Antibiotics treat bacterial infections and not viral infections.
The Flu is caused by a viral infection.
Therefore, antibiotics do not treat the Flu.
Bronchitis is caused by a viral infection 90% of the time.
Therefore, antibiotics do not treat Bronchitis 90% of the time.
skedastic is being an alarmist dickhead.
I’m currently suffering from viral bronchitis, and have first hand experience using nothing more than fluids and rest. I’m coughing less and feel much better overall than I did two weeks ago. I’ll be happy to update everyone in a week or two.
Try calling me an alarmist dickhead after lazy family doctors overprescribe us into such an antibiotic-resistant state that a superbug comes along and kills 99.9% of the population, leaving the rest of us to battle demonic forces for ultimate control of the destiny of the world.
I’ve had bronchitis twice. As long as your coughs are productive, you are fine.
The second time I got bronchitis I realized it and tried to treat it with natural methods. It didn’t work and I ended up having to go to the doctor, where antibiotics were prescribed. I took them and got better.
I think it all depends on your overall health, as well. If you are in good shape, not overweight, etc., you can probably get over bronchitis without the antibiotics, though it might take longer. If you have other issues, then the drugs are a good idea. There’s a reason why, for example, diabetics are supposed to get a flu shot.
Frankly, I’m more worried about creating a superbug from antibiotics in the meat industry (as a growth catalyst) and in simple household products than over-prescription.
From what I’ve heard on the local news, this latest bug is as bad as it is because it’s also infecting people who got Flu shots. I haven’t gotten a Flu shot since middle school, and this is the first time I’ve gotten it in many many years. Sinus infections, on the other hand, find me like a fat kid to candy.
Yeah, since the flu virus changes all the time, there are usually several version of it around in a given “flu season.” They have to guess which ones will be prevalent the next time around when they make the shot each year, which is set-up to innoculate you against what they think are the three most likely strains. Most years they guess pretty well; this year they didn’t.
Purely from a casual observation point of view, I’ve noticed that most of the late night talk show hosts have been sick in the last month, which is something you rarely see.
Take the Zithromax. If bronchitis sticks around too long, it can turn into pneumonia or pleurisy, and you REALLY don’t want that. Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt, don’t wanna go back. My lungs never completely healed.
Since this was a useful thread, and I’ve never actually looked at which medicines work for treating the feel-like-shit-and-coughing symptoms of a cold before:
Route 1 - pseudoephedreine + painkiller
There’s not much evidence phenylephrine actually works. So anything with that is probably bullshit.
Nyquil contains a hypnotic. No wonder it messed me up so much.
Dayquil is a joke.
Pseudoephedreine is what actually works for a cough. Sudafed, etc., but make sure you’re not getting phenyl.
Ibuprofen and acetaminophen are the options for painkilling.
Route 2 - Gauifenesin + painkiller
As mentioned below, Cheratussin has guaifenesin
for coughing and codeine for painkilling.
I think I had a allergic reaction to codeine once as a kid, so and Advil cold and sinus has route 1, so I’ll try that.
I usually use the generic versions of dayquil/nyquil when I have a cold and they seem to work fairly well. Or at least as well as anything else I’ve tried. The evervesent stuff has also always worked for me (pop pop fizz fizz but for colds).
That said, ever since I started getting the flu shot I’ve gotten far fewer colds as well. For several years I didn’t get sick at all. This year I’ve only gotten sick once, and that was in the week or so window after I got my flu shot. Your mileage may vary and I can’t account for whatever gub’mint conspiracy theory you may attach to the flu shot, but I’m not complaining.
No, you went to a doctor (about 96% of doctors, in fact) who doesn’t do his research but does go to a 2-week, 3-hour February conference in Jamaica about how Miracle Drug saves patients from Bad Disease.
I remember getting a cold earlier this year (Australian Summer) whilst in the middle of the outback. How does that happen?
My own recipe with colds is to hit hard when symptoms begin show signs of beginning (ie: itchy, sore throat). I also tend to get really warm ears too, but I’m guessing I am a bit of a freakshow there. Needless to say, my method won’t actually dodge the cold (because when symptoms start, the damage is done) but it helps lessen it. I’ll basically consume a truckload of warmed lemon juice each day (plus some sugar because I’m a wuss) and a few throat lollies to suck to help ease the burning in the back of my throat and hope that my immune system is up to the task. And because I have the joy of fairly mild Winters and decent Summers, I’ll go for a run. Seems counter intuitive when I should be resting, but the more I can get the blood circulating around my body, endorphins kicking in and focused less on feeling sorry for myself, the better.
can anyone please guide I was looking for help, and have stumbled here today
I’ve been diagnosed with both asthma and chronic bronchitis at different times in the past. Recently (past 6 months) my normal OTC hasnt been preventing symptoms well. Most of the day every day I have coughing fits and constantly feel like I need to clear my throat. This has always been solved by taking a 24 hour allergy tab (allegra) and using my albuterol inhaler if the preventative allergy med fails me. This is not bringing any relief. Not serious enough symptoms to worry about an acute asthma attack with high risk but sick of constantly coughing and feeling like my throat needs clearing. Any recommendations on additional/alternative preventative measures or other diagnoses that may have been previously missed that would cause these symptoms are appreciated. Even if it’s a EverydayHealth level information, I would appreciate any thoughts that may steer me in the direction of relief. No other chronic conditions No drug/alcohol use No current tobacco use Former smoker/Last smoked 10 years ago Rx Meds: bupropion xl 300mg, sertraline 100mg
