Antibiotics: One Size Doesn't Fit All

by Aimee Amodio | More from this Blogger

22 Jun 2009 07:26 PM

I'm currently taking two different types of antibiotics to treat an infected cat bite (ah the joys of working with animals). Here's a fun fact: the doctor told me that eighty percent of cat bites end up infected. I guess I've been lucky so far -- I've only had two bites get bad.

Antibiotics come from two basic places: molds and bacteria. They work in one of two ways: by killing bacteria outright or by stopping their ability to reproduce (so they die out). Different antibiotics work against different types of bacteria -- so taking one type of antibiotics for everything may not be the best course of action.

After I saw the doctor, she went paging through a big book of medications to see what the best options were for treating cat bites. The number one choice is a member of the penicillin family -- but I'm allergic. The second choice is the combination of antibiotics I'm taking.

Some types of antibiotics you may have encountered include:

• Cephalosporins. There are five different "generations" of this type of antibiotics, and each one is used to treat something different. First generation cephalosporins are often used for skin infections; fourth generation cephalosporins are used for serious infections.
• Macrolides. I used to take these for sinus infections (erythromycin); they can also be used to treat Lyme disease and strep.
• Penicillins. These antibiotics are effective against a broad range of bacteria -- that explains why penicillin is so popular!
• Sulfonamides. If you're prone to urinary tract infections, you may be familiar with this family of antibiotics.
• Tetracyclines. These antibiotics are frequently used for sexually transmitted diseases, but are also useful for other infections. One of my cat bite medications is a tetracycline.

The most common side effects with antibiotics are upset stomach, nausea, and diarrhea. Women may also develop yeast infections while taking certain antibiotics. Other side effects vary from one antibiotic to another.

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Aimee is a fiction writer... dog lover... music lover...

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