Anxiety and antibiotics

[dancergirl85]

I was at the doctor tonight. I have a kidney infection. Antibiotics prescribed and I am terrified to take them. Will they make me sick? Will they cause my anxiety to get worse? I read the reviews and they aren't great... but are the good ones online? Or do people just post the bad ones? The overthinking mind of anxiety girl is back.

:doh:

[Fishmanpa]

You have an infection and need to take the meds! The consequences are worse not treating a kidney infection.

Feel better soon.

Positive thoughts

[dancergirl85]

Thank you for the reply, if only it was always that easy! I'm doing my best to get up the courage to take them :blush:

[ankietyjoe]

Antibiotics don't agree with me at all. They make me feel ill and sometimes increase my anxiety.

But, as FMP said, you don't have a choice. If you don't take them the consequences are potentially very, very bad. It IS as simple as that if you have a bacterial kidney infection. Take them.

[RadioGaGa]

dancergirl85

Please take your medication exactly as prescribed. Do NOT stop taking it until the course is finished. You need to treat your kidney infection. There's a lot of work being done globally now to ensure patients only receive antibiotics when absolutely necessary. For years, they were given out like sweets. Not now.

The reason abx must be taken exactly as prescribed, and not finished early is because of the very real threat of resistance. I lecture everyone on this - my family members, friends etc. So please don't think I'm being rude!

I don't know which drug you're on, but if its taken more than once daily, take it at regular intervals. If its taken twice daily, try taking it at 9am and 9pm.

If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask. The great world of Pharmacy is my profession.

Good luck :)

[dancergirl85]

dancergirl85

Please take your medication exactly as prescribed. Do NOT stop taking it until the course is finished. You need to treat your kidney infection. There's a lot of work being done globally now to ensure patients only receive antibiotics when absolutely necessary. For years, they were given out like sweets. Not now.

The reason abx must be taken exactly as prescribed, and not finished early is because of the very real threat of resistance. I lecture everyone on this - my family members, friends etc. So please don't think I'm being rude!

I don't know which drug you're on, but if its taken more than once daily, take it at regular intervals. If its taken twice daily, try taking it at 9am and 9pm.

If you have any more questions, please feel free to ask. The great world of Pharmacy is my profession.

Good luck :)

I'm sitting here with the tablets in front of me and I'm just terrified to take them. I have IBS and I have a phobia of vomiting and feeling sick so it's a big deal to me to take a new medication not knowing how I am going to react to it. I do know how important it is to take them, I've been here before. It is just very scary and logic does not apply when anxiety is present. I wish it was different.

---------- Post added at 22:54 ---------- Previous post was at 22:53 ----------


Antibiotics don't agree with me at all. They make me feel ill and sometimes increase my anxiety.

But, as FMP said, you don't have a choice. If you don't take them the consequences are potentially very, very bad. It IS as simple as that if you have a bacterial kidney infection. Take them.

Me too and I have a vomiting phobia. I find this very difficult. I'm trying!

[RadioGaGa]

dancergirl85

What abx have you been prescribed? Most abx have been around for a long, long time. They're truly one of the most well-tested medications we have. I truly understand the anxiety you're feeling - I myself am probably one of the most highly strung, anxious people out there haha.

If you have any GI symptoms, these should be mild and pass quickly. :)

[ankietyjoe]

If you have any GI symptoms, these should be mild and pass quickly. :)

Mine aren't mild when I take AB's. I feel like absolute crap every time I have to take them, which is thankfully rare.

Now I'm not saying this to scare the OP as she may well be fine, but it's worth being prepared for.

What helps is eating VERY healthily while you're on them. Eat lots of fibre and veggies and take a good quality probiotic. This mitigated most of the worst symptoms I had when I had to take them last year.

And to the OP, it's not really about trying I'm afraid, you just HAVE to take them for a kidney infection. The consequences of not taking them are potentially very significant.

[dancergirl85]

dancergirl85

What abx have you been prescribed? Most abx have been around for a long, long time. They're truly one of the most well-tested medications we have. I truly understand the anxiety you're feeling - I myself am probably one of the most highly strung, anxious people out there haha.

If you have any GI symptoms, these should be mild and pass quickly. :)

I have been prescribed Trimethoprim. The online reviews are terrible. I have anxiety and I don't need this making me worse. It's bad enough worrying about vomiting (which is literally the worst thing that can happen to me in my mind) but having to think about them making my anxiety worse... That in itself is making me anxious.

---------- Post added at 23:15 ---------- Previous post was at 23:14 ----------


Mine aren't mild when I take AB's. I feel like absolute crap every time I have to take them, which is thankfully rare.

Now I'm not saying this to scare the OP as she may well be fine, but it's worth being prepared for.

What helps is eating VERY healthily while you're on them. Eat lots of fibre and veggies and take a good quality probiotic. This mitigated most of the worst symptoms I had when I had to take them last year.

And to the OP, it's not really about trying I'm afraid, you just HAVE to take them for a kidney infection. The consequences of not taking them are potentially very significant.

I understand that you may think you're being helpful, but you are actually making me more anxious.

[SarahNah]

I was on these tablets for a kidney infection a few weeks back! I have the worlds worse stomach! And I also have IBS. I found them perfectly fine! I found it worst waiting to take them. I put it off a whole day. I've had very bad side effects with antibiotics and I was just fine with these!

I know everyone different but as someone who reacts bad to....nearly everything. I thought these were just fine! I know the hardest step is taking them x. You're right! People only every post about the bad! Like when I get worried about things like that my GP said to me- So say it you had a test group of 50 people and 10 reacted badly. Those 10 would be more likely to post then the people who did fine!

[dancergirl85]

I was on these tablets for a kidney infection a few weeks back! I have the worlds worse stomach! And I also have IBS. I found them perfectly fine! I found it worst waiting to take them. I put it off a whole day. I've had very bad side effects with antibiotics and I was just fine with these!

I know everyone different but as someone who reacts bad to....nearly everything. I thought these were just fine! I know the hardest step is taking them x. You're right! People only every post about the bad! Like when I get worried about things like that my GP said to me- So say it you had a test group of 50 people and 10 reacted badly. Those 10 would be more likely to post then the people who did fine!

Hi Sarah, thank you so much for replying! I am sitting here since I got home just staring at the bottle. I am a disaster.

Glad to hear they helped you and you were ok!

[ErinKC]

Did your doctor suggested taking a probiotic with the antibiotics? Mine always has me do a 30 day pack of probiotics when I'm on antibiotics to limit the gastro affects.

[dancergirl85]

Did your doctor suggested taking a probiotic with the antibiotics? Mine always has me do a 30 day pack of probiotics when I'm on antibiotics to limit the gastro affects.

No she didn't. I know myself, but when you have a phobia of something you do all you can do to avoid it.

[RadioGaGa]

Please do listen to your doctor and take them - as another poster said, kidney infections (like any infection) can potentially turn nasty. It's difficult to reassure over this (I know what I'm like when I have a fear - I won't listen to anyone!) but the reason reading drug reviews online is a bad, bad, bad decision is because patients are more likely to review it if they suffer side effects.

In other words, chances are what you're reading (I assume its on d**gs.com) is mostly written by people who have had negative side effects - most of which (statistically) are not from the drug itself... Rather, they happen by coincidence.

Trimethoprim is widely prescribed. It's even more commonly prescribed as "Co-trimoxazole". In this preparation, it is combined with Sulfamethoxazole. This is, again, very well tolerated.

I do NOT mean for this post to have a "lecturing" tone - I just want to reassure you it's a very well tested drug, and I suspect you'll be fine on it :)

[Fishmanpa]

Many here understand the anxiety aspect as many here fear meds too, especially psychotropics. Thing is, this is something you really don't have a choice about. No ifs, ands or buts, you need to treat the infection :shrug:

Positive thoughts

[MyNameIsTerry]

For probiotics, eat yoghurt. Antibiotics can upset the GI and cause loose bowels as well as constipation and yoghurt will sort that out...which might be why they give you a yoghurt (that we probably always go blueegghh at and not eat :winks:) but now they understand that probiotics help greatly with GI issues.

There are so many probiotics out there with varying strains of healthy bacteria, some are aimed at certain things. So, some may be more appropriate than others.

The NHS do now accept probiotic supplementation as a combined strategy with antibiotics for this but it's still an area under research so their advice has been "it can't hurt" for a while.

They do help though. My mum was in hospital with pneumonia where she has combined IV/oral antibiotics and these were strong for a reason. She went from living on the toilet seat for days to being unable to go at all as they cut them back (bare in mind what she was on was much stronger than what you are so don't worry about me saying she lived in the toilet, that won't be you in all likelihood. I've never had issues with antibiotics and I've been on tons of courses since childhood due to lung infections, although different ones to yours). A couple of days of yoghurt and her constipation cleared right up.

I get your fears about this as my GAD was focussed on taking meds, vitamins, food. It wasn't about vomiting for me but the fact once I swallowed it I had to take what was coming and I worried of the potential for increased anxiety. But unfortunately you do need to take them so what can you do to get you closer to this? Can you put them tablet in some loose food just to get it down without hitting the throat?

[dancergirl85]

Please do listen to your doctor and take them - as another poster said, kidney infections (like any infection) can potentially turn nasty. It's difficult to reassure over this (I know what I'm like when I have a fear - I won't listen to anyone!) but the reason reading drug reviews online is a bad, bad, bad decision is because patients are more likely to review it if they suffer side effects.

In other words, chances are what you're reading (I assume its on d**gs.com) is mostly written by people who have had negative side effects - most of which (statistically) are not from the drug itself... Rather, they happen by coincidence.

Trimethoprim is widely prescribed. It's even more commonly prescribed as "Co-trimoxazole". In this preparation, it is combined with Sulfamethoxazole. This is, again, very well tolerated.

I do NOT mean for this post to have a "lecturing" tone - I just want to reassure you it's a very well tested drug, and I suspect you'll be fine on it :)

Thank you so much, your patience is appreciated :hugs:

---------- Post added at 10:55 ---------- Previous post was at 10:52 ----------


Many here understand the anxiety aspect as many here fear meds too, especially psychotropics. Thing is, this is something you really don't have a choice about. No ifs, ands or buts, you need to treat the infection :shrug:

Positive thoughts

I do know, thank you

---------- Post added at 10:57 ---------- Previous post was at 10:55 ----------


For probiotics, eat yoghurt. Antibiotics can upset the GI and cause loose bowels as well as constipation and yoghurt will sort that out...which might be why they give you a yoghurt (that we probably always go blueegghh at and not eat :winks:) but now they understand that probiotics help greatly with GI issues.

There are so many probiotics out there with varying strains of healthy bacteria, some are aimed at certain things. So, some may be more appropriate than others.

The NHS do now accept probiotic supplementation as a combined strategy with antibiotics for this but it's still an area under research so their advice has been "it can't hurt" for a while.

They do help though. My mum was in hospital with pneumonia where she has combined IV/oral antibiotics and these were strong for a reason. She went from living on the toilet seat for days to being unable to go at all as they cut them back (bare in mind what she was on was much stronger than what you are so don't worry about me saying she lived in the toilet, that won't be you in all likelihood. I've never had issues with antibiotics and I've been on tons of courses since childhood due to lung infections, although different ones to yours). A couple of days of yoghurt and her constipation cleared right up.

I get your fears about this as my GAD was focussed on taking meds, vitamins, food. It wasn't about vomiting for me but the fact once I swallowed it I had to take what was coming and I worried of the potential for increased anxiety. But unfortunately you do need to take them so what can you do to get you closer to this? Can you put them tablet in some loose food just to get it down without hitting the throat?

Thanks for the reply, you're lucky with your body and it's reaction to antibiotics. I eat good yogurt anyway, so I am hoping it will help. Yes I am the same, once it's in I have to deal and that control is gone (a big part of it for me) maybe I'll just sleep when they're in initially and hope that will stop the anxiety