In other news…
… I feel a bit like throttling my doctor.
You all know I’ve been suffering from a cold and bronchitis. When my first antibiotic was all gone, the doc switched to another one, which I’ve been taking for the last four days now.
Apart from having bellyaches now and feeling sick at times, I have a very dry mouth and the inside of my mouth and my tongue are hurting.
When that prompted me to stick out my tongue at the bathroom mirror this morning I decided I don’t need antibiotics anymore.
Well, I do.
But definitely not this one.
your tongue on Amoxicillin
I sat down today and read the patient information leaflet (PIL).
Unwanted side effects may occur very often, often, occasionally, rarely, or very rarely. Each of these terms the PIL defines in a 1 patient per x ratio.
The side effects I am having the pleasure of experiencing are all listed under “very often”. Can you guess the ratio given for that?!?!
1 patient out of 10 or more!!!
Excuse me, whatever gives any doctor the idea that anyone would wish to take this? Especially considering the staggering number of different antibiotics available on the market.
1 out of 10 patients (or more) may also experience severe diarrhea, which may be a sign for a very serious type of colics that requires immediate medical treatment. Well, thank goodness for small favours, eh…?
.
Update (2007/12/10):
As I am not merely still sick, but my cough got worse again, I called my doctor from work and told him that I had stopped taking the Amoxicillin and why.
Here’s what he said (*switches on instant translation machine*): “Ah, yes, unfortunately a lot of people suffer side effects from Amoxicillin, but its effects cover a broader range, so it is commonly given to smokers….”
If I could have, I’d have crawled through the phone to throttle him at that point.
So he gave me Amoxicillin because he - again - forgot that I quit smoking in ‘01. I don’t know how often I have been there with a cold or bronchitis, having the following conversation with him:
“Well, you smoke, of course…”
“Um, no, I don’t anymore….”
What I do know is that we were having that conversation the day he prescribed the f***ing Amoxicillin!!
December 9th, 2007 at 4:31 am
Hope you get better …………… how about trying olive oil for your tounge
.
December 9th, 2007 at 11:36 am
Hm. You should really go and talk to a doctor about that olive oil fixation of yours….
December 9th, 2007 at 5:05 pm
Hope you are a bit better now…? You should seriously consider going to another doctor, you know? That one’s definitely not good for our family.
December 9th, 2007 at 5:42 pm
It looks better, but it isn’t.
I am seriously sitting here, crying, because I have just eaten.
December 9th, 2007 at 8:19 pm
That does look awful! I’ve taken Amoxicillan before and didn’t have that side effect. 4 days? Hmmm…usually they run them for at least 7 to 10 days, so if you stay on it you’ve got a ways to go. I think I’d at least talk to the doctor or nurse about it. I take it you’ve never been on it before? And that the first antibiotic didn’t help at all? There are all sorts out there to try. I did have a bad experience with one that did cause diarrhea. Which wasn’t at all pleasant, let me tell you. But that was a pretty strong dose.
Meanwhile, I’d try any kind of ice cream, jello or soft bland foods. Nothing acidic, obviously, until your tongue feels better. Yeah, I’d be whimpering too!
Btw, per your comment in the other thread…do you work for Scrooge by any chance? I think I would stock up on turtleneck sweaters and some nice vests if I were you. Oh, and think camisoles. Even under a sweater. It is amazing how much warmer you feel when you layer.
December 9th, 2007 at 8:39 pm
Actually, I think I have been taking Amoxicillin before, a few months ago. And nearing the end of the treatment my tongue started getting weird, but not as bad as this, and I stopped taking it - or whatever else it was.
Needless to say, I stopped taking Amoxicillin after seeing my tongue in the mirror.
And, no, there was no reason at all to swap antibiotics.
I was improving under the first one, but not healthy again yet. The package he had prescribed had only lasted for 5 days anyway. And it didn’t seem to have any side effects - at least not for me.
I am not quite healthy again now either, and probably being off antibiotics will make things worse, but there’s no way in hell I’m gonna go on taking this stuff.
I was well enough (lung-wise) to have been enjoying my last long weekend before going back to work, and now it’s been spoiled.
At least the cramps have gone, although the belly ache seems to be back.
Guess I’ll hit the working life really “refreshed” again tomorrow…. and kinda hungry…
December 10th, 2007 at 4:16 pm
Lord! Take care of that tongue! I’m definitely awake now, having seen that pic - and that’s a good thing. Do take care, now!
December 10th, 2007 at 5:05 pm
5 days? That seems short. Well maybe the combination of those 5 days and the 4 on this last antibiotic will take care of the bronchitis. Now it’s just a question of recuperating from the antibiotics!
December 10th, 2007 at 8:06 pm
So many drugs have unpleasant or even dangerous side effects. Sometimes the treatment is almost as bad as the disease! My solution is to try and avoid being sick at all costs.
Hope you are all better soon.
I have tried the preview. I like it.
December 10th, 2007 at 8:16 pm
*pats Niklas* Well, glad to have been of service.
@ Lynnette: Well, after the little package of that one antibiotic that lasted for 5 days I was supposed to take Amoxicillin for another 10 days. But after a painful breakfast and resulting tongue inspection I simply stopped taking it.
The tongue looks a lot less scary now, only a darker pink than it should be, and there seem to be either clear or flesh coloured small raised spots all over it, it’s really hard to make out the actual colour.
As yesterday’s whining indicated, a better look does not always equal a better feeling. Also, it’s not just the tongue that’s hurting, but everything inside my mouth.
Things seem to be on the mend now though; eating dinner wasn’t fun, but it was possible. And the belly-aches are almost gone.
As the bronchitis seems to be coming back, I have just taken the first dose of my new antibiotic.
(And I have bought some camomile extract to sooth my mouth. Tastes as yuk as I remember it from my childhood days…)
@ David: Well, I am sick; what can I do?
Glad you like it.
@ all: I updated my post…
December 11th, 2007 at 8:45 am
So, what is the new treatment? Are you sick with a virus? Antibiotics don’t treat viruses. Just wondering what your diagnosis is.
December 11th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
Just shoot that f***ing Doc and get it over with. You’d be doing his other patients a favour…
December 11th, 2007 at 1:43 pm
@ David: me have bronchitis.
@ Mafdet: hah.
December 11th, 2007 at 7:30 pm
Shoot him up with a double dose of Amoxicillin!
December 12th, 2007 at 1:22 am
Well you should have stopped smokingl otherwise he wouldn’t have given you the Amoxicillin
……………………. do you want the baseball bat now ? 
December 12th, 2007 at 8:47 am
I’m qouting some rap this time
“Adrenaline shots of penicillin could not get the illing to stop.
Amoxacilin is just not real enough.“.
I hope you get better soon! Sorry for the long absence. I think you know why!
December 12th, 2007 at 11:24 pm
Flesh colored raised dots?
Somehow that just doesn’t sound good. But if it feels better…
At least he gave you a different antibiotic for the Bronchitis. Hopefully you won’t react so badly to that one.
I know, I know, you don’t like Chamomille, but it’s still your friend.
Wait, I’ve got something to cheer you up. Hold on a sec while I go grab it…
December 12th, 2007 at 11:31 pm
Ahhh, here it is…
Christmas Fable
One Christmas, a long time ago…
when four of Santa’s elves got sick, and the trainee elves did not
produce the toys as fast as the regular ones, Santa was beginning to feel the pressure of being behind schedule.
Then Mrs. Claus told Santa that her Mum was coming to visit.
This stressed Santa even more.
When he went to harness the reindeer, he found that three of them were about to give birth and two had jumped the fence and were out, heaven knows where.
More stress.
Then when he began to load the sleigh, one of the boards cracked and the toy bag fell to the ground and scattered the toys.
So, frustrated, Santa went into the house for a cup of apple cider and a shot of rum.
When he went to the cupboard, he discovered that the elves had hidden the liquor, and there was nothing to drink.
In his frustration, he accidentally dropped the cider pot, and it broke into hundreds of little pieces all over the kitchen floor. He went to get the broom and found that mice had eaten the straw end of the broom.
Just then the doorbell rang, and irritable Santa trudged to the door.
He opened the door, and there was a little angel with a great big Christmas tree.
The angel said, very cheerfully, “Merry Christmas, Santa. Isn’t it a
lovely day? I have a beautiful tree for you. Where would you like me to stick it?”
And so began the tradition of the little angel on top of the Christmas tree.
December 12th, 2007 at 11:39 pm
@ David: Hm, not much use if he belongs to those ppl who don’t suffer side effects. Lynnette and the Mad Canuck had no problems with it either after all.
@ PH: I. Stopped. Smoking. Almost. Seven. Years. Ago.
And for as long I’ve repeatedly been having the quoted conversation with that doctor…
Nah, thanks, I’ll use my sword………..
@ Caesar: Habibi, good to see you, but go and rap somewhere else.
Shukran, with your wishes I surely will get better.
Just keep your head down and stay safe, you silly little man.
And say hi to your sis and bro. Hm, and your mom too.
@ Lynnette: Well, they’re really small. Maybe even smaller than the red spots I had in that pic.
I ate solid (soft) food today, so, yes, it’s better indeed.
So far no side effects.
Grab what……?
@ Lynnette again: …… Ouch……
December 13th, 2007 at 8:41 am
And now to something completely different: I haven’t go your Chrismas-wish-list yet.
Time’s running out, aaaaaaaargh!
December 13th, 2007 at 8:42 am
**goT, I haven’t goT the %&$@@§& list… *blushes*
December 13th, 2007 at 8:45 pm
Sounds like you are feeling better. Glad to hear it.
December 14th, 2007 at 7:18 am
I know its off topic; but it seems your theory about blogger links has been debunked
…… Now you can comment on a bloggers blog using your wordpress ID or any other ID without having to create a new google or blogger account 
……. or you can just post as anonymous and provide a link to a web page …….. wanna try it out for us ? 
….. are you adding new smilies or is it just me ? 
salaam
December 14th, 2007 at 12:22 pm
@ Mafdet: Sorry, you were too funny to get a silent edit of your comment.
Yeah, ok, so you’ll get one item - mayyyybe - right, ok, and what about your husband? Has he been so bad he doesn’t deserve any gifts, eh?
@ David: Yeah, I guess.
@ PH: Not with WP.org running on your own server, you don’t.
At least not without some effort on my part.
And commenting anonymous and ending in a link looks soooo much like spam.
Nah, the last time I added to my smiley list was a few months ago, so it’s just you.
December 14th, 2007 at 2:21 pm
:((
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/7141458.stm
dang this world.
oh and happy holidays
December 14th, 2007 at 8:25 pm
*speechless*
Well, if Mr Pratchett can stay mildly optimistic, I will try to do the same.
Concerning new books, I guess his fans are really lucky that he is such a fast writer.
Dang this world indeed.
*still speechless*
’s not Christmas yet.
December 14th, 2007 at 8:36 pm
Oh, that’s horrible news! To happen to someone who is so brilliantly creative.
We can only hope that they find something to mitigate the symptons or reverse the progress altogether while it can still help Mr. Pratchett. *sigh* My uncle had early onset Alzheimers and it’s not a pleasant thing at all.
Well I hope it’s not Christmas yet! I’ve still got presents to buy and wrap and cookies to bake! Although I got a good start yesterday (I skipped out of work early and went shopping
). Which is where I’m off to again right now. My goal is to be all done this weekend. Wish me luck! 
December 14th, 2007 at 9:06 pm
Wow! That’s some sad news! But, as Pratchett said, he is not dead yet, and he still has a few books left in him. I hope his coming forward will help with the research efforts to find some solutions to Alzheimer’s and similar diseases. He is a brave man and his optimism is inspiring! I wish him best of luck!
I just bought a used hardback of Night Watch. Now I have to wait a couple of weeks for the postal service to deliver it by the slowest possible means.
December 14th, 2007 at 9:17 pm
Night Watch is a very good book.
1. It’s a city watch book, and those are generally very good.
2. The story is…. intriguing….
3. We get some interesting character background info.
*is still pretty speechless*
December 14th, 2007 at 11:52 pm
sorry bout the holidays thing, better early than late
i really dont know what to say about pratchett. i wish him good health, and yes as Lynnette said, hope someone finds a cure or at least something to make life easier for him and for everyone inflicted with this disease.
David: yes, so far, nightwatch is the best i’ve read for him.. very good. i keep ranting about it everytime. maybe cuz i like the Watch books most of all, maybe cuz its got a little bit of everything.. very good book, happy reading!
Mel: i’m still a bit iffed myself. sigh.
December 15th, 2007 at 1:23 am
That particular side-effect associated with Amoxicillin is affectionately called “black, hairy tongue” in pharmacy school. You should see patients faces when Pharmacists tell them they may experience it. Hilarious!
December 15th, 2007 at 2:18 am
Now I’m speechless, too.
I can’t believe it. On the other hand, science is steadily making progress, perhaps there’ll be new treatments soon.
December 15th, 2007 at 8:04 am
Mel, somehow I caught your cold!
I am pretty miserable at the moment! 
December 15th, 2007 at 8:05 am
Anarki, thanks I am looking forward to the book.
Mel, I hope that Cuddy is alive in the back in time part of the story. I really liked him!
December 15th, 2007 at 8:07 am
@ 13: Tch, tch, ppl here consider it unlucky to be too early with those kind of wishes.
Evil Arab; trying to spoil our Christmas…
@ Julie: Interesting, it’s the same in German. Well, almost. In German it’s “black hairtongue”. But after some googling some time ago I had been under the impression that a tongue would have to look much worse than that to deserve the name. I vaguely seem to recall that it’s caused by the tongue shedding skin flakes that stay on instead of disappearing. Wouldn’t say mine did that exactly.
Oh, and welcome.
@ Mafdet:
Concerning the comments I deleted just in case your hubby comes looking at the pic of my tongue…: There’s such a thing as email…
@ David:
So sorry. I have some Amoxicillin left. Shall I give it to you? 
Way back in time; sorry, dear.
December 15th, 2007 at 5:48 pm
Email… yes… there was something called email, I seem to remember. - But communicating via your comments is so much more fun.
December 15th, 2007 at 6:06 pm
quick note to David: nah, its way futher back in time! like 20 years or so, anyway, since you liked Cuddy, keep on reading, i bet you’ll like Cheery Littlebottom!
December 15th, 2007 at 9:28 pm
@ Mafdet: Pfffffffffft.
@ 13: Wheeeeeeeooooooweeeeeeeooooooweeeeeeeoooooo…. Spoiler alert!
I edited your comment, you evil man.
December 15th, 2007 at 11:30 pm
hmmm? i dont remember what else was in my comment.. hurrr hurr..
does Littlebottom even appear in Nightwatch? i mean, the character features in other books in more prominent roles, but i dont remember.. ah. frig it. me and my memory.
December 15th, 2007 at 11:34 pm
I don’t recall if David has “met” Littlebottom yet. So I removed the info that should come as a surprise.
December 16th, 2007 at 7:32 am
Yeah, I read about Littlebottom in one of the books. I forget which at the moment. Oh wait, maybe it was Feet of Clay.
No Amoxy for me thanks. But, this is a really nasty cold. I had a pretty high fever last night. However, feeling somewhat better now.
December 16th, 2007 at 11:26 am
That leaves only Lynnette for senile me to wonder about now…
Why not, David, I have more than half of what I got to spare: 17 pills. You can have ‘em for free.
Haha, sorry. Get well soon.
December 17th, 2007 at 7:07 am
Almost better now. Been watching a lot of Firefly and Lord of the Rings this weekend. Helped take my mind off my misery.
December 17th, 2007 at 4:32 pm
No, no, I haven’t “met” Cheery Littlebottom” yet! Thank you, Mel…and shame on you 13!
December 19th, 2007 at 5:34 pm
*pats David*
@ Lynnette: Yeah, and shame on David for doing the same thing 13 did. I slightly edited his comment as well.
December 20th, 2007 at 6:32 am
How dare you edit my comment!
December 20th, 2007 at 1:57 pm
Duh… I m using that amoxicilin too, but never seen anything like it…
Unlucky stuff it is..
December 20th, 2007 at 8:46 pm
@ David: Ah, pfffffff.
@ Salih: Wow. It’s my bro. On my blog. I am so honoured.
Hehe, good thing we’re not really related, or you might get funny effects as well.
Hey, btw, you said you were ill; want the rest of my Amoxicillin?
May 1st, 2008 at 3:51 am
I’m on Amoxicillin right now and it really sucks. The first few days I suffered from nausea and diarrhea but after that it stopped. It was horrible at first though.. and it smells disgusting.
May 1st, 2008 at 10:11 pm
The smell… oh, yes….