Not Wanting Antibiotics

Miss Fighter

New member
I have a sore throat and mild cough. This is the first time in three years that I have had anything at all. I just rarely ever get sick. I am not going to the doctor unless I get a lot worse. Heck, I could leave the doctor
 
You haven't used your "quota" of antibiotics. Frequency of use probably matters more than the strength, and you certainly haven't overdone that.

That said, plenty of people get mild throat infections every day, and because they don't have an MD, because of cost of treatment, dislike of MDs, etc., they choose to take care of it themselves. I'm one of them. When I get the occasional throat infection, I gargle 4 times a day with strong salt water, drink plenty of warm beverages and soup, get more sleep, and wait it out. 99.9% of mild infections will go away with sensible care and time. There has been only one time in my adult life that the infection dragged on so long that I had to seek care.

The natural immune system, when it's working well, is a thing of beauty. It will see a body through minor illnesses just fine on its own. You apparently have strong natural immunity or else you would get sick more often than you do. However, there are a lot of people with impaired immunity, whether from stress or chronic illness or medical treatments that lower immunity out of necessity. None of those individuals should ever attempt to treat infections without their doctor's help.

The main thing - I can't stress this enough - is to know when you're getting worse instead of better and to seek prompt care if that happens. Pay strict attention to your symptoms. If the fever gets higher, the cough worse, the infection travels to other parts of your body, if you're feeling generally sicker all together ... Get to a doctor and don't worry about taking an antibiotic. Taking an antibiotic is only a problem when it isn't needed. If you can't get over a mild infection on your own, you need one!
 
^I agree 100% and was going to suggest the same thing. There have been so many times I've gone to the doctor and came out NO BETTER than I was before. I also go by the rule of waiting it out a little at home, and if things start to get worse, THEN I go to the doctor. For example, I had a low fever the other day and was nauseous, threw up once, and just felt achy in general. I stayed home and rested, but when I started to get a lot of neck and jaw pain, I went to the doctor to make sure meningitis wasn't a possibility. Luckily it was not, and I was likely grinding my teeth at night. Good rest does help a lot of minor illnesses, as well as staying well hydrated! I don't take any minerals or vitamins for illnesses, but I recommend trying to eat a healthy diet overall anyway. I try to eat a lot of fruits and vegetables. Also, try to get plenty of sleep too, about 8 hours a day, especially if you aren't feeling well. A lack of sleep will make you feel even worse! Hope you feel better soon!
 
Thanks for the feedback. Luckily I haven’t had a fever, just the sore throat and cough. Many people in my small town have had the flu, or at least they have been diagnosed with it. The CDC website says that the flu tests given are only about 60% accurate.

Anyway, I really do have a pretty strong immune system. I exercise almost every single day, usually 40 to 50 minutes of fast paced walking. I eat fairly healthy. A little beer is my only vice, and that is only about once a week.

I walked 40 minutes tonight and feel a little better already.
 
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