No, you should not tell me that…because it makes me crazy. What would possess a person to engage in such a futile and ineffective act?
Just what, exactly, do you hope to gain by taking a medicine ~ especially an antibiotic, not exactly one size fits all ~ that was prescribed FOR SOMEONE ELSE?
Borrowing your friend’s antibiotic is like taking the braces off their teeth, attaching them to your own teeth and expecting them to work. Low chance of success, significant capacity for harm and it completely confuses the picture for your health professional when you do finally go in for help. It’s a mess. Don’t do it.
Recycling your own antibiotic prescription that you hoarded from a previous illness is a problem for the same reason. Antibiotics are not one size fits all. That goes for the patient and the illness. Before you ignore what I’m saying here, research the topic of antibiotic resistance. Here’s a great place to start. http://www.cdc.gov/getsmart/antibiotic-use/anitbiotic-resistance-faqs.html
I know. The link has a spelling error. So even the CDC forgets to spell check now and then. It’s still good information. Check it out. Before you borrow drugs.
There are lots of good ways to self treat when you feel sick. Start with the simple things. They are more effective than you might imagine.
Rest. Stay home and put your feet up. Eat nourishing foods…vegetables, fruits, soup.
Hydrate. Unless your kidneys don’t work or your doctor has you on a fluid restriction, adults can drink a cup of water every hour they are awake. Increasing your water intake helps your body function much better.
Keep yourself and your environment clean. Fresh air. Fresh sheets and towels.
Not new advice. We nurses just keep repeating it because it works. And, it works much better than borrowing someone else’s drugs.