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BrutalAntipathy -> RE: A serious Warning about an antibiotic (8/26/2006 7:49:37 AM)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: windchymes
And then try to relax because you are probably going to be fine. Most of the extreme symptoms described above (erratic heartbeat, shortness of breath, dizziness, faintness) are also symptoms of anxiety which I'm sure you now have after reading all the dire predictions of impending doom. They can also be symptoms of the dehydration from the vomiting and diarrhea that you had. Don't panic if you do experience any of them...it's most likely NOT something fatal about to happen. It takes a lot more than one dose of medicine that you vomited up most of to cause jaundice, liver failure and renal (kidney) failure. If you are able to eat and drink and keep things down today, then you should be okay.
"Colitis and pancreatitis" literally mean "inflammation of the colon and pancreas", and you already have symptoms of that....they're inflammed due to the reaction to the drug. Once again, you'll be fine. Eat and drink foods and liquids that are on the bland side for a couple days so as not to irritate your system more. It will heal on its own.
Part of the responsibility of being a medical professional is knowing when and what kind of medical advice to be passing out and to whom. Seeing the situation for what it IS, not inducing hysteria. Keeping the patient calm and positive in their outlook, not filling them full of fear. Drama, drama, drama.
mbmbn is correct about the infection that you took the antibiotics for being still active in your system. Listen to your doc....he'll probably give you another medication that you do need to take. Also, if you go into work today, just explain to your boss what happened. Maybe they'll give you light duty today, let you sit and read employee manuals, work a shorter shift. Good luck, sweetie.
I did not make dire predictions of impending doom. In fact, I mentioned that I did NOT expect her to have those symptoms. I described tachycardia in such a way that it should not be mistaken for anxiety, and made no mention of shortness of breath, but rather of anaphylaxis.
Indeed I would not wish to panic a patient. However as she made it clear that she had no intention of BEING a patient, I felt it necessary to educate her on potential complications. I had also previously advised her to return to her GP, and used the information as instructions of last recourse. Part of our job is also educating the patient, after all.
As you seem to have some medical knowledge, I would assume that you were aware of Zmax having a half life some 5 to 12 times longer than most antibiotics, which would extend the duration of any potential complications accordingly. Were she hospitalized for observation due to adverse reactions, the things I listed would have been monitered for by any halfway competent staff until they could be ruled out. I had no access to her H & P, and did not know if she supplimented her diet with anything that could heighten the risk of a hepatic reaction, such as Niacin. My primary concern, as evidenced by my first advice being to request a liver panel, was hepatic. I had far rather induce mild anxiety than to gamble with someone unaware of potential complications suffering liver or kidney failure. Frightened and alive is by far preferable to serene and deceased. As mine was the only medical advice given at the time, I find your belated critique of my advise rather amusing.
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