Comments on: Antibiotics More Harm Than Good For Strep Throat?

By: Cy Phy

Cy Phy — Sat, 21 Jan 2012 18:20:11 +0000

There is so much that we don’t understand about the lives of microbes, it’s almost dangerous that we have access to antimicrobials. The antibiotics that work as cell-wall inhibitors (beta lactams)often select for the development of cell-wall deficient bacteria (so-called “L-forms”), which are increasingly recognized as causing human disease.
A quick example…antimicrobial treated strep infections are known to be related to the subsequent development of guttate psoriasis. It is also known that prolonged, high-dose antibiotic treatment is effective in treating chronic plaque psoriasis. This has been shown with both PCN and azithromycin. There is increasing evidence that sarcoidosis is treatable with antibiotics. It seems possible that many if not most of the medical conditions that we call “autoimmune,” especially anything with granuloma formation, are actually infectious diseases.
So I think that we are well-advised to be very judicious in our prescriptions for antibiotics until we are able to understand more about resistance and cell-wall deficient forms.

By: Karebear

Karebear — Wed, 04 Jan 2012 08:45:39 +0000

I just got strep for the first time, it was extremely painful and I immediately went to the dr. He gave me a prescription but said wait for results from lab. But if I were you I would start the antibiotics. So I tried waiting but couldn’t, as soon as I took this antibiotic I felt better. The lab phoned said yes you have strep come in for your prescription. I said I already have one, well that one is not strong enough but since you started finish. So I did but once finished I went back cause my throat was now not feeling right. Oh sorry that dr gave you an antibiotic that does not treat strep. Soo now I have not taken the new antibiotic and I am going to see if it clears up. I did have a rash when on the antibiotics was it scarlet fever… Don’ t know… Time to buy some more oil of oregeno.

By: Melissa

Melissa — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 09:10:38 +0000

I recently got step throat…and I have had it many times…I just let my body treat itself. However, this time was very different. It was the worst pain I have ever had…and I was physically unable to get out of bed. Turns out I left it untreated too long. When I had s/s that were not normal for myself. I went to the ER…turns out I had a ruptured peritonsillar abscess. I don’t think I will ever mess around with my throat again…and right now I have another sore throat. I don’t want to be a hypochondriac…I just don’t ever want to be sick like that again. I ended up missing an entire 2 weeks of class and now have to wait a year to take the class over.

By: Stacy

Stacy — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 17:29:14 +0000

What about strep that results in the rash (scarlet fever)? At that point, should antibiotics be used? Or is the rash not a big deal? I am a pharmacist, and we were taught that the rash was a progression, and the next consequence was likely to be rheumatic fever.

By: Heidi

Heidi — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 02:13:38 +0000

Dealing w/ a strep throat outbreak in a large family setting. One son has celiacs. Last thing we need to do is take down his immune system and strip his good bacteria. To those who say what’s the harm in giving antibiotics, you may have recurring problems from just that. 85% of your immune system is in your intestines! Antibiotics are a great tool to save a life, only to ne used in the most extreme of medical needs. Once or 2x in a lifetime would be reasonable of you diligently repopulate the gut, 1-2 times a year shows just how little people know about the damage antibiotics do while doing the good.

By: Angela

Angela — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 17:08:49 +0000

I am interested in alternate methods of treatment for strep throat since taking antibiotics often creates other medical problems like yeast infections.
Furthermore, since one type of antibiotic never seems to get rid of my strep, I’m usually given several different types of antibiotics until the dr. finds one that works. This means I’m in and out of the doctors office for six months or more trying to clear up one infection after another.
I’m sure I’m not the only one out there that has similar problems with antibiotics and I really wonder if taking them is even worth it.

By: Caroline

Caroline — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 20:40:16 +0000

I have been getting strep at least once a year since I was a child and I’m 33 now. About five or or so years ago, I got it 7 times in one year alone. I’ve taken antibiotics about 85% of the time and the times I didn’t, it went away on it’s own. I don’t know that there’s any definitive answer as to whether taking them or not is right or wrong… as far as I can tell, it depends on the person. I just had it again a week ago and as usual I get the swelling, pain and white spots but that’s it… I never feel ‘sick’ or get a fever anymore (not since I was a teenager). I took Tylenol for the pain, as I usually do when it’s too painful, and it began feeling better within a few days and now it’s gone. I wish I had had my tonsils out when I was younger because after all the research I’ve done as far as having them out now, it seems that after 18 years of age, it’s an extremely painful surgery and just not worth it in my opinion.
At this point, it’s just something I’ve learned to live with and after having taken so many antibiotics, I’m just over it and have no plans on taking them again unless at some point it doesn’t go away on its own or gets worse. This is not a suggestion for anyone else, just a point of view from someone who has been dealing with strep for at least 20 years.
I wish everyone the best of luck with this because I know how frustrating it can be!

By: Richard

Richard — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 11:25:14 +0000

I have strep throat right now. I also had it about 10 years ago. When I went to the doctor for the first time (10 years ago) he prescribed some throat spray and no anti-biotics. My strep lasted about a week and went away on it’s own. This time I went to the doctor after feeling my lymphnodes swell and he prescibed some amoxicillan. This is only the third day of feeling symptoms and I’m feeling so much better. There were no side effects from the anti-biotics. It still hurts a little to swallow but is WAY better than last night. Last night I absolutely dreaded having to swallow and the pain was so bad I couldn’t sleep. I went into a urgent care clinic and the doctor prescribed antibiotics without a swab culture. I am very glad I went in when I did and these anti-biotics have helped alot! I think it’s important to get on the anti-biotics while in the early stages of strep throat to be more useful. I also picked up some airborne immune booster that seemed to help out as well. I’m hoping to get a good nights sleep and hopefully be able to eat tomorrow without any pain. I’m keeping my fingers crossed!

By: Interested Lily

Interested Lily — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 21:21:25 +0000

I ask the people who have had chronic strep, or strep ever – how do you live your life?

Are you constantly stressed-out?

Do you eat simple carbs, and dairy products?

I used to get strep ALL THE TIME when I was living the standard American lifestyle & eating the Standard American Diet (SAD).

Now that I have learned what nutrients my cells need to stay healthy on their own, well, I haven’t had a visit to the doctor’s office for strep in YEARS.

Shall we all do our own personal study? For the people that find themselves sick – what if you eliminated sugar and other processed, chemicalized, genetically modified “foods” for a while. How would your cells, muscles, skin, brain feel? Sick – with only healthy foods full of enzymes, minerals, vitamins, clean water, fiber, carbohydrates, proteins, fats, etc. going in?

Is it even possible for someone to be or feel sick if their diet & lifestyle are healthy and balanced???

“The Art of Healing; “Allowing Health,” Not “Fighting Disease”

With that in mind, is it any wonder that up to 80 percent of people actually end up dying in a hospital? And, if you read Dr. Gary Null‘s excellent piece “Death by Medicine” you will discover that adverse reactions from prescription drugs are responsible for nearly three-quarters of a million avoidable deaths EVERY YEAR in the United States alone.

We no longer die of old age. We die from inappropriate medical interventions that derail our bodies’ natural healing capacity.

All the more reason to seek out better, safer solutions to treat your health problems rather than relying on dangerous over-the-counter or prescription medications. Nearly the entire modern health care system is responsible for allowing countless unnecessary drugs to be prescribed, which leads directly to these prescription drug fatalities.

The fact is, prescription and over-the-counter drugs, designed to “fight disease,” kill more people every year than the combined deaths of all those who die from the use of every illegal drug in existence. So although a distinction is made between legal prescription drugs and illegal drugs used for recreational purposes there really isn‘t much difference is there?

What many people do not realize is that it is possible to maintain total health by avoiding unnecessary drugs and by gaining a comprehensive, clear and researched understanding of good nutrition and proper lifestyle choices, and by allowing healing, including the healing crisis, to take place without panicking.” http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2007/12/13/the-world-s-weirdest-deaths.aspx

Here’s another great article from Dr. Mercola: Disease Branding for the Sake of Drug Marketing.

http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2010/10/29/disease-branding-for-the-sake-of-drug-marketing.aspx

By: BE

BE — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 06:36:13 +0000

I have strep now, haven’t seen an ms yet. I don’t take any pain relievers for headaches or anything. I do the natural stuff. Trying the oregano oil treatment and contemplating what to do if it doesn’t work. Because of ALL the antbx I’ve taken in my life time I’ve wound up with systemic candida. At this point taking the antbx would mess up all the treatment that I’ve done for the candida! I’m scared to take them and scared not to! I feel like it’s either my throat or my guts that will suffer no matter what I choose.