OK, this is a bit awkward considering the recent bronchitus thread, but I have no medical insurance, and the school infirmary is closed until next friggin Monday!
For the passed 2 days, the roof of my mouth in the back has been very sore and sensitive. It hurts to swallow. I was hoping it was just dryness, but this morning as I swallowed I felt it in my ear (popping, clicking with a very very subtle pain). I have a long history or ear infections; in fact I think in my life I’ve rarely ever gotten a cold or flu or anything of that nature without an accompanying ear infection. So the evidence seems strong.
I have in my possession amoxicillin 250mg, to be taken once a day in the evening.
But it is a couple of years old (does it go bad and what exactly happens to it when it does?).
I just don’t want to sit here helpless until next Monday, especially since if there was a bad time to get sick, I’m not sure any other time of the year could compete with the next 2 weeks.
Please trust that I understand what it means to get medical advice on a message board. I promise this won’t be the only informed opinion I get on the subject. But I am confident that here I can be sure of getting a very informed opinion.
You should be seeing a health professional, like a doctor. Many people with the symptoms you describe have viral infections. Many ear infections are also now thought to be viral.
A good history and physical with a physician is the best way to find out the appropriate thing to do. Taking old antibiotics in inappropriate doses seldom helps anything.
You could check your area for urgent care or walk-in clinics, and call to ask about fee schedules. In the meantime, consider calling an “ask-a-nurse” line to have your problems addressed in a more appropriate format that this, and to see if some OTC approaches such as steam, tylenol, or decongestants might be appropriate for you.
QTM and I agree that the symptoms you describe usually herald a viral infection for which antibiotics are not indicated.
That being said, I am well acquainted with the “every cold becomes an ear infection” syndrome you experience. My oldest son had the same problem. In his case I noticed that he would often have a dry, hacking cough accompanying the cold and developed the theory that it was this cough which initiated the ear infection (a mechanical blasting of microbes to the eustachian tube).
To test my theory, I started treating his cough aggressively with cough suppressants and found, if I could kill the cough, I could prevent the ear infection. When he was young, I used prescription cough suppressants (e.g. hycodan syrup). He was later diagnosed with mild asthma and bronchdilators were the best at stopping the cough once we realized the cause.
Also, IIRC, this problem with ear infections often clears up with maturity (something to do with enlargement of the structures involved) so you may be old enough now that it will not be a problem.
Poor baby! (Well, hearing that always makes me feel a little better when I’m complaining of some illness.)
Doesn’t the infirmary have an emergency number? Give them a call - even if you get a recording, it might tell you where to go or who to call for after hours help.
Just a suggestion, the bottle should have a date on it to let you know how long you can use them medication. 2 years seems to me to be too long for amox.
You might try what I use when I get an ear infection from swimming. Mix apple cider vinegar with isopropyl alcohol. The alcohol kills the virus and the vinegar gives it an acidic (bad) environment. I mix them in equal portions and use one of those syringe bulbs to squeeze it in the offending ear and let it drain by holding that ear up.
(Edit by moderator: alcohol will NOT kill a virus. And I would be cautious about putting anything like this in your ears - Jill)
From what I hear, never take a prescription after a one year of when you got it. Now on top of that, never take an antibiotic without the doctor’s advice and always take the entire amount. The over use of antibiotics and misuse of them is apparently contributing to antibiotics becoming less affective to bacterical strains.
I would call a local doc and explain your situation, there has to be some way for you to get medical care that doesn’t cost you an arm and an leg.
I’m wondering if this is left over from a course of antibiotics prescribed for you in the past which you didn’t complete (I hope not). Does the ER of your local hospital offer phone guidance - if so it might be worth giving them a call. While they’re unlikely to tell you to start taking antibiotics, they may be able to suggest stuff for symptom relief or advise you where you can obtain medical care before Monday.
I realise that you’re in for a long wait to see a doctor if you go to a free clinic, but if you’re feeling bad enough to consider taking antibiotics on “spec”, then waiting around for an accurate diagnosis seems like the preferable option.
Hope you’re feeling better soon, and Happy Birthday!.
Less than a 5-day supply of amoxicillin is unlikely to do you any good, and may do *some *harm by contributing to resistance on a personal level. Also, 250mg once daily is not enough med for adults-- the low, one-a-day dose can point to someone trying (in vain, IMO) to prevent an infection.
Amoxicillin will not hurt you if it is too old, but will not help either.
I’ll add another voice to the choir of “see a doctor”.
Amoxicillin is a mediocre antibotic for ear infections, that said I often prescribe it. Many of the strains that cause bacterial infections contain beta-lactamases that render amoxicillin useless. Furthermore, you would need a lot of amoxicillin… for an average adult a minimum of 42 250mg pills to adequately treat the infection… and with less than that you cannot guarantee making the infection worse even if it is susceptible to amoxicillin.
Chances are the amoxicillin is still good. That said, there are no guarantees past the expiry date and again it could contain little active compound, resulting in a partially treated infection. This is bad since it makes the strain resistant to further amoxil, making it harder to treat, and the infection will come back.
If you take an antibiotic you have “lying around,” you probably won’t have the whole course to take. You could still have the infection, even if the symptoms are gone. If you’ve taken antibiotics and still have the infection, it may be difficult to get an accurate culture to determine what you have. It’s really not a good idea at all.
Glad you’re feeling better. I’m going to close this thread before some idiot posts really stupid medical advice and some bigger idiot follows it. Thanks for the responses here, though. Most of you are pretty responsible.
Jill
