A Rant About The New Antibiotic Prescription Enforcement

[Jack Peterson]

38 minutes ago, Tukaram (Tim) said:

If all else fails, one of the relatives always knows which sari sari store has some in stock. 

Quite true, in fact as i write this Dave "H" is on his way over to me to visit my Local Sori, Sori I mentioned that my friend needed some Amoxicillin and he went out to buy extra to covers our daves' needs Now this is Integration which I have always said is the way forward. 

[MikeB]

Hope you feel better, Dave.

[OnMyWay]

2 hours ago, MikeB said:

I'm sorry you're not feeling well but It's hard for me to understand someone arguing against Dr supervision for antibiotics. The great majority of common illnesses are viral, not bacterial. Antibiotics are useless for viruses. As JGF says, you build up resistance and they can't help when you really need them.  Antibiotics also need to be taken for the full course of treatment, not just when symptoms lessen. If you stop taking them too soon the infection will return stronger and resistant to the antibiotic.

Dave, I have to agree with Mike and JGF, but I also think you are doing it backwards anyway.

If you think you have UTI and want to self-diagnose, go get a urine test first and check your bacteria count.  If it is the normal range you can probably rule out UTI.  We pay p106 for a urine test, ready in  about 1 hour.  Then if you still want to see a doc, you can have the urine test in hand.

Many good antibiotics are meant to target a specific area of infection.  My dermatologist prescribed me one that is meant for open wounds, such as I have.  Others might not work as well.  Amoxicillin is a fairly weak antibiotic and probably way overused in PH as that is the one they were giving out like candy.  Resistance to antibiotics is a serious issue so that may be why the scrip is now required.

Luckily my GP seems to be a fairly solid doc and so far I trust his judgement.  He is not quick to prescribe medicines and believes there are natural remedies available that may work before going to a med.  When he does prescribe, he offers quite a few meds right there, but it is optional to buy them there.  The prices are fine and comparable to retail outlets.  The last two times I was there he did not charge me a doctors fee, normally p400.   The last time I was there I had caught a bug right before flying to the U.S.  He sold me three meds but no doctors fee.  He also has an onsite lab that can do most, but not all, lab test.  A few they have to send out.

[Dave Hounddriver]

1 hour ago, Jack Peterson said:

I mentioned that my friend needed some Amoxicillin and he went out to buy extra to covers our daves' needs Now this is Integration which I have always said is the way forward

When I started my "rant" I did not realize this was a  divisive issue.  Thanks to all the contributors who expressed their opinion and I will let you know how it turns out.

As OnMyWay posted:

18 minutes ago, OnMyWay said:

Amoxicillin is a fairly weak antibiotic and probably way overused in PH as that is the one they were giving out like candy. 

I totally agree and thus it does not hurt the vast scheme of things if a fellow gives it a try.

If my problem does not clear up in a couple of days I shall try to get in to see a doctor.  Its not like I am totally against doing that.  It got frustrating when I phoned the urologist at Silliman 4 times and no one even picked up the phone to say hello.  Well, the main receptionist did but she could not put me through to the doctor's receptionist.  Do you all have any idea how strange the doctors hours are here?  I once had to visit an ENT in Chong Hua and his office hours are from 11 am to noon, 3 days a week.  Try to fit into that schedule when they won't even answer the phone to make an appointment or to tell you when to come and wait.  Filipinos seem to have no problem coming at 6 am and sitting all day waiting and then going home when the doctor does not show.  Oops, they must be busy.  I'd have to be dying to do that.  As you can tell by my feisty tone, I'm not dead yet 

[Guy F.]

JGF is right about the dangers of over-prescribing antibiotics. Why do you thing antibiotic-resistant gonorrhea has been popping up in the Philippines?

[Old55]

World Health Organization very active ongoing program working with third world countries over prescribing/under prescribing antibiotics. Some bacteria are resistant a few are now incurable. Maybe Philippines 🇵🇭 is generally following the rules in despising those meds. Likely free money 💰 threaten if they don't fall in line?

[Kuya John]

12 hours ago, sonjack2847 said:

.Or you could try animal foodstores as they sell them.

Anyone who takes antibiotics from an animal food store must be barking mad! 

[mogo51]

18 hours ago, Castaway said:

I walked into (name deleted) Drug and asked for (6) 100 mg Viagra tablets and they said that I needed an Rx.

So, as I began to walk away, they called me back with my (6) 100 mg Viagra tablets in a brown paper bag and said: "next time, bring your prescription."

No need to get a script.  Go to Angeles, sit at the Margarita Bar on Fields and get whatever you want - Black Ant probably best but Manpower very good also, no headache side effects (mostly, but individual)

[Jack Peterson]

6 hours ago, Old55 said:

World Health Organization very active ongoing program working with third world countries over prescribing/under prescribing antibiotics. Some bacteria are resistant a few are now incurable. Maybe Philippines 🇵🇭 is generally following the rules in despising those meds. Likely free money 💰 threaten if they don't fall in line?

Maybe but we are talking about an Antibiotic that has been proven good, bad and indifferent but is used on certain ailments of which I'm sure Dave is well aware of, If we did all the things we read that we shouldn't I would not be sat here writing this,

 Anyway dave knows his own mind thus it really is up to him but here is a link about what we thought we knew and what we thought was wrong with Amoxicillin, which I might add is still used a lot here in the Philippines.

     https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amoxicillin

 Jack

Morning all

[Jack Peterson]

4 hours ago, Kuya John said:

Anyone who takes antibiotics from an animal food store must be barking mad! 

JB, My Poor Boy has Amoxicillin and it is stocked by 2 or 3 Agrivet stores here in Dumaguete and are the same as we will buy in the Pharmacy (Chemist) Of course the Normal Animal food store will not have these, These are specialist Stores that are used by Veterinarians and where they also get some supplies. 

Just as a side, when my Pup was castrated, he too had Liquid Amoxicillin.