Hi,
If this is in the archives, apologies. Can’t get the search to respond.
Main topic:
Is it true that common antibiotics (penicillin type things) can be purchased over the counter in Taiwan, from an ordinary pharmacy without a prescription?
If not, any way to get around that tendency that I’ve heard about where Taiwanese docs prescribe 3 days worth of pills, which is not enough for an effective course?
Thanks,
Seeker4
[quote=“seeker4”]Hi,
If this is in the archives, apologies. Can’t get the search to respond.
Main topic:
Is it true that common antibiotics (penicillin type things) can be purchased over the counter in Taiwan, from an ordinary pharmacy without a prescription?
If not, any way to get around that tendency that I’ve heard about where Taiwanese docs prescribe 3 days worth of pills, which is not enough for an effective course?
Thanks,
Seeker4[/quote]
I konw it is true for other drugs. I’ve been told it’s the same for antibiotics. If you don’t know what you’re doing, though, self-medicating on antibiotics can be a slow and painful way to kill yourself. Probably best only to extend a prescription, not to try to treat yourself to what you guess might work.
Yes, they are easily available. If one says no, just try another - ‘no, you need a prescription’ is china-speak for ‘we don’t have it in stock right now.’
As MPS said…self medicating with “antibiotics” is avery bad thing.
How do you know which antibiotic to use? Has your problem evolved into a different bacteria needing a different antibiotic?
Another VERY important piece of info regarding antibiotic use:
Antibiotics kill bacteria - broad spectrum antib’s do not discriminate as to the bacteria they kill.
Your gut has GOOD bacteria for digestion and nutrient assimilation from your food. THESE ARE NEEDED BY YOUR BODY. Antibiotics kill them. This weakens your immune system.
During/after a course of Antib’s it is extremely important to use supplementary digestive bacteria and enzymes to re-establishg the good digestive flora in your gut. This strengthens your immune system which has been weakened by your course of antibiotics.
Thanks for all of the info.
I’m aware of the dangers of overuse of antibiotics.
What I’m not very aware of, and could use a pointer or two, is the best sources of “replenishment” for the good gut bacteria around here? In the States, I used live acidophilus pills. Or yogurt with live cultures. Here, I see a lot of yogurt drinks, one that says “A B C” on it, in which the “A” is acidophilus, but I don’t know if it’s live or not.
Suggestions?
Seeker4
[quote=“seeker4”]Thanks for all of the info.
I’m aware of the dangers of overuse of antibiotics.
Seeker4[/quote]
It’s not “overuse”. It’s “incorrect use”. Taking the wrong type, or the wrong mix of types, can kill you just as surely as taking too little for too short a term.
Did you get a prescription from a (hopefully competent 
) physician? If not, do you know what you’ve got and what the proper drug is to fight it, and at what dosage?
For example, let’s say you’ve got a cough and a bit of a fever, and you decide you have bronchitis. You take azithromycin for a week and call it done. A month later, the bug comes back, you get tested, and it turns out you’ve got TB, and you have just destroyed the usefulness of an entire group of antibiotics against it. Your next line of defense is about US$12,000 of TB-specific drugs, where if you miss one dose, you will very likely make them useless against your infection – TB is notoriously unforgiving. Start making funeral arrangements just in case.
Skin infections, ulcers, strep, staph, various mycobacteria, a whole herd of others, all require different treatments. Some of them don’t give you second chances.
Hmmmm…
Even better informed now. Thanks a bunch.
Seeker4
Only take antibiotics if you’ve been sick for at least ten days, and then only after seeing a qualified doctor, and when you do start taking them, take them for at least a week.
One of the problems here is that clinics will only prescribe 3 days worth of meds, and taking 3 days worth of antibiotics is one of the worst things you can do to yourself.
Whenever I get meds in Taiwan (or anywhere else), I look them all up on the internet and know what I’m taking. I generally throw half of them away after learning what they are. If I must take antibiotics, I make sure to go back to the clinic when they run out for a refill to complete the cycle.
Some modern antibiotics are meant to be taken over a five day period, but most are meant to be taken for ten days.
My rule of thumb is that I don’t take any antibiotics unless I’m feeling really sick for more than a week. You’ll find that the fewer antibiotics you take, the better your overall health.