The recent post by homepharmacy guy ( Rob) became a real situation for me recently. I was on a 3 day hike deep into the backcountry. Friday found me feeling slightly ill,which I attributed to altitude change etc. By friday afternoon I was passing blood in my urine, or, to be precise urine in the blood. I crawled into my sleeping bag, popped a few aspirin and decided to get home ASAP come light. I managed to hike out by Saturday evening. Sunday was spent in bed. Monday morning found me at the regional Veteran's Hospital. 40% budget cuts meant a long wait, but the actual medical care was superb. My examining M.D. put me on Bactrim and ran several tests. 10 days later (today) a general infection has proven totally resistant to the antibiotics. Now I am on Cipro. The irony is we had a very small supply in the aid kit. I refused it, thinking a quick bugout to a proper facility was a better option. My doctor said immediate cipro medication would have been appropriate. It was a judgement call on my part. Next time may have a different set of circumstances, but I want that option.

Ouch. I have been thinking of getting some super bug killing stuff to add to my kit, your story might just push me into doing it. Glad you are all better...

Please don't take this as sarcastic .

If bacteria in your body develop a resistence to Cipro, what does the doctor intend to use the next time?

'Pup

My personal medical history has very little antibiotic use. I've never had a flu shot ( even risking court martial refusing the infamous swine flu innoculation in 1977) and still think common aspirin one of the great pharmaceutical miracles. This resistance is disconcerting. My opthamolgist is amazed at my very healthy, albiet 20/20 correctable nearsighted eyes. I have perfect blood pressure and none of the problems associated with my age group. So, as past threads have touched on, good diet, exercise and mental wellness ( I have an incredible girlfriend <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />) will deal with these nasties. That, and praying in several religous traditions with my great grandmother's remedy of single malt whisky, honey, lemon and hot water <img src="/images/graemlins/tongue.gif" alt="" />

BelgianPup, there are a few levels of antibiotics past Cipro, that have worse and worse side effects. Until recently, there were no bugs resistant to Vancomycin but there are starting to be now. <img src="/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" /> Part of the reason there's so many drug resistant bugs now is the huge amount of antibiotics fed to livestock every day whether they need it or not. Otherwise the herds get infected because of the bad conditions (crowded etc.) that they live in. I'm not a serious vegetarian but I do cut back on meat consumption partly for this reason.

There is also one really bad thing patients do, which is they stop taking meds when their illness appears to go away. That is, they're prescribed a 10 day antibiotic course, and maybe after the 6th day, 95% of the bugs are dead and so the symptoms clear up, so they stop taking the pills. They are left with the 5% of the bugs that are the most resistant to the antibiotic, so the illness comes back and is harder to cure the next time around. You have to take all 10 days to get that last 5%. When the prescription says take a pill every day until all the pills are gone, do exactly what it says!!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superbug

Water ????? you do add water ??? really ???!!????

<img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

yes, but not from Vichy <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> It's a toddy and needs the heat. I would never defile good alcohol otherwise.