2007-02-11 01:52:50 · 7 answers · asked by sara w 2 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Medicine
Depends on the bug you are trying to kill, the antibiotic involved, and the dose you would normally take. There are different doses for different infections. Some more serious infections require higher doses so that you drug levels are high enough to kill the bacterial. Drug regimens for antibiotic use are designed to get the average drug level up to a certain amount to kill a certain type of infection. I won't get into MICs here. Anyway, sometimes you have to hit an infection really hard because of it's severity or where the infection is located. For example, getting tobramycin into the lungs of a patient with cyctic fibrosis is very difficult. You really have to push the dose to the max.
Now if you are asking can I, a patient at home, decide I want to double up on my antibiotic to kill an infection quicker, the answer is NO, NO, NO. Your doctor should have taken into account your age, weight, type of infection, type of antibiotic, and severity of infection into account when writing the prescription. You drug levels should be sufficient to kill, or slow down the bacterial long enough for your body to kill them itself. If it doesn't work most likely they need to add another another drug or use another drug alltogether. If you decide to play with your own doses you will run out sooner than expected and risk having a relapse. And relapses can be with the really resistant, really hard to kill, variety bacteria.
2007-02-11 03:23:42 · answer #1 · answered by ontopofoldsmokie 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
NO! For antibiotics (and most other drugs as well) you need to follow the directions given. These drugs need to build up in your bloodstream to a specific level and STAY above that level for 10 days or 14 days.. whatever the time period is for your specific drug.. so you need to take them at the correct intervals in the correct amounts...
With some Antibiotics if you take the pills in extra doses you will not be able to take it long enough to work and the infection will return because you did not totally kill it.
2007-02-11 02:02:50 · answer #2 · answered by ♥Tom♥ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
There are a few instances in which that's the case, but not in the vast majority, and it certainly isn't a do-it-yourself project. Take your medication as prescribed.
2007-02-11 02:13:16 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No it might make it where you can't take that antibiotic again or must take a stronger one.
2007-02-11 02:02:52 · answer #4 · answered by Edward C 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
all madicines must be use in their doses. We have good bacterias in our budy also. With over doses you might kill these usefull bacterias too. be carreful please.
2007-02-11 20:10:13 · answer #5 · answered by hanibal 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
NO, SHOULD TAKE IT HAS PRESCRIBED , TOO MUCH OF A DRUG COULD SERIOUSLY HARM YOU INSTEAD OF HELPING YOU!
2007-02-11 02:15:55 · answer #6 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, infact it might make it harder to fight the infection.
2007-02-11 01:59:54 · answer #7 · answered by Skyline 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋