Ask The Doc

At the beginning of each quarter, our Medical Director will provide information on a specific topic or question that has been raised by our website visitors, based on the frequency asked. 

The selected “Question of the Quarter” for this quarter is:

Q:  Is it important to complete my entire prescription of antibiotics, or can I simply discontinue taking them once I begin to feel better? 

A:   It is generally better to complete the whole course of antibiotics as prescribed by your physician. First, stopping the antibiotic prior to finishing, can lead to resistance by the bacteria to that particular antibiotic.  If you are prescribed that same antibiotic subsequent to your last illness, that antibiotic may not work. Secondly, if you stop the antibiotic before it has killed ALL of the illness causing bacteria, the ones that were not killed can reproduce and your illness may return. In other words, do not save any of your antibiotics for your next illness!

Note:  This website section is not a substitution for urgent medical needs; please contact your physician immediately if you are experiencing any problems that require immediate attention.

Submit your question to our Medical Director at askadoctor@amcareinc.com.  While we will not be able to provide answers to all of the questions submitted, we hope that the one selected will provide some beneficial information and insight.