just take whatever they give you for the condition(s) you have… cough syrup for coughs and ibuprofen for the headache/fever. DONT take anything that ends in -cillin or -maycen (they WILL prescribe it, trust me, especially for smaller clinics) because they are antibiotics and cold/flu is a virus and antibiotics does nothing to them and some may be allergic to them which makes things much worse! If you don’t know what is what demand to know. I went to a doctor for a flu and they gave me something like 9 types of drugs but I only took the ones that matters (ibuprofen for the headache) and pretty much threw away the stuff packed together in a bag… there’s no way I am getting that stupid rash like I did 2 summers ago.
Only take the antibiotics if you have an actual bacterial infection (you know, TB and E Coli and etc) otherwise stay away from them. You will know if you need them.
But I wouldn’t even dream of going to see a doctor if I just had a cold or the flu. I never have and I’m pretty sure I never will - unless I go down with bird flu or its equally lethal counterpart.
I’m allergic to antibiotics, and I tell the doctor so every time I go. However, they insist that I take them, always promising that they’ll be giving me the lowest dosage ones. Now, I pretty much just do Panadol.
Taiwanese neurosis. Little kids being bundled off to hospital at the first sign of a cough or runny nose. Oh, and the ubiquitous “fever”! “Where’s Maggie?”. “She’s at the hospital. She’s got a ‘fever’”. Unbelievable.
[quote=“rahimiiii”]just take whatever they give you for the condition(s) you have… cough syrup for coughs and ibuprofen for the headache/fever. DONT take anything that ends in -cillin or -maycen (they WILL prescribe it, trust me, especially for smaller clinics) because they are antibiotics and cold/flu is a virus and antibiotics does nothing to them and some may be allergic to them which makes things much worse! If you don’t know what is what demand to know. I went to a doctor for a flu and they gave me something like 9 types of drugs but I only took the ones that matters (ibuprofen for the headache) and pretty much threw away the stuff packed together in a bag… there’s no way I am getting that stupid rash like I did 2 summers ago.
Only take the antibiotics if you have an actual bacterial infection (you know, TB and E Coli and etc) otherwise stay away from them. You will know if you need them.[/quote]
My first Taiwanese employer took me to one of those small, back alley clinics when I was really bad. I said, “You’ve got to be kidding” when he started putting little rubber hoses on a machine intended to suck mucus out of my nasal cavity. A vacuuming device shoved into sensitive bone and tissue? I don’t think so.
The other weird thing about Taiwan is there is no Tylenol 3 on prescription. Either you get weak crap like aspirin or heavy duty stuff that knocks you out, nothing in between.
It’s perveresly amusing to tell the average Taiwanese that:
" No, I did not take my kids to the hospital or clinic. I treated them myself."
or
“No, I will go to the pharmacy & purchase materials myself.”
It only increases my status as a legendary witch doktor.
“You can do that…?!”
T-3’s have codeine in theme. I’d call that fairly heavy duty…
But yeah, I agree… also you are not allowed to buy more than one 10 pack of Panadol or ibuprofen at a time. Bit of a drag for planning longer multi-day hikes where you might need more than 10 caplets.
I have a 500-tablet bottle of acetaminophen (= paracetamol) I brought from the US.
Back on topic: I would never go to the doctor for a mere cold. (I did once, just to prove a point…that the doctor would prescribe the same stuff I could get in a cold tablet at Watsons.)
[quote=“Chris”]I have a 500-tablet bottle of acetaminophen (= paracetamol) I brought from the US.[/quote] Taiwan regulators. As I understand, shops in Taiwan are not allowed to sell more than one pack of Panadol to a person at a time. It is to prevent suicide. :s Perhaps they would do better to tackle the carbon monoxide angle…
I am so frustrated by the antibiotics for viral infections that I haven’t been to a doctor in years. I guess it makes me think they don’t know what they are doing. Which is frustrating, because one should have checkups now and then. Having said that, I know people who have had major operations here and were pleased with the level of treatment - I hope if I ever find myself in such a situation that I will have a more positive attitude about them …
I think a lot of doctors gives antibiotics “just in case” but seriously I think the abuse of antibiotics does more harm than good not to mention a lot of them have serious risk of allergic reaction some of which can be fatal.
…not to mention that it wipes out all the weak bacteria first (as well as your own, healthy, bacterial flora) , leaving the strong ones without competition. These ones had a slight edge. Just a hint of antibiotic resistance. The strong ones multiply, and, lo! You have a body full of new, improved bacteria more resistant to the antibiotics you took last time that didn’t kill their ancestors. Do this again a few times, and you wind up with antibiotic resistant bacteria. Try it with different types of antibiotics, and you get to hit the jackpot - bacteria that are resistant to multiple antibiotics.
Stop taking your antibiotics before the full “course” (6 to 10 days, I think), and you accelerate the process. This is easy in Taiwan where they give 3 days worth and expect you to come back for the rest of the treatment. Since the drugs take out the bulk of the weak ones faster, you might feel better after 3 days. No need to go back to the doctor and complete the full course of antibiotics, right. Wrong.
Hurts us all, because we get to share these super bugs.
