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01/20/2008: "Antibiotics"
I find it ironic that I am anti-drugs yet have agreed to have chemotherapy mainlined each week and am currently playing with a couple of different pain killers. My pantry looks like a pharmacy. In an attempt to shake this recent virus/illness, my doctors have had me on several antibiotics. The more we learn about antibiotics, the more they worry me. It is known that our culture’s widespread use of them has lead to what they are calling Super Bugs. These are a drug-resistant strain of viruses that kill hundreds of people each year. A new study shows that More than 90,000 Americans get potentially deadly infections each year from a drug-resistant staph "superbug," Claiming that Deaths tied to these infections may exceed those caused by AIDS.
Since a few days after Christmas, I have been on Amoxycilian, Levaquin and now Zithromax. Each of these one-week courses is trying to knock down the virus. I am hopeful that this recent round will do the trick. It will be good to get off of the antibiotics. Side effects can include stomach trouble, rashes, and oral thrush. I have been suffering from stomach pains and have increased my use of probiotics to help replenish the beneficial gut flora that the antibiotics wipe out.
Next, I need to figure out what to do about my increased arm pain. In the past few weeks, the pain down my arms has gotten worse. I am trying to manage it with brainpower and some pain pills, but may have to consider getting back on steroids. My breathing has also gotten much shallower and I am hopeful that this is because of the virus that has given me a heavy cough. My spirits continue to be fairly high as I wake up each morning happy to put my feet on the ground.
