Fear of taking Antiobitics - how to cope?

[tan235]

Hi Guys,
I've got to take Doxy as mentioned in a previous post I"m on day 6 and just refuse to take it today.
I can't convince myself (no matter how weird that sounds) - i've got a furry tongue, worried about Steven Johsnsons Syndrome and the weird brain pressure it can cause, of course we worry about the most dramatic ones, but it's seriously debilitating.
My sinus infection is much better and i feel better but Dr wants me to stay on it for 2 weeks, there is no way in hell I can manage this!
Everytime I take it I spend the whole day worrying about every little symptom and i noticed everything, I become hyper aware, right now my mouth is a little bit hot, is that SJS, I feel dizzy, I slur my words, I just can't cope on antis - how do you guys do it???

I know the risks are really low but people still get it and they probably thought the same thing, 'oh but the risks are low.' - freaking out over here and not wanting to finish my course and then of course I freak out that by not finishing the 2 weeks I'll get a super bug and then I'm screwed!
agh help me please...

---------- Post added at 02:33 ---------- Previous post was at 01:07 ----------

Anyone?

[Scass]

I get this fear too, it’s pretty common in HA I think.

How long have you been taking these antibiotics? And are they the same as the ones you took before?

If the doctor prescribed them and you’ve already taken some then you need to continue. You were so stressed about this last infection & you don’t want it to come back!
Glad you’re better though.


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[neuroticcat]

I took doxy for 3 weeks for acne. I was supposed to take it for two months but I stopped it because my stomach was upset. I'm not sure if it was from the doxycicline or not. Now I'm better and I'm planning to take it again. I didn't have any side effects but I have to admit I was scared of it in the beginning. I started my treatment 2 weeks after my dermatologist prescribed it because I was too afraid of taking antibiotics for such a long time. Aside from the upset stomach, which I don't know if it's from the pills or not, I didn't have any side effects.

[tan235]

Yeah I"ve been on it for 5 days, I haven't taken it today but I will take it tomorrow. I have a headache and I worry about that .... agh it's so frustrating having anxiety.... ;(

---------- Post added at 05:02 ---------- Previous post was at 05:01 ----------

What was your dosage neuroticat?

[Scass]

But if you’ve taken 5 days then the chances are that you’ve missed any side effects, or got over the worse. Your headache will be stress related [emoji853].
My friend just really messed about with her course of antibiotics and her problem came back immediately. You can talk to your doctor or a pharmacist about the side effects.


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[tan235]

I just spoke to my Dr, and he said one day whilst not ideal isn't going to change much, and to take it asap in the morning.
Of course then I worry that missing a dose could somehow make side effects increase? I think that's just fantasy. I went to my Dr today and she also told me to take it every other day which i thought was weird but if she's saying that then I dont feel so bad about missing it - but I do feel really bad about missing it if that makes sense!
Man, Im going to beat this health anxiety - I have no more sinus issue which is good, but seriously guys, HA is really challenging...

[Scass]

It is really challenging, and you seem to be having a rough time of it at the moment. I went through this very recently, I spent a week being too scared to take drugs I’d been prescribed, I even posted on here. I’d googled side effects for days, and I had really wound myself up. I was also scared That they wouldn’t work & id still feel ill!

But I got good advice here, and I took them. I had barely any side effects & they worked fine.

You will beat it! Do you have time to do relaxation at all?


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[WiseMonkey]

I think this fear of antibiotics or taking them has to be put in perspective. They have saved millions of lives since their use came into being. There are so many different types available so Drs can pick one that's suitable for each person. The danger is actually in not completing the course as it encourages the bacteria to resist and reassert itself with more vigor.

Some parents who are anti-medications (in particular antibiotics), have instilled a very unhealthy attitude in their children about this which has caused them (their children) much anxiety in later years. It can become a vicious cycle of stress which is unwarranted.