What Antibiotic Should I Have Just in Case?

Mary, the point is to use a broad-spectrum antibiotic that will take out a wide range of bugs. I have augmentin on hand because I had problems with Cipro, but some use Keflex instead.

It's important to find out what other instructions your doctor has about self-administering antibiotics. Mine wants me to check in with him -- from wherever I am -- as soon as I start them, so he can oversee the situation.

Let us know what your doctor decides.

Be well,
Binney

Mary, the usual bugs in cellulitis are strep and staph, and Cipro tends to cover more gram negatives, so it's not the usual first line drug for cellulitis--in the quinolone class, levaquin would hypotheticaly be better. But, that said, it quite often works very well.

The usual drugs for cellulitis are : keflex (or any other first or second generation cephalosporin), amoxicillin, augmentin

In this day of MRSA, some doctors start with bactrim

Doxycycline is a good older drug, a little slower to work.

I just looked it up on uptodate, and they suggest other alternatives are clindamycin, or one of the macrolides---erythromycin, zithromycin.

They talked about using two drugs, because of MRSA (methicillin resistant staph)

Bottom line: all good options

1) Keflex or similar

2)Amoxicillin--high dose

3) Augmentin

4) Quinolone: cipro, levaquin, avelox

5) Clindamycin

6) Bactrim

7) Doxycyline

8) Macrolide

and there's a really expensive drug--linezolid, that works very well.

My PCP sounds like yours, willing to learn and always backs me up. There was a Medical Letter about expiration dates, and drug potency is usually quite good for several years. The exception is doxycyline or the tetracyclines which form toxic stuff as they break down.

http://www.doctorsolve.com/blog/2010/01/drugs-past-their-expiration-date-are-they-safe-to-use.html

Way too much information, I know, sorry.

Have a great trip.

Kira