How do you know you need antibiotics

[bigstar]

Well im not sure how to start this post. I had a really bad last week and i wanted to share. The worst thing was when i woke up every day. Cough (much more than usual) stomachaches and throwing up, dizzzyness, low fevers, i had no appetite to eat anything and i only wanted to sleep all day. I felt exhausted and sick. I know everything sounds bad but this aversion for food is intolerable, is a human torture, is a sign that i am really sick. I started taking Cipro on Monday (3x500) and today im feeling A LOT better. It was like something was poisoning me (PA) and now im taking an antidote.

It made me wonder. What are your symptoms that you are getting too sick? When is the time that you know that you need to get antibiotics (ivs or oral)? Do we share the same experiences?

 

[Jana]

For me, it's usually persistent increased cough. I used to run low-grade fevers quite a bit too but for some reason these days almost never get them, even when I'm sick.

Actually, the thing that typically makes me ask for antibiotic (normally coming after a few days of increased cough) is lack of energy. It's weird, but I usually can tell the moment I wake up that that certain "sick" feeling has hit me. Basically, I suddenly feel like a rag doll--like someone drilled a hole in my feet and let out all the energy.

 

[JustDucky]

It can go one of two ways with me...Either I gradually decline with increased low grade temps, increased phlegm and color change, change of appetite, more aches and pains and sheer exhaustion and then IV's are started, or it can all hit me fast and furious with high temps (often near 103), rapid decline in stamina, extreme shortness of breath etc. The latter is usually more sinister and I am usually pretty sick and have to go inpatient when that happens because there is something like pneumonia/sepsis going on and I need more help than I can provide for myself at home..

Jenn 40 wCF