Antibiotics...or not?

Ok, here' the long awaited (or not) bitch. It was brought on by a status yesterday on facebook...

Long story short, a friend, her daughter has been sick, a lot. There was a response by a woman who said she just lists xyz antibiotic as an allergy on her kids charts because they don't work. Not because they are actually allergic, but because they don't work. Then she followed up saying she knows better because a) she's a nurse, and b) her parents are microbiologists....

Now, let me run free.

I am sure we are all aware of recent (somewhat) strains of antibiotic resistant stuff. All kinds of things, ear infections (which, ironically, don't always need to be treated), strep throat, pneumonia, MRSA....scary stuff.

Logic, common sense, etc says this is caused by simple things. All really stupid causes.

People go to the doc, demand that they are sick, and therefore NEED an RX for xyz antibiotic, doc isn't up for the argument, writes it out, the person has a viral infection, so xyz antibiotic does...in short...shit. Antibiotics are not effective, at all, in the least, against viral infections. You need anti-virals to help with the duration, but even those don't necessarily treat the virus.

Someone goes to the Doc, they do indeed have a bacterial infection, normally treatable by xyz antibiotic....but the bacterial infection may very well clear on it's own. (ear infections being most prominent in this category). Doc writes out an RX. An un-needed RX for xyz.

Someone goes to the Doc, again, they have a bacterial infection, normally treatable by xyz antibiotic.. Doc writes out an RX for xyz. Said person feels better after 3 of the 7 days they should take xyz. They stop taking it.

Someone goes to the Doc, again, they have a bacterial infection, normally treatable by xyz antibiotic. Doc look at the records, sees the patient in 'allergic' to xyz, writes an RX for the next highest antibiotic.

In short, not needed, not finished, or not accurate rx's.

Yesterday, my conversation/argument was with someone who said they just write that their kids are ALLERGIC to xyz antibiotics, because "it doesn't work". They are not actually allergic to them, but since they have not worked in the past for specific ailments, that must mean they will not work in the future for different ailments.

Well,I went on to say that was dangerous, especially for those (like myself) who are ACTUALLY allergic to xyz antibiotic. Since she was a "nurse" she should have known this, but she still argued, that they just didn't work.

Now wait, it's the BACTERIA (for reasons as stated above) that become resistant...not the person. So while xyz won't work for an ear infection, it MIGHT work for strep throat. To say that xyz is an allergy, that causes the same ailment to become resistant to STRONGER drugs, and so people (like myself) end up on ever STRONGER drugs, because of one person (and I know there is more then one person, so that makes it many, many people....).

It really pisses me off.

Granted, I prefer to try to avoid antibiotics, but when this situation comes up, it really bothers me that because some people were idiot, I (my family) have to suffer, and (goodness forbid) , maybe not be treated!