Lately Pediatricians have diagnosed something as viral, only for us to return and require antibiotics

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is anyone else really sick right now? My entire family is so sick- coughing, fever, chest pain, green mucus. I can't believe it because it's June!

When you got the green mucus you can assume bacterial.

This is a complete myth. Color of mucus is not related to bacterial v viral, it just means there are dead white blood cells and varies based on how long the mucus has been in the nasal passages.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is anyone else really sick right now? My entire family is so sick- coughing, fever, chest pain, green mucus. I can't believe it because it's June!

When you got the green mucus you can assume bacterial.

This is a complete myth. Color of mucus is not related to bacterial v viral, it just means there are dead white blood cells and varies based on how long the mucus has been in the nasal passages.

Oh come on. If you have a runny nose of clear thin discharge it’s typically viral or allergies. If it starts to get thicker and green or dark colored it’s most likely bacterial but not always.

According to https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/mucus

Mucus is a clear, slippery, gel-like substance that’s part of your immune system. It lines your mucous membranes and helps trap and destroy or clear out germs and harmful particles. Mucus gets thick and sticky and might be white, yellow or green when you have an infection.

It’s not a myth but it’s not 100% proof of sinusitis or ear infection. The OPs symptoms should be checked.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Is anyone else really sick right now? My entire family is so sick- coughing, fever, chest pain, green mucus. I can't believe it because it's June!

DC is. I hear from a teacher there is something going around right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s happened to all three of my kids in recent years. When symptoms lasted longer than a week or so, or worsened, we have been told to return and then are given antibiotics. Everything seems to clear up from that point.

What’s going on with this? Is it to see if antibiotics are needed or too much reliance on the RSV, Strep, Flu, COVID swabs?

Is it the way my kids present with illness?

It must be frustrating, but the bigger picture is that your ped is sending your children and 300 other kids home without antibiotics, and they fully expect 20-30 to return and require antibiotics. It just so happens that your kids are the ones returning. They are correct not to immediately prescribe antibiotics because it is most likely a viral infection that won’t become bacterial.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s happened to all three of my kids in recent years. When symptoms lasted longer than a week or so, or worsened, we have been told to return and then are given antibiotics. Everything seems to clear up from that point.

What’s going on with this? Is it to see if antibiotics are needed or too much reliance on the RSV, Strep, Flu, COVID swabs?

Is it the way my kids present with illness?

It must be frustrating, but the bigger picture is that your ped is sending your children and 300 other kids home without antibiotics, and they fully expect 20-30 to return and require antibiotics. It just so happens that your kids are the ones returning. They are correct not to immediately prescribe antibiotics because it is most likely a viral infection that won’t become bacterial.

Parents need to educate themselves about not going to the pediatrician without any signs of infection, to not go too early. Runny nose and dry cough is no reason to run to the doctor. When the child suddenly has a 102 degree fever, a thick cough and thick mucus, that’s when it’s time to go in.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is anyone else really sick right now? My entire family is so sick- coughing, fever, chest pain, green mucus. I can't believe it because it's June!

When you got the green mucus you can assume bacterial.

This is a complete myth. Color of mucus is not related to bacterial v viral, it just means there are dead white blood cells and varies based on how long the mucus has been in the nasal passages.

Oh come on. If you have a runny nose of clear thin discharge it’s typically viral or allergies. If it starts to get thicker and green or dark colored it’s most likely bacterial but not always.

According to https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/body/mucus

Mucus is a clear, slippery, gel-like substance that’s part of your immune system. It lines your mucous membranes and helps trap and destroy or clear out germs and harmful particles. Mucus gets thick and sticky and might be white, yellow or green when you have an infection.

It’s not a myth but it’s not 100% proof of sinusitis or ear infection. The OPs symptoms should be checked.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Is anyone else really sick right now? My entire family is so sick- coughing, fever, chest pain, green mucus. I can't believe it because it's June!

When you got the green mucus you can assume bacterial.

NP. No. It IS absolutely a myth that green mucus means you can assume bacterial infection, which is as PP noted. The green is from the WBCs producing myeloperoxidase, which has other triggers as well.

Mayo Clinic, https://newsnetwork.mayoclinic.org/discussion/mayo-clinic-q-and-a-nasal-mucus-color-what-does-it-mean/ -- Mayo Clinic Q and A: Nasal mucus color — what does it mean?

Greenish-gray or yellowish nasal mucus — your health care provider might call it purulent nasal discharge — isn’t a sure sign of a bacterial infection, although that is a common myth — even in the medical world. Both viral and bacterial upper respiratory infections can cause similar changes to the type and coloration of nasal mucus.

[Anonymous]

As a pediatrician, the amount of misinformation on this thread is mind boggling. It's like a perfect storm of terrible information from multiple angles. It makes me want to retire. I mean, image going to school for what seems like eternity, and practicing medicine within relatively limited scope (pediatric primary care) for two full decades. And having these moms come at you with their random, highly misinterpreted internet research and comments like "I feel like I've been gaslighted, antibiotics DO work for viral infections!" and accusing you of treating amoxicillin like oxycontin.

Except the poster who is dying on the hill of "green mucus does not necessarily mean you have a bacterial infection". You can stay.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Viral respiratory infections often lead to secondary bacterial infections if they persist for long periods of time. This is common and not a new phenomenon.

This. I am as anti-prophylactic antibiotics as they come — and I’m also a hospital based nurse that’s on the unit’s antibiotic stewardship committee.

Sometimes you just get a bacterial infection in your sinuses or lungs. Or ears

My own son always gets it in his lungs three weeks later. Once it was was pneumonia. I actually demand sputum test so that we get the correct antibiotics. …..

As an adult if I am not put on antibiotics, a cold lasts 2-3 months, not just a week and I already have serious lung damage from doctors ignoring it. I do sputum tests often and they are a joke as doctors ignore the positive symptoms. Doctors say no, then push me to be hospitalized for antibiotices and its crazy when it can be prevented and I'm not going to the hospital to catch something else.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a pediatrician, the amount of misinformation on this thread is mind boggling. It's like a perfect storm of terrible information from multiple angles. It makes me want to retire. I mean, image going to school for what seems like eternity, and practicing medicine within relatively limited scope (pediatric primary care) for two full decades. And having these moms come at you with their random, highly misinterpreted internet research and comments like "I feel like I've been gaslighted, antibiotics DO work for viral infections!" and accusing you of treating amoxicillin like oxycontin.

Except the poster who is dying on the hill of "green mucus does not necessarily mean you have a bacterial infection". You can stay.

My primary care, who I kept trying to get away from, but I keep getting put back with her, destroyed my life by ignoring the CT scans and symptoms when it was very clear what it was. She dumped me on specialists but her notes were always that I was lying even when I brought proof, and it cost me my lungs. Now I cannot leave the house as I cannot risk getting a cold and life stucks...listen to your patients. Thankfully you can buy antibiotics online and that's saved me a few times.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a pediatrician, the amount of misinformation on this thread is mind boggling. It's like a perfect storm of terrible information from multiple angles. It makes me want to retire. I mean, image going to school for what seems like eternity, and practicing medicine within relatively limited scope (pediatric primary care) for two full decades. And having these moms come at you with their random, highly misinterpreted internet research and comments like "I feel like I've been gaslighted, antibiotics DO work for viral infections!" and accusing you of treating amoxicillin like oxycontin.

Except the poster who is dying on the hill of "green mucus does not necessarily mean you have a bacterial infection". You can stay.

I was just about to say this. I’m an internist and wow a lot of misinformation here. I wish people would trust the experts more these days.

[Anonymous]

Having a cold for a week doesn't mean you need antibiotics.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a pediatrician, the amount of misinformation on this thread is mind boggling. It's like a perfect storm of terrible information from multiple angles. It makes me want to retire. I mean, image going to school for what seems like eternity, and practicing medicine within relatively limited scope (pediatric primary care) for two full decades. And having these moms come at you with their random, highly misinterpreted internet research and comments like "I feel like I've been gaslighted, antibiotics DO work for viral infections!" and accusing you of treating amoxicillin like oxycontin.

Except the poster who is dying on the hill of "green mucus does not necessarily mean you have a bacterial infection". You can stay.

I was just about to say this. I’m an internist and wow a lot of misinformation here. I wish people would trust the experts more these days.

Well you and the pediatrician are also anonymous entities... and you didn't provide any helpful additional info whatsoever. Just arrogance.

But I'm a leading scientist and doctor at NIH and I think everyone on here is right. So there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a pediatrician, the amount of misinformation on this thread is mind boggling. It's like a perfect storm of terrible information from multiple angles. It makes me want to retire. I mean, image going to school for what seems like eternity, and practicing medicine within relatively limited scope (pediatric primary care) for two full decades. And having these moms come at you with their random, highly misinterpreted internet research and comments like "I feel like I've been gaslighted, antibiotics DO work for viral infections!" and accusing you of treating amoxicillin like oxycontin.

Except the poster who is dying on the hill of "green mucus does not necessarily mean you have a bacterial infection". You can stay.

I was just about to say this. I’m an internist and wow a lot of misinformation here. I wish people would trust the experts more these days.

Well you and the pediatrician are also anonymous entities... and you didn't provide any helpful additional info whatsoever. Just arrogance.

But I'm a leading scientist and doctor at NIH and I think everyone on here is right. So there.

I mean in the current administration, if a leading NIH scientist told me that giving antibiotics for colds would prevent sinus infections and everyone would be healthier, that would track, given how incompetent all of these appointees are under Trump.

and no I’m not going to try to convince you that you’re wrong, online, for free. Come to clinic and I’m happy to have what amounts to a non billable 20min discussion with you about your tinfoil hat theories , because it’s my job and I actually care about your kids health and I’m trying to make a small dent of good in the world. It’s pretty much all I do these days- calmly debunk whatever TikTok rumor a parent has latched on to and then hope and pray that they’ll allow me to vaccinate their baby against literal deadly diseases if I beg them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:As a pediatrician, the amount of misinformation on this thread is mind boggling. It's like a perfect storm of terrible information from multiple angles. It makes me want to retire. I mean, image going to school for what seems like eternity, and practicing medicine within relatively limited scope (pediatric primary care) for two full decades. And having these moms come at you with their random, highly misinterpreted internet research and comments like "I feel like I've been gaslighted, antibiotics DO work for viral infections!" and accusing you of treating amoxicillin like oxycontin.

Except the poster who is dying on the hill of "green mucus does not necessarily mean you have a bacterial infection". You can stay.

I was just about to say this. I’m an internist and wow a lot of misinformation here. I wish people would trust the experts more these days.

How in the hell are we supposed to do this when the "experts" running the CDC are doing what they are doing? Punch up, not down.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s happened to all three of my kids in recent years. When symptoms lasted longer than a week or so, or worsened, we have been told to return and then are given antibiotics. Everything seems to clear up from that point.

What’s going on with this? Is it to see if antibiotics are needed or too much reliance on the RSV, Strep, Flu, COVID swabs?

Is it the way my kids present with illness?

It could be viral and then leads to bacterial later due to your weakened state.