Please advise - not sure what to do :(

[dimblonde]

Two weeks ago I was ill with a cold and went to the walk in centre as i thought it had gone to my chest, after listening to it the nurse said she thought it was probably viral but would prescribe me amoxicillin anyway.

I havent been able to take them, I am Pharmacophobic (fear of medication)

On Friday I went to my docs as I have been left with an irritating cough, she listened to my chest and said I had a very slight crackle but that could be because I was a smoker, take the antibiotics anyway, they wont do any harm, famous last words :(

I need to add a few things, I feel fine, I have no aches, no pains, I have stopped coughing up green gunk *sorry*, its just the cough...

Now my hairdresser has said that I should take them as I could end up with pneumonia as its lies silent :(

I am trying my hardest to pluck up the courage to take the 1st pill and just cant, I am so upset with myself right now.

I have never ever had an allergic reaction to anything in my life, I have had amoxicillin on several occasions...

Whats wrong with me :(

Should I take them? or just see how I go?

Help me....

[SammiB]

hello hun

i too am very very afraid of taking meds. i'm alwasy scared i'll choke or i'll be allergic - but i've just had to take some antibiotics myself and i put them off for a week or so and it got worse so in the end i took them - i'm going to take my last one tonight. and i'm all better!!

i don't think you should listen to your hairdresser, they aren't medically trained - i doubt it will turn into pnumonia but theres alwasy a chance the infection could get a little worse

so i would say just take one - see how it goes just taking that one and if you can do it then keep trying if not i would go back to your doc.

hope you feel better soon hun

xxx

[dimblonde]

Thank you xxx

It's nice knowing I'm not the only one out here feeling like this

I panic that I will have an allergic reaction, I've taken these before like I said and not suffered at all, I can't get my head round why I feel like this...

I keep telling myself surely the chance of a reaction is minute, it just doesnt seem to help.

Jo
x

[Bill]

Hi there,
The "green junk" has gone so most probably the tickly cough is an indication of the cold on his way out. I think it'd be ok to wait and see.

I've suffered from pneumonia. If you were to get it, I should think the "green junk" would have worsened to involve "other things" as mine did.

If the "green junk" returns then I'd takes the antibiotics.

To avoid the choking feeling, would it help to smooth some chocolate around the pill to make it seem like a chocolate drop?

I know what anxiety is like and what it does to us but I should think an allergic reaction is extremely remote as it's most probably the most commonly used antibiotic.

[Freaky Chick]

Hi Jo

If you are just being annoyed by the cough, and you don't feel any sicker, or are better than you have felt, if you don't feel wheezy or breathless, and the green gunk doesn't come back, then the chances are it was viral.

I had a viral cold in June and i also suffer from asthma. normally when i get a cold, the cough lasts 4-6 weeks and the gunk 1-2 weeks. In June when i had the cold, the cough lasted double that time - because the virus that caused it was quite strong, but the green gunk part only lasted a couple of weeks, and i too felt better, but was seriously annoyed by the cough.

This one virus, seems to be producing a prolonged cough after the illness, so if the tablets are causing you that much anxiety, and you are otherwise well, then although they will do you no harm, they equally won't fight a virus.

It is however still your decision, if you decide you need to take them, but are still having problems, talk to your doc about the phobia of medication.

Freaky one!