metronidazole 400mg for toothache

summerspring

bsms1147 wrote: »

Firstly those antibiotics may now be out of date.

Which they are not. Patients are capable of reading the use-by date

Secondly there are out of hours GP services and multiple other routes to access medicines should you need them out of hours.

Indeed there used to be. Years ago when I had this problem I dialled the out of hours emergency number, and got a call-back from a doctor, who faxed a prescription to the pharmacy for me.

This no longer happens with the new NHS111, and there are no other options if you just need antibiotics PDQ. Clogging up A&E is even more irresponsible, even if it were reliable.

Thirdly if you're ill, and self-diagnose yourself as needing antibiotics, and take antibiotics you already have, rather than seeing a health professional who may tell you that you either don't need antibiotics, or you need different ones, or you need something else entirely, you're asking for trouble and are part of the problem.

I've had this problem on and off for years. I always need a certain type of antibiotic and it always works for me. I know that better than a schoolkid on the other end of the line reading from a script and who is restricted to working with a computer algorithm.

summerspring

Torry_Quine wrote: »

I have to agree. It's very irresponsible to self-medicate in this way.

It is far from ideal, I agree, and I wish I didn't have to feel the need to store them up 'just in case', but if you can't rely on the healthcare provider you have to rely on yourself. As the saying goes, those who fail to plan plan to fail.

tomtontom

Is there not an out of hours centre in your area summerspring? I'd be very surprised if there was not.

You have contradicted yourself - you say that there is one type of antibiotic that works for you but then you describe the ones you have as completely different. So you are, as suggested above, part of the problem.

summerspring

tomtontom wrote: »

Is there not an out of hours centre in your area summerspring? I'd be very surprised if there was not.

You have contradicted yourself - you say that there is one type of antibiotic that works for you but then you describe the ones you have as completely different. So you are, as suggested above, part of the problem.

I have googled and there is a walk-in centre which is open from 8 till 8, but unfortunately this problem usually starts in the middle of the night. Obviously I don't expect anywhere to be open at that time, but it was useful and reassuring to be able to speak to a dr on the phone, and get the prescription faxed to the 24 hour pharmacy or to my local pharmacy and I'd collect it 1st thing in the morning.


That is true about the one that works for me being different to the ones I have in the house, and I would only use them if I got absolutely desperate, which I hope I don't.

GlasweJen

If you really needed antibiotics at short notice you'd have them. It's life critical for me that I don't get an infection so I have a stockpile of antibiotics and the system is I call at whatever time of night, go to the out of hours doctor and if they don't have the right one I get told which of the ones I have to take.

If it's not urgent enough for A&E then it's not urgent enough to self medicate.

summerspring

GlasweJen wrote: »

If you really needed antibiotics at short notice you'd have them. It's life critical for me that I don't get an infection so I have a stockpile of antibiotics and the system is I call at whatever time of night, go to the out of hours doctor and if they don't have the right one I get told which of the ones I have to take.

If it's not urgent enough for A&E then it's not urgent enough to self medicate.

Apart from the discomfort and the distress and anxiety, it's a case of nip the problem in the bud. Deal with it while it's a small problem and then it won't turn into a bigger problem. However this does seem to be anathema to the NHS, for some reason.



But all this is taking the OP's thread off topic, and very few people have managed to reply as to how metronidazole affected them!

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

Avoid ALL alcohol (including mouthwash) whilst taking it. Or you'll feel like you're dying - which is probably why there are negative comments online about it.

It works very well when indicated and taken according to the directions. But part of it working means alcohol is an absolute no-no.

Toothsmith

bsms1147 wrote: »

Firstly those antibiotics may now be out of date.

summerspring wrote: »

Which they are not. Patients are capable of reading the use-by date

Use by dates are more for the direction of the pharmacy - not the patient.

Antibiotics are very sensitive to fluctuations in temperature, and the use by date assumes correct storage.

If your antibiotics have just been in your house with temperatures going up in there on hot days, then they may well cease to be effective several months before the date on the packet.

Less effective antibiotics being used all play into the hands of the bacteria by helping them to adapt and gain resistance.

missbiggles1

GlasweJen wrote: »

If you really needed antibiotics at short notice you'd have them. It's life critical for me that I don't get an infection so I have a stockpile of antibiotics and the system is I call at whatever time of night, go to the out of hours doctor and if they don't have the right one I get told which of the ones I have to take.

If it's not urgent enough for A&E then it's not urgent enough to self medicate.

My husband's the same. He always has antibiotics and steroids to hand and is advised to start a course asap and then see a doctor afterwards. There have been times when waiting until morning or spending hours in A&E (bad for them and disastrous for him) could be the difference between safety and several days in hospital, with all the attendant risks.