUT - especially if you're run down, especially if you or someone in your house smokes, you are very much at risk of a bacterial infection moving in and making you a lot sicker. If you have a cold, then the secondary bacterial infection can settle in your lungs, in your throat, in your sinuses, in your middle ear - lots of places. Antibiotics work by getting into your bloodstream and thereby being carried to wherever the bacterial infection is. Depending on where the bug is and which bug it is, depends on how well the antibiotics work. For example, some antibiotics get excreted quickly through the kidneys - therefore they are fabulous for kidney infections. You took a course of antibiotics and it has really helped. But it hasn't fixed things completely. Two possibilites: 1) You didn't take enough antibiotics - that can happen, especially with a particularly stubborn infection, or a resistant one. Resistance happens when MOST of the bugs get killed off by antibiotics but not all; the survivors reproduce rapidly and presto! A large population of bugs agian, only now thy're all resistant. Nasty. OR 2) You have yet another secondary (or tertiary?) bacterial infection. This would need more antibiotics. Things to note and tell the doctor - 1) DO you have any mucus? Either nasal, or coughing it up. If it's thick and green (sorry, for the squeamish among you) it's a strong indication of bacterial infection. 2) Your throat - sore, you said. And your sinuses, sore. Yes, it COULD be form coughing/nose-blowing, or it could be more. Make a note of how it feels and how long it has felt like this. 3) Ditto for your chest. THAT worries me. I've had pneumonia, I've had pleurisy, it hurts like you describe. Something I remember from my pneumonia - I could put my hand on my side and feel it bubbling there when I breathed. Absence of this sign does not mean you're OK and don't need a doctor - you do. 4) Any fever? Even a mild one. Note the amount, keep a chart of sorts, take it to the doctor. Yesterday. 5) Ear pain - it could be infection, or it could be muscles strained form the coughing. 6) Arms hurt to move - agian, tis could be muscle strain. Or you could have cracked a rib from coughing (it can happen). Or it could be referred pain from pleurisy/pneumonia. As you can see, there are just too many reasons to go see the doctor. Think of it this way - people depend on you. You don't want to skive off for fear of letting people down. But if they have to put you in hospital because the infection got out of control and you became REALLY sick, then you will inconvenience people a great deal more. It's cheaper and faster to knock the illness on the head now. Besides - do you REALLY want to share this with people at work? Or your family? Marg [/QUOTE]
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