You are being prescribed drugs you don’t need

Going to the doctor’s is rarely a fun experience. Usually, you have to get to a point where you just can’t take whatever ailment you have and want some help. The GPs are in a difficult situation because if they don’t prescribe you something to help with your condition you might feel like it’ a waste of time. This is where they have to treat your appointment as a “customer service” situation and give you something that you might not need but will make you feel assured that your visit was just.

The biggest problem with this is that the most common drugs prescribed are antibiotics which the body can build an immunity too. An illness or infection that the body is more than capable of handling will be sped a long by antibiotics, but a bit of patience and your body’s naturally healing ability would have done it as well.

The next time you are at the doctor, and he prescribes one of the below you should have a serious discussion about whether or not you need it.

Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX)

This mouthful of an antibiotic is the most common antibiotic prescribed to over 60s and is usually for urinary tract infections or skin boils. Both conditions that this regularly prescribed for will be resolved with proper care and hygiene so the antibiotic is prescribed for more of a placebo effect.

Cephalexin

An antibiotic that is typically prescribed for skin conditions. The skin conditions are not infectious, so this antibiotic could be a bit of an overkill. Most of the conditions that it is prescribed for will either resolve naturally or can be treated with an antibiotic cream.

Amoxicillin and Azithromycin

Here’re ones that you have probably been prescribed over the past year if you have seen the doctor for a chest cold or ear infection. Chances are you would recover just as well with a cough suppressant and some ibuprofen.

Each case and patient are different, so it’s always good to talk this over with your doctor. If they think that you could go a non-antibiotic route then choose that, but if they insist that you take the antibiotics then there is a reason for it. The point is to have the discussion so that they do not feel pressured to prescribe something you don’t need.

Always check with your doctor before making any changes to your health care.

Do you think your doctor feels pressured into prescribing drugs to you? Have you ever rejected a prescription?