Scared to take antibiotics

[Tense]

Hi,

I am new to the forum, so please bear with me.

I have a mild tooth infection and I have been prescribed Erythromycin 250mg tablets. I have never had antibiotics (except for the banana liquid when I was a child). I am petrified of having any side effects and an allergic reaction. I have had them for nearly a week and haven't taken one. I keep looking at them and the more I do this the more frustrated I become.

I have looked them up online and have seen some horror stories.

I also have trouble swallowing tablets, even my sertraline, which are tiny and I am scared I will choke on them.

I am scared of the infection spreading to my brain or an abscess forming but the fear is not enough to make me bite the bullet and take one.

Please help, as I am hoping that once I have taken them I will be alright and this will cure my fear for the future. I feel like crying i'm that frustrated.

[Honeynut]

Hiya!

I have been on a ridiculous amount of antibiotics this year and nothing unpleasant had happened to me! You may get a slight upset tummy which is easily fixed with a probiotic yogurt. If you feel tired, this is normal too!

If you do have any side effects (rare) you can just have your pills changed to a different type to suit you.

Like I said, I've taken plenty of them this year and the worse that has happened is I've felt a bit nauseous. If you have trouble swallowing them, crush them or perhaps speak to your doctor about a liquid form.

Good luck!

[Fishmanpa]

If they're tablets, try crushing one up and mixing it with pudding, applesauce or oatmeal. When I was getting treatment for cancer, I couldn't eat or swallow pills for a long time so I crushed them up and did it that way. Chocolate pudding and oatmeal with honey and fruit masked any bitter taste of the pill.

You need to fight the infection so that means antibiotics. Erythromycin is one of the most common ones out there. You'll be fine :)

[Tense]

Hi,

Thank you for your quick replies. I am unable to crush them as they are gastro resistant :( I did ask about liquid form and they said it was too expensive for a short course (5 days).

[Fishmanpa]

Try placing it in a spoon full of ice cream or honey and let that puppy just slide on down ;)

[Liviguy]

I am currently on Amoxicillin and have been many times before with no ill effects. I'm sure you would be fine, they are there to make you feel better so go on, be brave and get them down you.

[jillyb]

I know how you feel, but if you don't take them the infection may well get a lot worse. I had an infected tooth earlier this year and the infection burst through my gum ... Horrid! I had antibiotics too, and I have a real problem taking any meds for fear of a reaction. I have erythromycin as I can't take penicillin. Take them with food and you'll be fine. I had to take double doses for the whole course (as opposed to just the first dose which they normally prescribe just to get it started) and it did give me tummy ache so the pharmacist said to take the normal dose and I was fine. Try putting them in some food if it's easier for you to swallow. My mum used to put them in a teaspoon of jam for us ...that was a long time ago! Xxx

[Ella13]

I have had these recently but had to stop as it gave me bad stomach cramps but I think it's because I was on 1000mg a day. But that's the worst that will happen and u can always ask for something else if they don't work for you. Just take it slow and start with one pill a day. And take it with food.

[Tense]

Thank you for your words. I think it's my anxiety that makes tablets hard to swallow. I'm now fretting about having a bad panic attack due to the anxiety of taking them. I had a really bad one last year and I was close to calling an ambulance cos I thought I was having a stroke.

[Daisy Sue]

I can't take some meds in tablet form because of my absorption issues, so I always get given antibiotics in liquid form... it's the kids medicine, so I'm given quite a few bottles to get through for a week's course, but I'd rather do that & know they'll work. So - you can get it in liquid form, you just need a good excuse! Maybe you could ring the surgery back and say you've not started the course due to not being able to swallow the tablets.

Regarding any side effects, as has been mentioned, that one can give you gastro upset, but the probiotic yoghurt really does help alleviate the worst symptoms. I'd try it, honestly, you don't want the tooth infection to get worse.

[Tense]

It's the kiddies form? I honestly feel like I would find it easier to take if it was liquid form. It's a little less scary to think about in my opinion. I dunno why, it just sits a bit easier with me. I think, maybe, because it takes away my fear of choking. Would my doctor be able to amend the prescription to make it liquid?

---------- Post added at 19:23 ---------- Previous post was at 16:50 ----------

Got them in liquid form and I pick them up tomorrow morning!!!!!! I feel a bit better about taking them now.

[Daisy Sue]

Brilliant - well done :)