Antibiotics - sensible precaution

[cunningpunt]

Reading the other thread about Kasalong and warts reminds me of a question I wanted to ask.

 

I've seen a few people comment that they take a course of antibiotics at the end of a trip to BKK anyway as a simple precaution.

 

So my questions are

- is that a good idea, especially for those of us who have a significant other and really really don't want to be caught passing STD

- if so, is there something I can get OTC while I am there in BKK so there is nothing on my health records back home

- and where would I go to get that,

 

Many thanks!

 

 

[Bazm1980]

Hey, arriving in 13 days. Where is the thread regarding Kasalong? Is it in advanced section as cannot seem to find?

[Great Mooglie]

Is it a good idea to get medical advice on an Internet forum?

 

No.

 

Better idea, if there is reason to ask the question get tested. Your doctor or clinic has seen it all before.

Edited January 5, 2018 by Great Mooglie

[Red Arrow]

It's a horrible idea.  Antibiotics don't discriminate between the good bacteria that your gut needs and the bad bacteria that can overtake the good if you kill off the good with antibiotics.  Many people get diseases, like ulcerative colitis, because of an imbalance of their intestinal flora, good versus bad bacteria, from antibiotic use.  If you're worried, go to a clinic, pee in a cup, get results back in 20 minutes.  Not that hard.  Trust me, you don't want to screw with the bacteria in your gut if you don't have to. 

[Hermansen]

First, warts are not treated by antibiotics as they are not bacteria.

 

There is not one antibiotic to cover everything. Which one would you take...? And how do you know that you don’t still have gonorrhea even if you did antibiotics against chlamydia? Gonorrhea and chlamydia sometimes go together and the most common way to treat gonorrhea is by injecting one type of antibiotics and doing a different antibiotic orally for a week in case of a co-infection.

 

Use a condom and you will be fine. Best thing you can do for your significant other. If you have a slip, test yourself for chlamydia and gonorrhea after a few weeks. Get a proper test, not one of those overpriced rapid tests that the street clinics offer. They are only about 50 – 60 % reliable.

Warts and herpes is not treated with antibiotics. Herpes is treated with antiviral drugs. These STDs are hard to connect to a single exposure and can disappear and re-appear later. 

 

Don’t do antibiotics unless you actually have something. Excessive and misuse of antibiotics is causing STI bacteria to become resistant. Azithromycin is already ineffective against some cases of chlamydia and there are only a few options left for gonorrhea. Imagine getting untreatable gonorrhea and pissing barbed wire for the rest of your life.

 

I had chlamydia once. And one case with severe chlamydia/gonorrhea symptoms which they could not figure out. Tried all sorts of antibiotics. Was a bitch to get rid of. 

 

You will get antibiotics OTC in Thailand, but what is the point if you don’t know what you have, which antibiotic is the right one, and if it will be effective.

Btw, I am not a pro. Don’t trust anything I write. Talk to an actual medical doctor (street clinics in Thailand does not qualify).

[realdaffyduck]

Reading the other thread about Kasalong and warts reminds me of a question I wanted to ask.

 

I've seen a few people comment that they take a course of antibiotics at the end of a trip to BKK anyway as a simple precaution.

 

So my questions are

- is that a good idea, especially for those of us who have a significant other and really really don't want to be caught passing STD

- if so, is there something I can get OTC while I am there in BKK so there is nothing on my health records back home

- and where would I go to get that,

 

Many thanks!

If you are really worried, you can take it proactively, y starting the regimen upon arrival and continue it throughout your trip (as long as you don’t stay longer than 2 weeks). Alternatively, pick up what you need and take it atbthe first sign of some sort of distress. The advantage of the proactive regimen is that you reduce the possibility of catching bacterial infections.

 

Your options are:

 

- amoxicillin, 500mg, 2x a day - this is a nice broadband antibiotic that does a pretty good job against a wide variety of bacterial pathogens, and can protect you from many infections.

 

- ciproflaxin, also known as cipro - this is the nuke of antibiotics. Does what amoxicillin will do, plus much more. It comes with a heavy price, notably that it weakens your Achilles’ tendon (forget about playing tennis, or any sports that stress your tendon - if you tear it, you are looking at painful surgeries and rehabilitation)

 

This is why I always recommend an amoxicillin regimen. DO NOT TAKE CIPRO UNLESS YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT YOU ARE DOING!

 

In the cases of both antibiotics, some of the side effects can be light sensitivity, or sensitivity to sunlight (ie more likely to sunburn), as well as diarrhea.

 

Also, antibiotics will NOT protect you from viral infections, like viral conjunctivitis, genital warts, or other viral infections. They do not make you invincible.

 

The generally safer approach is to locate a pharmacy upon arrival, and stock up on amoxicillin - then, take it only when you are infected, and I mean at the very first sign of an infection. Do NOT “toughen it out”, do not “wait to see how it goes”. Don’t be an idiot.

 

The moment you ate something odd, and your body sends an unmistakeable sign that something has gone wrong, pop 2x amoxicillin, wait 4 hours, and then pop 2 more. If you start to feel better, YOU MUST CONTINUE TAKING THE FULL CYCLE OF 10 days, 2x each day.

 

Do not stop taking the drugs because you feel better - YOU MUST TAKE THE FULL CYCLE!

 

Further, you should keep a pause of roughly 3 month’s between taking a regimen of antibiotics. It’s not the sort of drug you can just take every other week.

 

A lot of advice you get, like eating probiotics to replenish your gut bacteria, is bullshit (eating probiotics doesn’t do any of that), or not to drink milk while on antibiotics. On the other hand, do AVOID ALCOHOL while on antibiotics. If you absolutely can’t go without drinking alcohol for 10 days, then antibiotics aren’t for you.

 

Generally, some common sense safety rules will help you avoid infections :

 

- wash your hands frequently.

- do not towel dry!

- do not touch your eyes or the area around your eyes with your hands.

- make sure all food you eat is cooked or grilled

- make sure fruits are peeled in front of you.

- no squid at the end of the day from food vendors

- only bottled water

- no ice cubes.

 

Be sure to know where the closest local hospital or clinic are located, if you are worried.

 

Enjoy your trip.

[cunningpunt]

Thanks for the advice guys.

[cunningpunt]

Hey, arriving in 13 days. Where is the thread regarding Kasalong? Is it in advanced section as cannot seem to find?

 

No, its in Bars and Gogos and entitled "the clap, kasalong"

[K.B]

Reading the other thread about Kasalong and warts reminds me of a question I wanted to ask.

 

I've seen a few people comment that they take a course of antibiotics at the end of a trip to BKK anyway as a simple precaution.

 

So my questions are

- is that a good idea, especially for those of us who have a significant other and really really don't want to be caught passing STD

- if so, is there something I can get OTC while I am there in BKK so there is nothing on my health records back home

- and where would I go to get that,

 

Many thanks!

 

Bro Please consult with a registered physician rather search help in online, because its may be not suite for you... thanks :) 

[sasherz]

Generally, some common sense safety rules will help you avoid infections :

 

- wash your hands frequently.

- do not towel dry!

- do not touch your eyes or the area around your eyes with your hands.

- make sure all food you eat is cooked or grilled

- make sure fruits are peeled in front of you.

- no squid at the end of the day from food vendors

- only bottled water

- no ice cubes.

 

Aren't ice cubes factory made in Bangkok? Salads off limits or mcdonalds burgers with lettuce for example?

[realdaffyduck]

Aren't ice cubes factory made in Bangkok?

You know where every ice cube from every venue, including street-side bars, comes from?

 

Ice cube factory? Cute.

[sasherz]

You know where every ice cube from every venue, including street-side bars, comes from?

 

Ice cube factory? Cute.

 

What? Ice factories are pretty common throughout the world. It's usually cheaper and more convenient to just buy ice. I don't drink at street-side bars but what seems more likely; a street side bar is trying to freeze their own ice OR they're just buying bags of ice from 7/11.