sick med student needing help

hello,
I was wondering if someone could please answer my question because i'm really really sick and starting to get a bit worried. Three weeks ago I went to the doctors and they told me I had acute bronchitis after giving me a chest x-ray and I was given 250mg of azithromycin to take for five days to treat it. The problem is i never took the medicine and now three weeks later i feel worse than ever.

Orginally, I had a dry cough, no fever, no body aches but i did have sharp pain when i took a deep breath but i did have blood streaked sputum.

Now three weeks later i have a very productive cough and sputum that is either clear, dark yellow, or rusty looking, I do have a sight fever, with extreme body aches and no energy. My cough feels like it is very deep now and for some odd reason i am itching. Anyway so I got the prescription filled and have been taking it for four days now and i do not feel better, if anything i feel worse and now my nose is running nonstop.

So I guess my question is why are the antibiotics not working at all, could this be viral? I'm really hoping I do not have strap or phenomia. I do smoke alot also. Do maybe i need a stronger antibiotic but this i am not sure as azithromycin usually is quite effective for chest infections and I believe i am at quite a high dosage. I guess i'm just a bit worried as this is the first time in my life i have had antibiotics not work. Should i go to the doctors again?

Thank you for your help

[WoRkZ]

Of for crying out loud, PLEASE RUN TO THE DOCTOR before something bad happens to you! Please go NOW! What are you still doing in front of that computer! GO!

...and please let us know how you're doign later on. :+)


PS: Now I know what your illness is... ;+)

[WoRkZ]

BTW: I think I recall some antibiotics causing itching in some patients... and in your weakened state, it wouldn't suprise me that your meds are the cause.

And about the antibiotic not being effective, as you mentioned, it would not be in the case of a viral infection. And since you've left your immune system take what seems like a strong hit, I'm worried that you've left yourself vulnerable to a secondary infection. So the antibiotic may in fact rid you of the bacterial threath... but you may be fighting a new ennemy.

I really hope you've gone to a doctor since you've written this... or directly to the hospital.

[kirb_dude1]

as a med student shouldnt you know that when a doctor perscribes medicine you should take it right then and there, i mean i know its a busy lifestyle but im a pre-med student at UNSOM and i guess hickams dictum is right huh? patients can have as many ailments as they damn well please...that goes along with people who know to much about medicine...or think they do anyway what year are you in medical school?

[sweetpea341]

Definately go back to the doctor for a stronger prescription. Zithromax, in my opinion, doesn't work all that well. I am a nurse and work in an urgent care where it seems like people who are treated with Zithromax always end up coming back a week later still feeling sick.
Go get some Augmentin or Biaxin XL--you'll feel better soon!