Finishing an antibiotics course is extremely important, even when you are feeling better. This is because most simple bacteria illnesses tend to respond quite quickly to antibiotics. For infections like ear infections and strep throat as soon as you start feeling well, it at times becomes difficult to remember to finish the medication that has a whole week left. Today, we will understand the importance of completing an antibiotics prescription.

Here are 5 reasons why it is important to complete an antibiotics prescription as prescribed by your doctor.

1. When you stop taking the medicine even before the prescribed time, the bacterias have the potential to grow again and that too at a rapid speed. Bacterias are more likely to multiply, aggravating the symptoms all over again. 
2. When you take an antibiotic, there is a fight between the effect of the drug and your immune system. Therefore, the longer the bacteria survives, the likelier it is that it will become resistant to the drugs.
3. In a bid to kill the infection, one has to make sure all the bacteria causing the infection is killed. If you do not take the prescribed medication doze, then the bacteria might show in someplace else, which can be deadly. 
4. The most efficient way of causing bacteria to become resistant is to undertreat it. This can be done by killing the bacteria rapidly. What happens is, when the bacterias multiply they randomly change their DNA, thus making them resistant to antibiotics. Thus, when they multiply one can have a host of bacterias, which no longer respond to the antibiotics.
5. Some bacteria might also do things, which they are not supposed to do. For instance, a simple strep throat can suddenly lead to rheumatic fever. This is because Group A Streptococcus bacteria, which causes strep throat, is left untreated thus this increases the chances of getting fever.

Mentioned below are a few things, which can be done to assist you in remembering your entire medication dose.

• If you think you don’t want to continue with a long dosage of prescribed medicine, then ask your doctor to prescribe medicines that you need to take only once or twice a day. Fewer doses will help you remember the course of your medicines.
• Carry antibiotics in portable bottles and strips so that you won’t forget to take them.
• Chalk out a specific antibiotics calendar and place it in a prominent place in your home/office.

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