I think so. I was on some in my teens that messed me up for a while. But I was a teenager so it’s hard to tell.

I believe stopping mid-way through a course can be very bad as the most resistant bugs are the ones that survive, and then thrive and then you can’t get rid.

Kow wrote:

Can antibiotics cause anxiety? Had terrible anxiety last night and again today, which seemed to appear a few hours after taking the antibiotics last night.

That would be very unusual. (Though nothing's impossible when it comes top reactions to medicines.)  There's nothing really in an antibiotic that would trigger anxiety, other than the knowledge you're taking a tablet - though this in itself can be a major issue.  They can cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhoea, which might also result in anxiety - but they shouldn't induce anxiety in and of themselves - if that makes sense?

The painkillers you're taking might - depending on what they are. (Anti-inflammatories like ibuprofen can also give you really severe stomach pains) Obviously, feeling absolutely dreadful is also a major trigger for anxiety. Finally, when you say you had "terrible anxiety" what sort of symptoms do you mean? Might be worth seeing someone to check that what you're assuming is anxiety isn't the illness itself. (Heart racing, shortness of breath etc are all classic symptoms of anxiety, but can also be the result of systemic illness...)

Kow wrote:

Yeah maybe not terrible anxiety but rather a feeling of dread, impending panic (which doesn't arrive) with a tingling flushed feeling across my face and a knotted stomach. Jitteriness. Thoughts running away with themselves. They are feelings I associate with anxiety that I had years ago. It just feels weird that they appeared a few hours after taking the antibiotics. I'm not taking Ibuprofen because it upsets my stomach so I have paracetamol with codeine and something for loosening up phlegm. Maybe it's just coincidence.

You're right, it certainly sounds like anxiety.  As I say, it's odd to get it with antibiotics, but not impossible.  The drug for loosening phlegm may well be not helping, depending on what's in it (some are stimulants).  

At the risk of being immensely patronising, practice breathing exercises - deep breath in through your nose, hold it for 3, slightly longer breath out through your mouth.  (There are lots of variations on the theme, and videos, apps etc to help with it if needed).  The exercises do two things from your perspective - first, they're really useful for anxiety.  However they're also really good for flushing out your lungs and helping you to actively recover from any infection.

And, yeah, obviously, if you get worse see someone again.  Hope you're better soon.

I had covid in the middle of December. It’s not as vicious an illness as it was three years ago - feels more like a nasty cold or mild flu than like something that might kill you.

Last night, and today, I feel like shit again. Exactly the same as I did at the start of covid last month. The fever, the shaking, the exhaustion, the coughing, the headache. It feels identical.

But I’ve tested and it’s negative.

Is it this hard to tell the difference between covid and a cold now?

Non-Covid bug is doing the rounds. Every man and his dog has it right now. I’ve just been to the docs with those symptoms and luckily chest is clear so no antibiotics needed, it’s a viral infection only. Gotta just rest up and hope cough doesn’t last weeks.

There's definitely a "bug going round"

There's definitely a "bug going round"

poprock wrote:

I had covid in the middle of December. It’s not as vicious an illness as it was three years ago - feels more like a nasty cold or mild flu than like something that might kill you.

Last night, and today, I feel like shit again. Exactly the same as I did at the start of covid last month. The fever, the shaking, the exhaustion, the coughing, the headache. It feels identical.

But I’ve tested and it’s negative.

Is it this hard to tell the difference between covid and a cold now?

I've been EXACTLY the same. Had Covid over NYE, thought I was getting better and now absolutely rotten with fever, coughing and absolutely knackered again.

Couldn't see a doctor yesterday but saw a senior nurse which is fine.  She checked me out and said chest is clear so it must be a viral infection and not bacterial, no antibiotics needed.  That made me happy.

But I've been coughing up chunks of green stuff and it's increased and now I feel like I'm wheezing a bit.  To my non-doctor mind, my chest is fucked.

I'll leave it for a couple of days and see.

Exactly!  I did mention it to them yesterday but I think it was literally just when the chunks started so maybe wasn't as congested as it is now.

I'd rather avoid antibiotics anyway.  But also if I do need them, then I need them - I heard you can have lasting damage done if a proper infection isn't treated rather than leave body to fight naturally.

In other news, my sudden new onset diabetes might be long covid related afterall.
Fml.

Green phlegm doesn’t mean you have a bacterial infection. They’re the result of increased white blood cells in the sputum which can be there for a bunch of reasons - the most common being an infection, but this can be viral. (For which antibiotics will do nothing).

That said in people with chronic lung disease (like COPD for instance), it’s considered enough of a sign to justify antibiotics. But in people who have a new onset cough and no other underlying chronic lung disease green sputum shouldn’t influence the decision whether or not to prescribe antibiotics. (Which is usually based on how unwell you are, and how high risk you are.)

The wheeze is more worrying than the green chunks to be honest and would definitely justify a return trip if it’s persisting or worsening in any way. (And, obviously, if you do have an underlying chronic lung condition definitely call them again..)

Hope it’s better soon Elf.

Well that's not what I learned in humoral class. Not sure what kind of doctor you are!

Moot_Geeza wrote:

It's highly likely Covid was involved in hindsight. I had all the covid symptoms and even had a jaundice (<24h but still). After that 3-6 months of fatty stool indicating something wasn't quite right with my liver and/or pancreas. A year later an acute manifestation of diabetes with symptoms of neuropathy.

It's now 2 years since and my insuline levels (c-peptide) have hardly improved. They're at minimum levels and I'm off my meds on a strict low carb diet. Anything starchy and my body goes into hyperglycemic mode. I'm still hoping I will somehow recover but it's hard to keep the faith after all this time.