Should I be on antibiotics? (paging Vashti)

This one is for Vash or someone else in medicine.

WARNING: gross descriptions below!

I've had this cold for about a week now and I'm SLOWLY getting better, but I still have nasal congestion and a cough that is keeping me up at night. The thing is, after a week, my snot is still really thick and yellowish-green. I know that when you start getting better your mucus becomes clear, but mine isn't getting clear.

Other than the congestion, I feel ok enough to go through my normal daily activities. A little on the tired side (but with my endo that's nothing new).

Should I be on antibiotics? I always thought that when you have discolored mucus you should go on them? I'd really rather not though if I can help it.

Any thoughts about the yellow snot?

yuck

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Originally Posted by Charlie Boy II [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]

yuck

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Haha! I warned ya!

Yellow mucus just means your body is fighting infection. It does NOT mean you need antibiotics necessarily, although you MAY if the cause is bacterial. If you go to the doctor, they might prescribe an antibiotic though. (That is not a good thing, but it is easier for the doctor than telling you that you just spent X amount of money on an office visit you didn't need.)

Viral infections cannot be treated with antibiotics (including the common cold). You should see a physician if you have yellow discharge accompanied by fever, or if the discharge is smelly, or if you thibk you are getting a sinus infection (which usually causes a great deal of pain in your face, especially at the inside of your eyebrow areas and along the sides of your nose).

I was sick almost 4 weeks ago, and I am still coughing and have a small amount of discharge still. It's been going around. I like Mucinex with cough suppressant to treat the symptoms. Honestly, a week isn't all that long to be experiencing symptoms of a really bad cold.

Don't worry, it's probably just swine flu.

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Originally Posted by lovesjoyajm [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]

Don't worry, it's probably just swine flu.

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Hehe. I had to convince my mom that I didn't have swine flu at first.

It's really interesting how all this swine flu in the news has affected people here in the city. I get dagger eyes on the subway when I cough or wipe my nose. And when I posted on my facebook page that I was sick, I got all these uber-worried messages.

I got in an elevator yesterday and this woman gets in with a guy and in a panicked voice tells everyone "COVER YOUR MOUTHS, HE'S REALLY SICK!" Not really sure what good that did besides make people grumble at them for not taking the stairs.

I'm going to go buy a neti pot today and just irrigate the hell out of my nasal passages. I'm really not sure about seeing the doctor as I do feel like I'm getting better, albeit slowly. Definitely not fevering or anything.

I just wish my snot weren't so nasty!

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Originally Posted by vashti [Dear Guest/Member you have to reply to see the link.click here to register]

Yellow mucus just means your body is fighting infection. It does NOT mean you need antibiotics necessarily, although you MAY if the cause is bacterial. If you go to the doctor, they might prescribe an antibiotic though. (That is not a good thing, but it is easier for the doctor than telling you that you just spent X amount of money on an office visit you didn't need.)

Viral infections cannot be treated with antibiotics (including the common cold). You should see a physician if you have yellow discharge accompanied by fever, or if the discharge is smelly, or if you thibk you are getting a sinus infection (which usually causes a great deal of pain in your face, especially at the inside of your eyebrow areas and along the sides of your nose).

I was sick almost 4 weeks ago, and I am still coughing and have a small amount of discharge still. It's been going around. I like Mucinex with cough suppressant to treat the symptoms. Honestly, a week isn't all that long to be experiencing symptoms of a really bad cold.

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Thanks Vash! I think I'm going to wait it out before going to the doc. If it doesn't get better by next week, I'll go.

Claritin D.

I like it when it's thick and chunky. I like to blow it all out in the shower, and leave for my roommates to admire.

Trust me, yesterday my tissues looked like something out of a Ghostbusters. This has been the most disgusting cold I've had in a long time.

OK, so I just got home with my neti pot and I have to say, it looks a little intimidating forcing all this water through my nose. Waterboarding anyone? If there's any secret information left in me, this neti pot will surely get it out.

I have to say, through all this, I've discovered the best cough drops ever. Cepacol! F**k those sugar pills called Halls. Cepacol is the best!

If its not getting better but worst you should see your doctor soon.

I think I'm going to go see him today. Last night was the third night in a row that I had a cough that kept me up all night.

Some friends of mine have this cold, too, and are complaining about how stubborn it is. It's like the illness that snuck in while everyone was distracted by swine flu!

Make him culture a specimen before he sticks you on antibiotics.

I try to avoid antibiotics as much as possible.

I'd rather my body try to take care of things on its own.

That's smart, Frasbee. Overuse of antibiotics has led to resistant strains of bacteria, making it difficult to treat certain infections, like MRSA.