Antibiotics: Are They Always Necessary?

I've experienced it myself several times. You go to the doctor (or in my case the pediatrician. I haven't been to a regular Dr. in 10 years), they diagnosis you and then write a prescription for antibiotics. They inform you that they are "just in case". You are then supposed to fill the prescription and give yourself or your child the antibiotics, messing up the intestinal flora and immune system, "just in case". This makes absolutely no sense to me!

Let me give you an example. My son who was about 1 1/2 woke up one morning and there was a ton of wax coming out of his ear. The wax looked to be mixed with blood. He had no symptoms of an ear infection. He was happy, had no fever, and no other signs of illness. I took him to the Dr. because I wanted to know if his eardrum had burst. The Dr. looked in his ear, didn't see anything unusual and proceed to write me a prescription for antibiotics, "just in case".

 At this point most Mom's would say okay and give their child the antibiotics not knowing they had a voice. I spoke up and said "I'm not really comfortable giving him antibiotics when you don't see anything wrong." He politely said "Okay, well let's skip that then and we'll have you bring him in next week just to check on him." Funny, how easy that was. And honestly it's happened many, many times. This is just one example!

Out of my 3 children, only one...my oldest has been on antibiotics. Both times were very necessary. She had an infected belly button from a bug bite and it was looking bad, and the other time she caught pneumonia. I am not opposed to antibiotics when necessary. They are an incredible medicine when truly needed. Problem is that we've over prescribed them to the point that bacteria has become resistant to many of them. Stronger and stronger antibiotics are becoming necessary for these resistant bacteria.

 I am not encouraging you to not listen to your Doctor., but what I am saying is to get proactive. Do your research and ask your Doctor lot's of questions. If your child has an ear infection, ask if you can do the "wait it out" method before you give them antibiotics. You can also ask if you can do the antibiotic drops instead. Drops don't disrupt the intestinal flora. Another option if you or your child needs antibiotics, is the shot. Yes, shots hurt but it doesn't disrupt the intestinal flora and gets immediately into the system. It's much better for the immune system than oral antibiotics. Most parents don't like shots so the Doctors don't offer it. You will have to ask.

 Other questions are important too...like is this viral or bacterial? If it's most likely viral, than why am I getting a script for antibiotics? Are there other alternatives? Letting the Doctor know that you want to avoid antibiotics unless completely necessary helps them understand what you're looking for.

 I once had a pediatrician (not my own) tell me that she writes a prescription most times, not because it's necessary, but because she can tell that the mother wants to walk out with medicine. This is extremely disturbing to me. Prescription drugs are not harmless. I wish she'd say, "you know what, this is a virus so there's no drug we can prescribe, but go to the pharmacy and get Vit C for kids and give her 250 mg every 2 hours." There are Doctors out there who do this, but they are very few.

 Point of this article? Find your voice in the Doctors office. Ask lots of questions and make it clear what your expectation is. And if you do fill the script for antibiotics, please take a very strong probiotic when you are finished.

 I am constantly talking to people who have been on round after round of antibiotics, and their immune system is shot. It becomes a sick cycle and they can't seem to recover. Your intestinal flora is crucial for your immune system, your digestive system, your nutrient absorption, and even your mood (you produce more serotonin in your gut than in your brain!).

 And to round this up...two of my favorite alternatives to antibiotics are: Mesosilver- Non-toxic collodial silver. AMAZING stuff. You can put it in your eyes, nose, and ears. Put it on your skin and take it internally. Great for bladder infections, nasally for sinus infections, ear infections, and skin irritations. North American Herb and Spice Oil of Oregano- My go to for sinus infections, yeast infections, and fungus. It can disrupt your flora a bit..nothing like antibiotics though. Just in case follow with a probiotic.