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Questions tagged [antibiotics]

A class of drugs used to treat bacterial infections. They function by inhibiting the growth of, or by killing bacteria.

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Why should I avoid milk when on antibiotics?

I'm taking antibiotics (specifically, amoxicillin clavulanate) to fight off an ear infection. As she prescribed my antibiotics, my doctor told me not to eat milk products for a few days, then only eat ...
Kevin's user avatar
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17 votes
2 answers
79k views

Why does my antibiotic make my urine yellow?

When I was given antibiotics for fever by my doctor, I noticed that my urine is unusually yellow. Why is that?
kathy's user avatar
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11 votes
1 answer
149 views

Why should we finish antibiotic treatments in order to prevent antibiotics resistance?

I understand bacteria can mutate and develop resistance against antibiotics, but I do not understand how finishing an antibiotics treatment prevents this. In my simple thought process, when an ...
Sebastiaan van den Broek's user avatar
11 votes
1 answer
447 views

How does a MRSA test work?

Let's assume we have a patient with acute infection. The doctor suspects MRSA. A culture is taken, brought to the lab, and then what? I'm interested to hear what are the usual steps a laboratory ...
rumtscho's user avatar
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10 votes
2 answers
193 views

How far should I go to avoid antiboitics?

We know (or should know) that the overuse of antibiotics is causing a rise in "superbugs" that are resistant to them. This means that we should avoid using them when we don't need to, for example, in ...
Mary ML's user avatar
  • 201
10 votes
1 answer
114 views

How serious is the antibiotic resistance problem?

I found figures and numbers on CDC and WHO, while the general public may have little idea about those numbers, such as how many people "normally" die from such disease. Can anyone provide some easy-...
Ryan's user avatar
  • 229
9 votes
2 answers
143 views

Effect of antibiotics on breastfed infant

My 9-month old son has been diagnosed with mild bronchiolitis and prescribed 5 days of Azithromycin (not so much to cure a virus-induced bronchiolitis, but in order to prevent possible pneumonia). ...
siphiuel's user avatar
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9 votes
1 answer
8k views

Breakthrough bleeding and antibiotics

Can antibiotics cause breaktrough-bleeding? Should birth-control pills be stopped when taking antibiotics?
Ghy's user avatar
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6 votes
2 answers
132 views

No firm evidence for restoration of gut bacteria by probiotics?

I read two online articles on the use of probiotics to help maintain balance of gut bacteria when undergoing antibiotic treatment: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-to-eat-antibiotics https://...
user2153235's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
770 views

Demodex control with antibiotics: why and how?

Wikipedia says: Demodex folliculorum is a microscopic mite that can only survive on the skin of people. Most people have D. folliculorum on their skin. Usually, the mites do not cause any harm, ...
LаngLаngС's user avatar
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5 votes
1 answer
73 views

When taking antibiotics, does every single germ have to die?

When I get sick and need to take antibiotics, I get admonished to carry the treatment until the end, otherwise I am breeding antibiotic-resistant superbugs. Does this mean that when I finish the ...
Martin Drozdik's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
165 views

What is the safety margin on duration of an antibiotics (levofloxacin) treatment?

Recently I was prescribed an antibiotics (levofloxacin) treatment of 500mg daily for 7 days. Being in Indonesia the doctors generally don't give any information and I took my first dose at exactly the ...
Sebastiaan van den Broek's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
52 views

Antibiotics only if fractured?

My 3 year old daughter got her pinky finger closed in the door last night. It broke the skin. We took her to urgent care and they did an x-ray. While waiting for the results, the tech said that if ...
Drew's user avatar
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5 votes
0 answers
173 views

Does antibiotics weaken immune system or causes Fever [closed]

If your popping antibiotics everyday, prescribed by your doctor though he asked you to revisit after two months and warned you to ignore any fever symptoms during these two months. I'm just wondering ...
deadpool's user avatar
  • 151
4 votes
1 answer
187 views

Why stomach ulcer need more than one antibiotic at the same time?

Almost all treatment recommendation for gastritis, duodenitis or peptic ulcer that has Helicobacter pylori, calls for 2 or 3 antibiotic at the same time, why is that ? Why not use a single effective ...
sharp12345's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
145 views

Do antibiotic-resistant bacteria present greater danger than related strains prior to development of antibiotics?

Are antibiotic-resistant bacteria more dangerous besides their resistance? I am aware of the way things were before the first antibiotics: people died from infections often and diseases like syphilis ...
releseabe's user avatar
  • 221
4 votes
1 answer
72 views

Should mixtures of antibiotics become standard practice to curb antibiotic resistance?

Intuitively the standard practice of using only 1 antibiotic for a standard (non-resistant) infection poses the highest risk of developing resistance (because the bacterial population only has to beat ...
user1258361's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
395 views

Even topical tetracycline causes teeth discoloration?

I learned that tetracycline can cause tooth discoloratoin when taken orally. How about topical use as a creme? Can tetracycline also stain the tooth through skin absorption?
giorgio79's user avatar
  • 213
4 votes
1 answer
363 views

If I take probiotics and antibiotics at the same time, which one wins?

Okay, I couldn't resist that title. Seriously though, since antibiotics can cause indigestion, many physicians recommend taking them with food (see How much food is necessary to buffer the stomach ...
RockPaperLz- Mask it or Casket's user avatar
4 votes
1 answer
231 views

Effect of milk on effectiveness of oral tetracycline

Tetracycline is known to be inhibited by calcium ions, and milk contains quite some calcium ions. What I want to ask is, to what extent does drinking milk affect the effectiveness of orally taken ...
busukxuan's user avatar
  • 213
3 votes
1 answer
86 views

Is there solid evidence, that antibiotics cause allergies?

I have read, that the use of antibiotics could be part of the reason for the increase in allergies, we see today. In alternative medicine circles, it is a common theme to reduce the use of ...
user1721135's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
249 views

Why can chronic prostatitis not be cured simply with antibiotics?

Acute bacterial prostatitis can be cured with antibiotics while chronic prostatitis cannot be cured by antibiotics. Why is this the case?
una's user avatar
  • 61
3 votes
2 answers
49 views

Do infected family members need to be treated with antibiotics at the same time?

When antibiotics become necessary I assume that the body can not kill the bacteria on its own and there are no useful anti bodies being built. So in a case where the child is treated with antibiotics ...
user1721135's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
86 views

Why is erythromycin eye ointment required for newborns even if the mother doesn't have any STDs?

Erythromycin eye ointment is used on newborns shortly after birth to prevent chlamydial or gonorrheal infection in the baby's eyes. In many states, this is required by law regardless of whether the ...
Ryan_L's user avatar
  • 157
3 votes
1 answer
171 views

Why do doxycycline pills also contain lactose?

Prescriptions in the UK contain doxycycline as doxycycline hyclate. They are also listed as containing lactose. Why is the lactose helpful?
Tomi's user avatar
  • 131
3 votes
1 answer
50 views

Use of antibiotics with chest infections

I would like to have a confusing part of medicine cleared up. My experience of medical intervention is as follows. As pointed out in the answer to Does taking antibiotics make you immune to virus? ...
Chris Rogers's user avatar
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3 votes
2 answers
1k views

Can using moisturiser make acne worse? [closed]

Over the last few weeks, I've started breaking out with medium-to-severe acne, and in an attempt to clear it up in the short-term I've been using the T-Zone Skin Clearing Face Moisturiser. However, I'...
Prometheus's user avatar
3 votes
1 answer
67 views

Is it necessary to take antibiotics after medical/dental treatment? [closed]

Usually I don't take antibiotics when I take medicines according to a prescription. Is it necessary to take antibiotics when I am bleeding in my body, for example, in my gum or teeth? I thought I do ...
Solek's user avatar
  • 73
3 votes
1 answer
148 views

Can acne bacteria become resistant to Clindamycin?

Clindamycinum is an antibiotic used to treat skin and vaginal infections. Can people use Clindamycinum for more than 60 days or will the bacteria become resistant to it?
Asogi's user avatar
  • 41
3 votes
2 answers
72 views

Is there any test to identify bacteria?

When I got some upper respiratory infection the doctor always prescribed broad-spectrum antibiotics like amoxicillin. Is there any test to identify bacteria, and if so, why doesn't the doctor order ...
Ryan's user avatar
  • 229
3 votes
0 answers
63 views

Why are beta-lactam antibiotics the most common drug allergens?

β-Lactam antibiotics: the most common allergens among drugs. Allergic reactions caused by β-lactam antibiotics bind to their chemical structure. The source of haptens is an unstable β-lactam ring to ...
Freezing Soul's user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
16 views

Physiologic basis behind increased survival with double coverage for community acquired pneumonia

Double coverage (generally cephalosporin + macrolide) is currently the recommended treatment for patients hospitalised with community acquired pneumonia (CAP) [1]. This seems mainly to be due to ...
MonsieurWave's user avatar
3 votes
0 answers
26 views

Single antibiotic dose for infection prevention in teeth surgery: Bad idea? [closed]

I was given a single dose of (I think) amoxicillin before teeth surgery to prevent infection. Appartently this is a common and accepted practice. Doesn't this promote the development of antibiotic ...
manduca's user avatar
  • 131
3 votes
0 answers
73 views

How to avoid general weakness when taking antibiotics [closed]

After taking antibiotics for a couple of days, I feel a general sense of weakness in my body. This includes physical weakness (tiredness, shortness of breath) and mental weakness (difficulty of ...
Klangen's user avatar
  • 151
2 votes
3 answers
160 views

What to do if someone mistakenly ingests food contraindicated by medication requirements?

In the past I have read a couple of times that one should not consume milk-based-products when taking certain medication for a certain amount of time before and after taking the product. To be a ...
Manuel Schubert's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
3k views

Why is Tobramycin prescribed for ear infections?

Tobramycin is ototoxic and in some individuals with genetic predisposition Tobramycin can apparently cause rapid permanent balance and hearing loss. Yet, at least where I live, Tobramycin is ...
Frank's user avatar
  • 187
2 votes
1 answer
78 views

Does taking antibiotics make you immune to virus?

Let's say someone has a virus and the doctor prescribed him to take him antibiotics, while taking the antibiotics can he be effected with another type of virus or the antibiotics will make him immune ...
Sayed A.'s user avatar
  • 133
2 votes
2 answers
507 views

Why does overuse of antibiotics cause resistance?

The way I see it there are 2 cases: 1. The patient uses antibiotics and has an infection. 2. The patient does not have an infection and uses the antibiotics. For case 1, this is a legitimate use. ...
Brad Thiessen's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
54 views

Does "gram negative" generally indicate highly antibiotics resistant bacteria strains?

I must admit that I am an absolute medical layman, trying to keep myself informed at best though. Today I had a consultation at my dermatologist about a bad healing wound I have, to talk about the ...
πάντα ῥεῖ's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
976 views

Do doxycycline and ciprofloxacin decrease each others effectiveness?

I was taking doxycycline for an infection of streptococcus spp. causing epididymitis. I was healing under this antibiotic, then the doctor added ciprofloxacin to my treatment, so I am taking 100 mg of ...
Alex K's user avatar
  • 121
2 votes
1 answer
154 views

Why bother prescribing oral antibiotics for acne, when C. acnes can't all be killed and will regrow?

After topical antibiotics and/or retinoid and/or benzoyl peroxide, dermatologists commonly prescribe oral antibiotics, but why? Presume that the patient dutifully consumes the full prescribed course ...
user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
1k views

Do antibiotics contribute to bone healing?

Two weeks ago I broke my tibia in an accident. First I was taken to a hospital near the place where the accident happened, and the doctor gave me two options, either putting a plaster or inserting a ...
Yuran Pereira's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
22 views

Does treatment with pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine eliminate reservoirs of Toxoplasma gondii?

Toxoplasma gondii is known to be one of many pathogens that sequesters away in nerve cells, as well as cysts in the muscles and liver, to avoid the immune system. Standard treatment for severe ...
Tal's user avatar
  • 181
2 votes
0 answers
25 views

Is taking too much antibiotics in relation to antibiotics resistance a problem for the patient or population?

Imagine a patient who gets multiple treatments with antibiotics, and didn't really need them (bacterial infection, but would have gotten healthy without antibiotics). Is it the same patient who is at ...
AlphaCentauri's user avatar
2 votes
0 answers
28 views

Streptococcus pyogenes mutation and recurrence

Does the bacteria that cause strep throat also mutates, just like the virus that cause flu? In the same season, is it possible for a person to be infected multiple times (concurrently or not) by the ...
igorjrr's user avatar
  • 121
2 votes
0 answers
70 views

Is the use of antibiotics justified for respiratory viral infections?

It is a widespread belief that antibiotics should not be used for treating viral infections, as they are effective against bacteria, not viruses (see e.g. http://www.cdc.gov/features/getsmart/). ...
siphiuel's user avatar
  • 231
2 votes
1 answer
48 views

Administering Anti-biotics to elderly people

Is there anything wrong in administering antibiotics to a patient as old as 65, twice within 2 months? The patient had boil in the arm-pit the first time and was required to take the antibiotics, 4 ...
Gordons's user avatar
  • 123
1 vote
1 answer
292 views

How was penicillin discovered, and was the use of it immediately realised? [closed]

I am interested in exactly how penicillin was discovered, and did they realise what it does immediately? I would also like to know how quickly it became a prescribed treatment, and which country ...
Tim's user avatar
  • 805
1 vote
1 answer
57 views

Are antibiotics the only class of drugs whose effectiveness reduces over time?

The phenomenon of antibiotic resistance is well known: an antibiotic is effective when first introduced to the market, but over the years, its effectiveness decreases as resistant strains of bacteria ...
Steve Bennett's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
79 views

Natural treatment of chronic prostatitis - Does herbal medicines have side affects?‏

I have had prostatitis for several years. Since almost all antibiotics were not helpful to me due to drug resistance, I am trying to find some natural treatment of chronic prostatitis, so I Googled ...
Candra's user avatar
  • 19