Trying to figure out if this is a reaction to antibiotic
October 24, 2010 7:06 PM Subscribe
Anxiety about antibiotic. What happens if I stop taking it?
I've been prescribed Avelox for suspected "walking pneumonia" (after a course of azithromycin didn't clear up my cough. Though it did get rid of the fever). I made the horrible mistake, for me, of googling it. I've been anxious/panicky about it since, and I don't know if that's a reaction, or all in my head (I am perfectly capable of working myself into panic over what turns out to be nothing). I've taken two doses, and should be taking a third about now. What happens if I wait until tomorrow, when I can talk to my own doctor (it was prescribed at a walk-in clinic, by a doctor I don't know).
What I really should do is step away from the computer, I know this. But I feel...frantic. If you know anything about how these things work, please let me know.
I know you're not supposed to stop a course of antibiotics. But what if it's only two doses (possibly one, since I threw-up after the first dose and don't know if I really took it or not) and you just delay it, to see if it's possible to get something else?
I've been prescribed Avelox for suspected "walking pneumonia" (after a course of azithromycin didn't clear up my cough. Though it did get rid of the fever). I made the horrible mistake, for me, of googling it. I've been anxious/panicky about it since, and I don't know if that's a reaction, or all in my head (I am perfectly capable of working myself into panic over what turns out to be nothing). I've taken two doses, and should be taking a third about now. What happens if I wait until tomorrow, when I can talk to my own doctor (it was prescribed at a walk-in clinic, by a doctor I don't know).
What I really should do is step away from the computer, I know this. But I feel...frantic. If you know anything about how these things work, please let me know.
I know you're not supposed to stop a course of antibiotics. But what if it's only two doses (possibly one, since I threw-up after the first dose and don't know if I really took it or not) and you just delay it, to see if it's possible to get something else?
Call up a 24-hour pharmacy and ask! They should be able to give you reasonable guidance on this sort of thing.
posted by that girl at 7:14 PM on October 24, 2010
posted by that girl at 7:14 PM on October 24, 2010
It can be pretty normal to read prescription monographs and feel all anxious after seeing all the potential side effects. Is the anxiety the only reaction you've had? What was the throwing up all about?
It's important to not discontinue antibiotics unless you're having a fairly serious reaction. Discontinuation of antibiotics leads to resistant infections. Is there a 24 hour on-call nursing line available through your clinic or insurance? If not, many hospitals offer on-call nurse services for public use. It's worth a shot to get some reassurance from a professional before you discontinue your medication.
posted by girlstyle at 7:19 PM on October 24, 2010
It's important to not discontinue antibiotics unless you're having a fairly serious reaction. Discontinuation of antibiotics leads to resistant infections. Is there a 24 hour on-call nursing line available through your clinic or insurance? If not, many hospitals offer on-call nurse services for public use. It's worth a shot to get some reassurance from a professional before you discontinue your medication.
posted by girlstyle at 7:19 PM on October 24, 2010
I've had 'walking' pneumonia, and while the antibiotic (it was a different fluoroquinolone iirc but still very intense) messed me up for a week, the alternative is worse; you really should not stop taking it based on anxiety alone. If you notice actual side effects (from those listed on the package, which are enough to trigger a panic attack on just reading for that class of antibiotics) then definitely call your pharmacy/doctor. I worked myself into a panic, thought I was having some side effects, and asked the doctor who prescribed it on a checkup, and she basically told me not to worry. (And then I didn't, and it was fine.)
posted by advil at 7:23 PM on October 24, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by advil at 7:23 PM on October 24, 2010 [1 favorite]
Avelox is a fluoroquinolone type antibiotic. That means it belongs in a class of medications that include cipro, levaquin, and some others. The most common side effect will be nausea. Do not stop taking the antibiotics just because of nausea. Usually, I advise people to take avelox with a small meal of bread or crackers. Avoid taking this with multivitamins or calcium supplements because these can interfere with the absorption of the drug.
There is a black box warning for ligament rupture with this drug, but I have never seen anyone experience that.
Bottom line here - the benefits outweigh the risks. Untreated walking pneumonia could do you serious harm. Taking this drug is much, much less risky than not taking it.
posted by candasartan at 7:26 PM on October 24, 2010 [3 favorites]
There is a black box warning for ligament rupture with this drug, but I have never seen anyone experience that.
Bottom line here - the benefits outweigh the risks. Untreated walking pneumonia could do you serious harm. Taking this drug is much, much less risky than not taking it.
posted by candasartan at 7:26 PM on October 24, 2010 [3 favorites]
Also, @brainmouse, vomiting is a non-emergency side effect (unless it continues or is frequent I guess) of the kind of related antibiotic I was on at least, and it died off after the first few days.
posted by advil at 7:28 PM on October 24, 2010
posted by advil at 7:28 PM on October 24, 2010
oops, that was supposed to be @girlstyle. (And ligament rupture was what I worked myself into a panic about, incidentally.)
posted by advil at 7:31 PM on October 24, 2010
posted by advil at 7:31 PM on October 24, 2010
Good suggestion on calling a pharmacist. They have a lot of knowledge and information.
The short answer to your question is, probably nothing. But there's a long answer too.
The real problem with quitting a course of antibiotics part-way through is that you could be contributing to drug resistance in your community at large. That means that you could make more people have to take new, stronger, harsher antibiotics because the old ones that you feel less freaked out about don't work anymore.
Antibiotics work like this: they kill bacteria in your body but rarely can they kill them all in one dose. The weakest specimens die right away, and then, over the days you are taking your antibiotics, more and more die until hopefully, by the time you've finished your course, they're all gone. Bacteria mutate quickly which helps them avoid being destroyed by antibiotics, and as you're taking your course of antibiotics, the last germs to die could theoretically be the strongest or most successful mutants of the particular strain of bacteria you are trying to get rid of. So if you stop taking your antibiotics after a couple days, there's a chance there are still bacteria hanging out, and if there are, they're likely to be the tough guys who are a bit better at surviving this particular antibiotic you're taking. This means if you stop the meds, you may get sicker. But it also means, and perhaps more importantly means, when you accidentally cough on your neighbor or coworker, you will pass on the new, mutant, stronger germs to them. As these germs move around to new hosts and continue to mutate, they may eventually mutate to the point that existing antibiotics can't kill them.
Having said all that, it's not like duration of a course of antibiotics is some set in stone thing. Some study probably said that moxifloxicin or whatever you're taking is most effective when taken for x number of days, but for many diseases, the majority of cases might have been treated effectively in fewer days. Recommendations change about this stuff over time or depending on who your care giver is or where you live or whatnot. If you look at wikipedia you'll see a reference that says short courses (3-5 days) may be effective for pneumonia. These are issues about which experts disagree. A lot of pneumonia is viral anyway in which case antibiotics are of no use.
So in conclusion, I can't answer for you what to do. No matter what, you should absolutely get more rest, drink more fluids, and get help if at any point you have trouble breathing.
Good luck!
posted by serazin at 7:32 PM on October 24, 2010 [1 favorite]
The short answer to your question is, probably nothing. But there's a long answer too.
The real problem with quitting a course of antibiotics part-way through is that you could be contributing to drug resistance in your community at large. That means that you could make more people have to take new, stronger, harsher antibiotics because the old ones that you feel less freaked out about don't work anymore.
Antibiotics work like this: they kill bacteria in your body but rarely can they kill them all in one dose. The weakest specimens die right away, and then, over the days you are taking your antibiotics, more and more die until hopefully, by the time you've finished your course, they're all gone. Bacteria mutate quickly which helps them avoid being destroyed by antibiotics, and as you're taking your course of antibiotics, the last germs to die could theoretically be the strongest or most successful mutants of the particular strain of bacteria you are trying to get rid of. So if you stop taking your antibiotics after a couple days, there's a chance there are still bacteria hanging out, and if there are, they're likely to be the tough guys who are a bit better at surviving this particular antibiotic you're taking. This means if you stop the meds, you may get sicker. But it also means, and perhaps more importantly means, when you accidentally cough on your neighbor or coworker, you will pass on the new, mutant, stronger germs to them. As these germs move around to new hosts and continue to mutate, they may eventually mutate to the point that existing antibiotics can't kill them.
Having said all that, it's not like duration of a course of antibiotics is some set in stone thing. Some study probably said that moxifloxicin or whatever you're taking is most effective when taken for x number of days, but for many diseases, the majority of cases might have been treated effectively in fewer days. Recommendations change about this stuff over time or depending on who your care giver is or where you live or whatnot. If you look at wikipedia you'll see a reference that says short courses (3-5 days) may be effective for pneumonia. These are issues about which experts disagree. A lot of pneumonia is viral anyway in which case antibiotics are of no use.
So in conclusion, I can't answer for you what to do. No matter what, you should absolutely get more rest, drink more fluids, and get help if at any point you have trouble breathing.
Good luck!
posted by serazin at 7:32 PM on October 24, 2010 [1 favorite]
Thanks all. I took the antibiotic, and threw up shortly afterwards. I don't really know if I took that dose or not. Will go to my doctor in the morning.
posted by Anxietygirl at 7:37 PM on October 24, 2010
posted by Anxietygirl at 7:37 PM on October 24, 2010
I'm actually allergic to Avelox and have medical anxiety issues-- so I can tell you that, for me, an actual reaction is not the same deal as just being weirded out by having to take a new med. Avelox makes me break out in giant welts; my throat and mouth itch like crazy, and I end up in the ER, on a giant sleep-inducing dose of Benadryl, with a pulse oximeter on my finger.
However, I'm obviously still here to tell you about it and it's happened to me twice (the first time, they thought I was allergic to something else). I would worry more about the pneumonia than the antibiotic, and talk to your doc about the vomiting ASAP.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 8:55 PM on October 24, 2010
However, I'm obviously still here to tell you about it and it's happened to me twice (the first time, they thought I was allergic to something else). I would worry more about the pneumonia than the antibiotic, and talk to your doc about the vomiting ASAP.
posted by fairytale of los angeles at 8:55 PM on October 24, 2010
Quinolones make you puke. It's really common and not usually a big deal.
But... Avelox? Avelox is an antibiotic of last resort for life threatening infections which are resistant to other treatments, like multidrug resistant strep and such. Handing it out like candy is how we got here in the first place.
posted by Justinian at 9:28 PM on October 24, 2010
But... Avelox? Avelox is an antibiotic of last resort for life threatening infections which are resistant to other treatments, like multidrug resistant strep and such. Handing it out like candy is how we got here in the first place.
posted by Justinian at 9:28 PM on October 24, 2010
@Justinian - I did not know that. I will definitely ask my doctor about it tomorrow.
posted by Anxietygirl at 9:55 PM on October 24, 2010
posted by Anxietygirl at 9:55 PM on October 24, 2010
I've been prescribed Avelox for suspected "walking pneumonia" (after a course of azithromycin didn't clear up my cough. Though it did get rid of the fever). I made the horrible mistake, for me, of googling it.
You've got the walking pneumonia and googly-woogly flu. Never Google up symptoms unless you want to convince yourself that you're dying. Stay on your prescription, see your doctor as scheduled, and go to the emergency room if you are feeling unexpectedly horrible (other than having pneumonia).
posted by pracowity at 1:27 AM on October 25, 2010
You've got the walking pneumonia and googly-woogly flu. Never Google up symptoms unless you want to convince yourself that you're dying. Stay on your prescription, see your doctor as scheduled, and go to the emergency room if you are feeling unexpectedly horrible (other than having pneumonia).
posted by pracowity at 1:27 AM on October 25, 2010
I can't pick a "best response" because I posted this question anonymously, but there were some very helpful responses. In case anyone looking at this later is curious, I did go to my doctor, and she echoed many of the comments here. I should keep taking antibiotic, it is an appropriate drug for this ailment, and I should try not to worry about it (or Google it anymore). She also suggested taking it with gravol. So I'll do that.
posted by Anxietygirl at 9:00 AM on October 25, 2010
posted by Anxietygirl at 9:00 AM on October 25, 2010
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posted by brainmouse at 7:13 PM on October 24, 2010