It's a superbug's life - irresistible !

[Doc Alan]

Antibiotics have saved many lives over the past 65 years. But resistance has become a dangerous problem. MRSA and the New Delhi superbug NDM-1 are examples.
Antibiotics work against bacteria, not viruses.
They should not be prescribed for colds and influenza. Where they are correctly prescribed, patients should finish the course.
In the Philippines, many antibiotics are bought without prescription or proper diagnosis. "Hiyang" (lucky) applies - whatever the cause of the fever, they worked before so they're used again.
Antibiotics are also used in UK, Philippines and elsewhere for livestock, causing more resistance.
Doing nothing is not an option. Resistence has medical and financial costs - relatively more in the Philippines than the UK. Drug-resistant TB, for example, costs much more to treat.
Antibiotics should not be overused or misused. Members could help their loved ones in both our countries by trying to make sure they're only used appropriately.
Making new antibiotics is not that attractive to drug companies - successful treatment cures the patient. That's good for the patient and bad for the company. But new drugs are urgently needed.

[sars_notd_virus]

Antibiotics is good if prescribed correctly but I was still quite amazed on how the NHS working on its policy here in the UK....they seems to be giving antibiotics so easy these days

here is a sample case:

My nine year old daughter complains of frequent urinating, lower abdominal pain but no fever so i went to the surgery to have her urine to be tested and i was surprised as the nurse on the reception gave me a prescription (antibiotics) as soon as i handed the urine sample.. i thought i need to wait for a week for the urine to be cultured or have it tested using dipsticks to see if its got reaction,bacteria etc ,..I am not a nurse nor a doctor but i am not ignorant so i asked the nurse why she got a ready made presription,she simply say ''let my daughter take it and see how it goes for a few days''...
i took the prescription but didnt get the antibiotics from the pharmacy ,went home ,call the surgery again and arrange an appointment with a GP , i let my daughter drink lots of water and juices and the frequent urinating went off on its own without taking antibiotics and she's already feeling well...went to see the GP in about three days asking the result of the urine test and it says in the records 'NO ACTION' ..I ask the doctor is it 'NO rEAction' ?? ..he said no action meaning nothing has been done to the urine sample, because the tube has not been named or labeled......i did complain about it for the benefit of the other patients...how do they call it in medical term ''misdiagnosed or undiagnosed''??both sounds scary to me..

[KeithD]

The drug companies haven't invested in antibiotics for yonks, one of the reasons that they prefer to invest in newer drugs that will make them a lot of money. I also think I read in New Scientist it's also and issue with patents, and the fact that any new drug can be copied after about 2 years of it's release resulting in cheaper versions than the original. Not good for something that will only cost a few pence.

[Terpe]

I've noticed that most antibiotics are available 'over-the-counter' at drug stores all over the Philippines.
I don't know exactly how much they are, but plenty of people are buying them.
My guess would be that very often people in the Phils are buying and taking completely the wrong drugs.

[Arthur Little]

I've noticed that most antibiotics are available 'over-the-counter' at drug stores all over the Philippines.
I don't know exactly how much they are, but plenty of people are buying them.
My guess would be that very often people in the Phils are buying and taking completely the wrong drugs.

Yes ... the apparent availability of so many unprescribed, over-the-counter antibiotics in the Phils surprised me too, Terpe!

[Doc Alan]

The situation is different in the UK, where policies exist for prescribing antibiotics, and the Philippines, where they are often not prescribed. But the principle is the same, high level recommendations have little effect unless people change their attitudes about use of antibiotics.
sars_notd_ virus was correct - samples should be taken, labelled correctly (), and cultured in the lab for the right treatment. Of course treatment with the antibiotic most likely to be effective is possible before the results are available, as in meningitis for example. But convenience and laziness top the list of causes of antibiotic resistance. Useless prescriptions may not directly harm the patients - although antibiotics have side effects - but they encourage resistance.
In the Philippines, I understand there's widespread self-treatment, without even a doctor's advice or prescription. "Gamot sa ubo / sipon / lagnat /sakit ng ulo " ( medicine for cough / cold / fever / headache), and the rest, are bought and the course is probably not completed if the patient happens to get better ! Not just respectable households (where much of the population stores unused drugs / medications ) but also sex workers ( increasing resistance in sexually transmitted diseases). The solution is not easy because too much restriction of availability of antibiotics - when not everyone can afford a doctor - could cause people to die who might have lived.
Right now, resistant superbugs affect mainly kids, the old, cancer patients, and chronically ill (especially HIV/AIDS). A resistant pandemic has not occurred in 65 years of antibiotic use. But the cost of treating one person with multi-drug resistant TB (450,000 new cases / year) is said to be 200 times greater than the less lethal type. A high medical and financial price for society's failure to protect a precious resource - antibiotics.

[steve monty]

I was actually going to start a thread the other day about generic drugs from over the counter pharmacies in the Philippines. When over in the Philippines, if i am ill, i always would try to 'battle on' with it and not go to the doctor and try to get by using over the counter drug stores. Every time i was ill there with flu like syptoms i was given the same drug each time 'solmux' (might be different spelling, apologies). I would always feel worse after taking it, I thought that the dosages might have been stronger there? Also when my mahal tried our UK Ibuprofin for headache she said that it didn't work. I have also seen people in mahal's family double-dosing which i am sure is dangerous and warned them to that. Is it a danger that people become immune with these types of practices?

[Doc Alan]

Tolerance does occur with drugs. It can happen within a few days of taking sleeping tablets, and sleep may be disturbed after stopping them. Repeated use of opioids like morphine for pain can cause dependence and tolerance. Drugs like ibuprofen have side effects and a good general rule is to use the minimum effective dose for the shortest time.
The correct dose of antibiotics, for the right length of time, is vital ! This depends on age, weight, severity of infection and other factors - too little can lead to resistance, too much can lead to toxic effects. Treatment which is too long also encourages resistance, is expensive and may lead to side effects.
Our responsibility, in UK as in the Philippines, is both collective and personal. People are misusing antibiotics, with or without doctors' prescriptions (which can themselves be inappropriate) !

[Arthur Little]

I When over in the Philippines, if i am ill, i always would try to 'battle on' with it and not go to the doctor

Likewise! The very of the sheer cost of medical treatment over there filled me with dread! One evening during my second visit, I developed a burning, indigestion-type pain which increased in intensity as the night wore on ... until I began to worry if I was having a heart attack - since both my parents succumbed to myocardial infarction. Then the head of the household - an elderly relative of my wife - with whom we were staying, suggested Myrna rub my chest with an analgesic lotion referred to as "hot oil" ... and the relief was [almost] instantly palpable. Turned out my symptoms had been caused by inflamation - arising from the consumption of too many fizzy soft drinks ... like Coca Cola, Sprite etc. - a fact that was later confirmed by a gastroenterologist following my return to dear ol' Blighty.

[mickcant]

As this is for me a very confusing subject
I will rely on my Dr who I think I get good treatment from, giving me the treatment they think best
Mick.

[Doc Alan]

As this is for me a very confusing subject
I will rely on my Dr who I think I get good treatment from, giving me the treatment they think best
Mick.

At least you have a doctor you can trust Mick . For those who don't, it's a minefield - we can't let the superbugs win !

[malditako]

Likewise! The very of the sheer cost of medical treatment over there filled me with dread! One evening during my second visit, I developed a burning, indigestion-type pain which increased in intensity as the night wore on ... until I began to worry if I was having a heart attack - since both my parents succumbed to myocardial infarction. Then the head of the household - an elderly relative of my wife - with whom we were staying, suggested Myrna rub my chest with an analgesic lotion referred to as "hot oil" ... and the relief was [almost] instantly palpable. Turned out my symptoms had been caused by inflamation - arising from the consumption of too many fizzy soft drinks ... like Coca Cola, Sprite etc. - a fact that was later confirmed by a gastroenterologist following my return to dear ol' Blighty.

i've experienced this symptoms as well...been suffering from this for a long period of time...always gassy, burping, difficulty breathing, dizzy , irritation in the throat and constant heartburn...till one night i couldn't breath completely as if its like a heart attack..that happen after i ate toast covered with loads of butter...my doctor says it can alse the cause of my chest infection as well...i noticed having this sensation everytime i it fatty foods, dairy products and citrus....and not eating on time.

[Doc Alan]

What Arthur and Grace both appear to be describing is heartburn from reflux of stomach contents which are acid. It's well named because the symptoms can be similar to heart disease such as angina or heart attack.
The posts are not even off-topic because there is a bug involved with indigestion, called Helicobacter pylori. Over half the world's population over 40 are thought to have it, mostly without symptoms.
However, peptic ulcers and inflammation (not necessarily reflux alone) are treated by getting rid of this bug with antacids and antibiotics. It's truly a superbug, being also associated with stomach cancer and coronary artery disease.
Heartburn alone should respond to simple measures like weight loss, no smoking, raising the bed head, small regular meals, limiting alcohol, fizzy drinks, spicy foods, and taking antacids (NOT unprescribed antibiotics )

[malditako]

What Arthur and Grace both appear to be describing is heartburn from reflux of stomach contents which are acid. It's well named because the symptoms can be similar to heart disease such as angina or heart attack.
The posts are not even off-topic because there is a bug involved with indigestion, called Helicobacter pylori. Over half the world's population over 40 are thought to have it, mostly without symptoms.
However, peptic ulcers and inflammation (not necessarily reflux alone) are treated by getting rid of this bug with antacids and antibiotics. It's truly a superbug, being also associated with stomach cancer and coronary artery disease.
Heartburn alone should respond to simple measures like weight loss, no smoking, raising the bed head, small regular meals, limiting alcohol, fizzy drinks, spicy foods, and taking antacids (NOT unprescribed antibiotics )

antacids work well with me