Thursday, July 15, 2004
I started taking antibiotics last Thursday, and the bottle had stickers with intructions like "should be taken with PLENTY of water", "take medication on EMPTY STOMACH'', ''do not take dairy products, antacids, or iron preparations within ONE HOUR of this medication'' and ''prolonged or excessive exposure to direct and/or artificial sunlight SHOULD BE AVOIDED''. Since I had to take the pills twice a day, it was quite an inconvenience. My mother suggested I wake up early in the morning, take the pills, and go back to sleep. I decided not to do that.
In the first week, I felt nauseous, tired and had little appetite, all of which was unusual. My mother suggested I read the piece of paper that came with the medicine, but I've always depended on the little stickers on the bottle, so I didn't see the point. Nevertheless, I found the paper and read it. I was surprised at the amount of information and extra directions written. I was not allowed to lie down half an hour after taking the medicine (good thing I didn't wake up early to take it), and nausea, loss of appetite, headaches are common side effects. So now I find out. In addition, they give the minimum amount of water to be taken, and it turns out to be only a cup. I had thought that 'plenty' meant drink until you're ready to puke, and alas, that is what I did. Lesson learned: read everything that comes with the medicine.
Mcdonalds has cheap cheeseburgers on Thursdays so I bought four and brought it home to share with my brother and his friends. After handing one to my brother and his friend I rushed inside, sat down, took a deep breath, and ate two cheeseburgers with a level concentration budhist monks would envy. Afterwards I sat there happily and lazily looked at the clock, 12:45. Opps! I took the antibiotics at 12pm, and was supposed to wait until 1pm to eat.
In the first week, I felt nauseous, tired and had little appetite, all of which was unusual. My mother suggested I read the piece of paper that came with the medicine, but I've always depended on the little stickers on the bottle, so I didn't see the point. Nevertheless, I found the paper and read it. I was surprised at the amount of information and extra directions written. I was not allowed to lie down half an hour after taking the medicine (good thing I didn't wake up early to take it), and nausea, loss of appetite, headaches are common side effects. So now I find out. In addition, they give the minimum amount of water to be taken, and it turns out to be only a cup. I had thought that 'plenty' meant drink until you're ready to puke, and alas, that is what I did. Lesson learned: read everything that comes with the medicine.
Mcdonalds has cheap cheeseburgers on Thursdays so I bought four and brought it home to share with my brother and his friends. After handing one to my brother and his friend I rushed inside, sat down, took a deep breath, and ate two cheeseburgers with a level concentration budhist monks would envy. Afterwards I sat there happily and lazily looked at the clock, 12:45. Opps! I took the antibiotics at 12pm, and was supposed to wait until 1pm to eat.
