You should always take your antibiotics on time, as how the doctor prescribed. — Filepic
If you’re diagnosed with a bacterial infection, there’s a good chance your doctor will prescribe an antibiotic to counteract the pathogens in your body.
These are three of the most common mistakes that people taking antibiotics should avoid:
> Mistake 1: Stopping as soon as your symptoms improve.
Antibiotics often have a positive effect within a short time and you may notice your symptoms improving within the first day or two.
But you should still take them for as long as your doctor has prescribed them, healthcare professionals advise.
One reason for this is that if you stop the therapy prematurely, pathogenic bacteria remain in the body, which will ultimately only prolong your infection.
> Mistake 2: Taking your antibiotics whenever it suits.
Antibiotics work best when the drug’s active ingredient level in the body does not drop too much.
To achieve this, you should stick to the prescribed times for taking them.
If it says “three times a day”, you should aim to take the medicine every eight hours.
If you tend to forget to take your medicine on time, it is best to set an alarm clock.
> Mistake 3: Flushing leftovers down the toilet.
Leftover antibiotics don’t belong in your toilet or down the drain, but should be disposed of in household waste.
Any medicine you put in your toilet leads to its active substances ending up in ground water, lakes and rivers.
Environmental experts says antibiotics there can slow down the growth of natural bacteria and algae – and thus impair the respective ecosystem. – dpa
