My Problem with Penicillin

For about the last two weeks, I've been sick which is pretty odd for me because I don't get sick easily. I think some of it has to do with going to the gym, and eating decent food; some of it has to do with the old "teacher mentality" that you go into work no matter what. It took my wisdom tooth being pulled to figure out the best way for me to get miserably sick is to overdose on penicillin.

I'm not allergic to penicillin, although I can't say how many times it has been prescribed to me for whatever reasons in the past. When I was experiencing my first bout of pain with my wisdom tooth, my dentist gave me a prescription for a painkiller and penicillin. After I had it pulled (a little over a week later), that dentist gave me the same prescription. The day after the procedure, I had a business trip to Columbus, Ohio (see prior posting) and grabbed what I thought was a one of each bottle.

I went the whole weekend taking one pill from each bottle, not realizing that I was doubling up on the penicillin. It wasn't until I arrived home on Sunday afternoon that I noticed what I had done, but by that time the damage was done. I came down with something fierce.

I ended up taking Monday off and forcing myself into work on Tuesday, but only because I had another trip planned for Wednesday-Friday to Wisconsin. I made it through the weekend (thank you to Dayquil and Nyquil), but ended up missing work for half on Monday and all of Tuesday.

I tried going to Boot Camp this last week and really paid the price. I also tried riding into work one day and that didn't do me much good either. I'm starting to feel better now as I believe the worst has finally passed.

The moral of the story? 1.) Read the labels before popping pills; and 2.) take the prescribed amount or bad things will happen.