We always take an expoectorant during the day and a cough suppressant at night. Taking an expectorant that thins the secretions will help clear the chest without making you cough too, too much. After all with inflamed bronchial tubes it isn't good to cough a lot. In US Mucinex is the brand we take but any expectorant (like Robitussin) will help. Since you are taking an antibiotic it is good to take acidophilus (not at the same meal with the antibiotic) but you should avoid dairy since it causes more mucus.
Does this mean you weren't able to leave for college? I hope not.
Oh there's no need to worry. I was able to start college on the 4th of this month.
Now that I think about it, I'm a bit worried about taking Biaxin because I feel as though I might not have articulated myself well enough with my doctor. I had actually just come from school yesterday to talk to him and I was tired so I might not have said what I needed to say.
You see, when I first got the bronchitis and was prescribed the Amoxicillin, I went through the full 10 days minus 1 pill because that fell into the garbage and I'd been horking phlegm into that garbage the whole day.. So really there's no point in taking that 1 pill again. I was a lot better after taking the Amoxicillin. The cough that I had is greatly reduced, I'm not coughing up phlegm anywhere near as much as I used to (perhaps I didn't stress that point enough.. I used to be coughing it up constantly whereas now Ill do it maybe once or twice a day, if that) and I'm not tired or congested like I used to be.
After doing some research I see just how much stronger Biaxin is than Amoxicillin and its side effects. The more common side effects (abnormal taste, diarrhea, vomiting, heartburn/indigestion, abdominal pain, headaches, etc) appear to be quite common and rather debilitating, which I can't afford to risk after having started school.
As a matter of fact.. My family doctor isn't the one I went to see first or the one who examined me when I first got bronchitis. I even told him that. I went to the urgent care doctor because my family doctor is on the other side of town and I really wasn't feeling well enough to travel that far. So he really has no way of comparing how well I'm doing since then.. So perhaps he thinks there's no difference from when I went to see the urgent care doctor and since I'm seeing him now and that's why he thinks I need a strong antibiotic. My bronchitis has always been very mild and quite manageable, despite what it might sound like to you guys on here. I'm just a bit worried about having to take the Biaxin.. That's all.
I think I'll try to plead my case to the pharmacist before this antibiotic destroys me. I'd also like to know why doctors keep prescribing antibiotics if most cases of bronchitis are due to viruses and not bacteria..