Expert: Robert Borucki - 11/5/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hello Dr.
I suffering from bronchitis disease.
doctor prescribed me medicines like,SULBATOMOL,CLARITHROMYCIN,ERYTHROMYCIN ETC.
IS IT USEFUL TO USE SUCH ANTIBIOTICS.
is there any altrenative treatment.

ANSWER: typically bronchitis is a bacterial or viral disease... if viral, it gets better without antibiotics.  If it is bacterial, then clarithro or erythro are appropriate antibioticsw.  The Sulbatomol... not sure what that is, but it is probably one of the long acting airway opening drugs that can relieve symptoms while you are sick.  I don't know of any alternate treatments.... we often use antibiotics without knowing for sure whether it is viral or bacterial, just to get someone better the fastest.

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QUESTION: what about the side effects of these medicine

Answer
side effects are short term and minimal.... clarithro... a funny taste in the mouth, maybe a little abd crampls, maybe a little diarrhea.... The bad side effects are incredibly rare.  Don't misunderstand.... I don't believe in giving meds when there is no reason... but if I am not sure, sometimes I will give it without absolute evidence.