Antibiotics and Side Effectsby Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger 08 Sep 2008 05:36 PM I'm about halfway through my ten days of antibiotics after a recent cat bite (from my work at the cats-only boarding facility) got infected. When I picked up my prescriptions -- two different antibiotics for one little cat bite, sheesh -- the pharmacist warned me that I might experience some photosensitivity. Did I ever! The first few days were rough, and I relied heavily on my prescription sunglasses and long sleeved shirts. The drive home from work in the afternoon was enough to leave me with the beginnings of a sunburn. Thankfully, the photosensitivity has eased off as I've gotten used to the medications. You know that old saying about the cure being worse than the disease? Sometimes antibiotics feel like that to me. The most common side effects that come with antibiotics can include:
Side effects can differ in intensity and duration depending on which type of antibiotic you take. You can also lessen the impact of some of the gastrointestinal effects by taking your medicine with plenty of water and a meal. Did you know? Some antibiotics work by killing bacteria (penicillin works this way). Others work by preventing bacteria from multiplying. I'm taking a sulfonamide and a tetracycline -- in addition to the upset stomach and other common side effects, both types of antibiotic can cause sensitivity to sunlight. Tetracyclines can also cause discoloration in developing teeth. Interesting! I never would have learned this if I hadn't gotten bitten at work. Always look on the bright side, right? Well... until I'm done with my antibiotics, I'll look on the shady side unless I have my sunglasses on. Learn more about Aimee Amodio  Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover... Relevanthealth tags User Comments Samual (11722) 09 Sep 2008 03:10 PMMen are just as likely to the get thrush too. It is very rare that you actually need antibiotics, I have had many infections but I have only had antibiotics twice in my life. Community Tags antibiotics, medications, photosensitivity, side effects Discuss this article
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