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NHS - What I don't understand


Markman

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ok - love em to bits under pressure etc etc

I had COVID have had it real bad for 10 or more days now - underlying Asthma and Bronchial Issues - Day 1 of illness told GP I was having the usual endless phlegm cough - only goes in my 60 t=years when I get some anti-biotics. 5 days later same - daily COVID calls and oxygen tests - told sounds like a chest infection I need more - still nothing - yesterday oxygen plummeted told ring Dr urgently today

Today - Dr says "I will give you some antibiotics" FFS I knew that10 days ago - why do they drag it out??? 

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2 hours ago, Maesknoll Red said:

I’m sure Dr’s are being discouraged from dishing out antibiotics like smarties on request, due to the concern they are losing their effectiveness.

indeed - but as they said today - this wont shift without them - but we BOTH knew that 10 days ago in which time I have been almost taken into Hospital 3 times - just knew it would happen and sometimes they need to use a bit of common

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Sounds terrible hope it all goes well for you now,

I to have had/just finishing covid,(1st neg test today) I have copd (for 10 years now) the covid for me was just a snotty nose; I do have a yearly emergency pack of antibiotics and steriods, as I normally have a flare up around this time (not used them yet, this year) The 3 jabs and flu jab seems to have worked ok for me...this time; point being could you also get an emergency pack for...next time ? or have you already used them?

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1 hour ago, Markman said:

indeed - but as they said today - this wont shift without them - but we BOTH knew that 10 days ago in which time I have been almost taken into Hospital 3 times - just knew it would happen and sometimes they need to use a bit of common

Totally agree. Happened to me three years ago and I did subsequently end up in hospital with pneumonia. I had requested antibiotics at a GP appointment four days earlier and she refused saying "give it another week". 

Similar to you, I'm asthmatic, and sometimes you just know a virus isn't going to shift without antibiotics. 

I don't take any chances now. In fact, only last month I was prescribed them for a virus that wouldn't shift. To be perfectly honest with you, my advice would to be slightly embellish the details, if you need to. A GP definitely doesn't always know best, in my experience, and as every patient is different, nor would I expect them to. 

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6 hours ago, Maesknoll Red said:

I’m sure Dr’s are being discouraged from dishing out antibiotics like smarties on request, due to the concern they are losing their effectiveness.

"the concern they are losing their effectiveness." This isn't some theory, it's a fact, bacteria are rapidly learning how to fight back against antibiotics, meaning that many diseases we thought had been eradicated will probably return to the world in the next few years.

If, due to over-prescription, antibiotics cease to fight bacterial infections, we will lose modern medicine as we know it in the coming years. 

1 hour ago, Kid in the Riot said:

sometimes you just know a virus isn't going to shift without antibiotics 

Antibiotics cannot treat viruses, they can only treat bacterial infections. 

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47 minutes ago, City Rocker said:

"the concern they are losing their effectiveness." This isn't some theory, it's a fact, bacteria are rapidly learning how to fight back against antibiotics, meaning that many diseases we thought had been eradicated will probably return to the world in the next few years.

If, due to over-prescription, antibiotics cease to fight bacterial infections, we will lose modern medicine as we know it in the coming years. 

Antibiotics cannot treat viruses, they can only treat bacterial infections. 

Yep, well aware of all of the above. However, doctors still frequently prescribe antibiotics even if they think somebody is suffering from a virus. And by whatever black magic it is, they often work. 

The UK doesn't have especially high antibiotic usage though, and it's largely stabilised over the past 20 years. It has however increased globally, mainly due to increased usage in African and Asian countries. 

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11 hours ago, TonyTonyTony said:

1) Dr’s don’t give out antibiotics like sweeties nowadays

2) They are busy

:laugh: - that really is the most sad and pathetic response I could have expected to see -  God willing your parents or family don't suffer in the same way - but oh well people are busy if they people die or are hospitalised so what - I suspect my ill health has made me reply because frankly your reply is just a disgrace and insulting and normally I would ignore you for what you are

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5 hours ago, Markman said:

:laugh: - that really is the most sad and pathetic response I could have expected to see -  God willing your parents or family don't suffer in the same way - but oh well people are busy if they people die or are hospitalised so what - I suspect my ill health has made me reply because frankly your reply is just a disgrace and insulting and normally I would ignore you for what you are

Regards them being busy, more than 50% of GPs in this country now work part-time. There was a time, no more than 20 years ago, when GPs were expected to work full-time, including weekends and be on night call. 

It would be helpful if more of these doctors, most of whom are trained in this country, could work full-time and help out what is clearly a stretched service.

One GP I know in his thirties worked full-time for a few years but has been on three days a week for many years now. Earns plenty enough on just those three days. The other days gets to spend time with his young children and train for triathlons. Alright for some... 

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23 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Regards them being busy, more than 50% of GPs in this country now work part-time. There was a time, no more than 20 years ago, when GPs were expected to work full-time, including weekends and be on night call. 

It would be helpful if more of these doctors, most of whom are trained in this country, could work full-time and help out what is clearly a stretched service.

One GP I know in his thirties worked full-time for a few years but has been on three days a week for many years now. Earns plenty enough on just those three days. The other days gets to spend time with his young children and train for triathlons. Alright for some... 

Yes our surgery out of all the GPs in there only a couple are full time - when you have ongoing issues its very tricky to see the same GP again to keep the continuity 

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15 hours ago, City Rocker said:

"the concern they are losing their effectiveness." This isn't some theory, it's a fact, bacteria are rapidly learning how to fight back against antibiotics, meaning that many diseases we thought had been eradicated will probably return to the world in the next few years.

If, due to over-prescription, antibiotics cease to fight bacterial infections, we will lose modern medicine as we know it in the coming years. 

Antibiotics cannot treat viruses, they can only treat bacterial infections. 

People worry about Terrorism, Asteriods, Global Warming, Covid-19 etc...all with good reason.

Without a doubt the most terrifying thing I’ve heard of in the last 5 years is the Antibiotic ‘Apocalypse’ mankind is currently heading for.

Antibiotics are becoming less effective due to previous over prescription, clueless idiots not completing the course or just misusing them on a regular basis (I’m NOT referring to the OP when I say that) and widespread use in farming, particularly in the Far East.

The last antibiotics were developed in the 1980s, we need to get cracking on some new ones pretty smartish otherwise a cat scratch will become a life threatening issue.

 

Edited by Peter O Hanraha-hanrahan
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14 hours ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Yep, well aware of all of the above. However, doctors still frequently prescribe antibiotics even if they think somebody is suffering from a virus. And by whatever black magic it is, they often work

It’s not that unusual in certain circumstances for GPs to prescribe Antibiotics ‘just in case’...for example if someone is suffering from a viral infection and there is concern that a bacterial infection could arise in the near future as a result.

Antibiotics do not work on viruses, it’s not black magic, the person simply beat the virus. The antibiotics would’ve done absolutely nothing.

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Fell ill Boxing Day evening (my birthday) and have had a high temperature, lots of aches and pains, mild cough and breathing problems now. 

Been in bed for at least 20 hours every day this week and have never felt so rough before. 

Tested positive on two LFTs and returned a PCR and awaiting results 

Spoken to 111 basically been told to ride it out unless I start cough up blood. 

I suffer from sleep apnoea so have a CPAP machine which during discussion with 111 they advised me to use as often as required, especially to stop panic attacks 

I was wondering if I could be prescribed anything? Currently just taking paracetamol. 

I have been getting out of breath just walking to the kitchen to feed the cat and walk back to my bedroom. 

Certainly not how I was planning on spending Christmas and New year 

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23 minutes ago, phantom said:

Fell ill Boxing Day evening (my birthday) and have had a high temperature, lots of aches and pains, mild cough and breathing problems now. 

Been in bed for at least 20 hours every day this week and have never felt so rough before. 

Tested positive on two LFTs and returned a PCR and awaiting results 

Spoken to 111 basically been told to ride it out unless I start cough up blood. 

I suffer from sleep apnoea so have a CPAP machine which during discussion with 111 they advised me to use as often as required, especially to stop panic attacks 

I was wondering if I could be prescribed anything? Currently just taking paracetamol. 

I have been getting out of breath just walking to the kitchen to feed the cat and walk back to my bedroom. 

Certainly not how I was planning on spending Christmas and New year 

Ditto - and I have seen the other replies - in the end it was interesting that that my GP and the Daily CoVID contact I have been assigned BOTH said "Yes - you need anti-biotics to help treat this" and already I feel better so I would argue you should try and get some they do help - and if people want to pretend they do nothing then why are they working for both me and my wife with the same lung infection and why would a GP say in the end - "yes - you need them" if they are pointless?

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48 minutes ago, Markman said:

Ditto - and I have seen the other replies - in the end it was interesting that that my GP and the Daily CoVID contact I have been assigned BOTH said "Yes - you need anti-biotics to help treat this" and already I feel better so I would argue you should try and get some they do help - and if people want to pretend they do nothing then why are they working for both me and my wife with the same lung infection and why would a GP say in the end - "yes - you need them" if they are pointless?

Because from the sounds of what you have said you have a chest infection that may well be bacterial. In that case antibiotics will obviously make you feel better.

Bacterial infections following serious viral infections are not uncommon unfortunately. That doesn’t mean that the antibiotics are combating the virus, your own immune system is doing that and may already have succeeded (especially if you’ve given it a helping hand with vaccination). It’s not ‘pretending’ anything, antibiotics do not fight viruses.

Regarding Covid, by day 10 you should already start feeling more human anyway. Yes that’s not always the case but in the majority of people it is.

 

Edited by Peter O Hanraha-hanrahan
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58 minutes ago, Markman said:

Ditto - and I have seen the other replies - in the end it was interesting that that my GP and the Daily CoVID contact I have been assigned BOTH said "Yes - you need anti-biotics to help treat this" and already I feel better so I would argue you should try and get some they do help - and if people want to pretend they do nothing then why are they working for both me and my wife with the same lung infection and why would a GP say in the end - "yes - you need them" if they are pointless?

Out of interest @Markmanwhat did you get prescribed?

I live on my own and literally can't walk any real distance without being out of breath so not honestly sure what to do 

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1 hour ago, phantom said:

Out of interest @Markmanwhat did you get prescribed?

I live on my own and literally can't walk any real distance without being out of breath so not honestly sure what to do 

Basic level Doxycyline 100mg - 2 first day then a course of 6 - been on the flat earth 60 years and every time I have needed anti b's when reaching this point - seriously scared Xmas Eve how ill I was and on the cusp of Ambulance coming - feeling better today and it is not a co-incidence - try and get some they will help

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20 hours ago, phantom said:

Out of interest @Markmanwhat did you get prescribed?

I live on my own and literally can't walk any real distance without being out of breath so not honestly sure what to do 

I hope you get better soon.

As I’ve said bacterial infections can follow viral infections so speak to a doctor and explain your symptoms in detail. They may prescribe you antibiotics as a precaution, especially if it’s difficult to examine you in person. 
 

If you have a bacterial infection the antibiotics will make you feel better. If your infection is only viral then you should start to feel better around the 10-14 day mark anyway no matter what you take.  

Please do not fall into the trap of thinking that antibiotics are a ‘cure-all’ because they genuinely aren’t.


 

 

 

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15 hours ago, phantom said:

After my positive PCR test I contacted the NHS and eventually been prescribed Lagevrio 

Hopefully things will improve now slowly for you, dont really understand why the virus effects some worse than others ? it obviously does. I literally had a runny nose for a couple of days,  no cough, high temp, aches,sore throat nothing, even though I am classed as vulerable with COPD. Hopefully dodged a bullet as this is my last day of isolation and I have had 3 negative LFT results in the last 3days.

Anyway 10 days seems like 10 weeks when you are doing it but things will improve and you will come out the otherside stronger, get well soon phants you are one of the top posters on here.

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How you feeling @phantom?

I felt like a bus had hit me New Years Eve, felt like a really, really, bad hangover (and I had had nothing to drink) and every part of me ached. Returned a couple of negative lft tests, didn't go outside at all, but by about 9pm felt much better, and ever since have been fine.

Weird.

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