Over a month ago I caught a cold. In about a week it morphed into a sinus infection (I had one about 4-5 years ago so I knew what it was) I felt awful and it was the weekend so I went to the urgent care. The doctor at the urgent care would not prescribe antibiotics because I was not sick enough--had not had it long enough, only a week, no fever, otherwise healthy, etc. The urgent care doc told me a bunch of OTC medications to try. I bought them to a tune of about $100. I used the OTC for another week, felt worse. So I get an appointment with my GP. Same story--will not prescribe antibiotics, it had only been 2 weeks, no fever, not sick enough, too many antibiotics are being prescribed.
Another week goes by (I have been sick now for 3 weeks). Still no temperature but I feel even worse. I have used every OTC medication recommended, spent a lot of money on them. I am at my wits end. I go to see my doctor again and I feel so bad I am sobbing in his office and I tell him I am NOT leaving without an antibiotic prescription. He finally calls in the prescription for me. I have now taken the antibiotic for 2 days and already feel so much better --almost normal. I will, of course, finish the 10 day prescription.
I realize that antibiotics have been overprescribed, there is concern about antibiotic resistance, etc. But I was sick for almost a month and getting worse, very miserable and it was obvious what was wrong with me and that I needed an antibiotic.
Are any of you running into this problem with a reluctance of doctors to prescribe antibiotics? What should I do the next time this happens? (I don't think changing doctors is the answer, I am hearing from friends that most all the doctors in this area are taking the same approach). Is there a black market for antibiotics?
