Moreton Medical Centre: Antibiotics

Prescribing Antibiotics
Antibiotics are powerful drugs for fighting infections caused by bacteria. They have saved millions of lives over the past 50 years. Common ones are penicillin and amoxycillin.
	They aren’t a ‘magic cure’ for all infections because they only work on bacteria NOT on viruses. Viruses cause colds, flu and most sore throats.

Doctors will not give you antibiotics unless you really need them. This is because they have some side effects, and if we overuse them bacteria learn ways of fighting them. This is called RESISTANCE – this means that current antibiotics could become useless and severe bacterial infections, for instance meningitis, become impossible to treat.

If you have a cold, flu or sore throat, please don’t pressurise your GP into giving you antibiotics. Go and see the local pharmacist who is just the person to sort out your sniffly nose and muggy head!

When to see your doctor:

If you think your child is seriously unwell

If you are elderly and feel seriously ill

If you are usually healthy but after a week your symptoms are getting worse

How to take antibiotics:

Take them regularly

Finish the course even if you feel better

Remember some antibiotics make the oral contraceptive pill less effective

If the bottle says ‘take on an empty stomach’ this is because the tablet will stick to the food instead of you so you won’t get the full benefit.