- author, gemma dunstan
- role, BBC Wales Live
A woman who requires antibiotics almost every other month says resistance to antibiotics is increasing, causing “stress and suffering”.
Sian Jones, from the Vale of Glamorgan, spoke out about her experience to help others feel less alone. Because she feels the topic is often “considered taboo.”
experts predict If we don’t take action, drug-resistant infections will kill more people than cancer by 2050.
One expert told BBC Wales Live that the problem was “a tsunami creeping up on us”.
Sian, 71, has suffered from recurrent urinary tract infections (UTIs) since he was 18.
“The infection makes you feel sick, you have pain and discomfort, and you feel depressed.”
She said it affected her daily life, sometimes forcing her to cancel plans and stay home.
“When I was working, I regularly took sick leave because there were days when I was too unwell to attend. When I got a UTI, I knew I was hopeless and there was nothing I could do. Masu.”
She tried to stay healthy and self-medicate with cranberry juice and vitamins, but said the need for medication is often unavoidable.
Mr Sian said there were “many times” he had to see a doctor for additional prescriptions because antibiotics weren’t working.
“It’s very stressful. You have to go through the process of seeing your GP and then you have to take more antibiotics until you get better. For us women who are suffering like this, it’s really It’s a bondage.”
She has participated in medical research “because I want to make a difference and prevent others from suffering.”
She feels it’s important to speak out to avoid the topic becoming taboo or feeling like a stigma.
Last week, the Welsh Government published a report on: national action plan 2024 and 2029 for antimicrobial resistance.
This is part of a 20-year plan with other UK governments to control antimicrobial resistance by 2040.
The report said a future in which antibiotics and antibiotics become ineffective means that routine surgeries become “too dangerous to perform and chemotherapy becomes high-risk.”
He said a “One Health approach” is needed. This includes recognizing that there are multifactorial ways to approach this problem through people, animals and the wider environment.
image source, Eileen Bryson
Eileen Bryson is a pharmacist and member of the patient support team at the charity Antibiotic Research UK.
He said medical research philanthropy began 10 years ago, but patient support has evolved over the past four years as the problems for people have grown.
“Antibiotic resistance can have a huge impact on people’s lives, and people often talk about their own shortened or reduced lifespans and how that affects the whole family. .”
She said people are often desperate by the time they seek help.
“Some people say that life isn’t worth living if things continue the way they are. I hear those words a lot, because they’re pretty hopeless.”
She said it was “very important” that people had someone to talk to and understand their situation.
“We don’t have a magic answer, but we can talk through the problem and help them understand it better.”
Professor Angarad Davies from Health and Care Research Wales said antimicrobial resistance was a major public health problem.
“This is a really big problem because scientists believe that by 2050 more people will die from AMR infections than from cancer.”
“This is a very real and active problem and that’s why we stay away from the term silent pandemic, because it sounds as if it’s not having an impact, but it absolutely is. ”
She is part of a team working to prevent the effects of AMR, including trials to determine how to reduce antibiotics being prescribed unnecessarily.
“Most sore throats are caused by viral infections rather than bacteria, but it can be difficult to identify.”
A rapid throat swab test was conducted at the pharmacy as part of a clinical trial to determine the cause.
“This study showed a significant reduction in the issuing of antibiotic prescriptions and it has now been rolled out across Wales.”
He said further research in this area is essential and requires a multi-component approach.
“No single discipline can approach this problem. The causes are complex. This problem exists not only in medicine, but also in plants and animals, and all contribute.”
If you are affected by any of the issues mentioned in this article, you can find out more about organizations that can help you through BBC Action Line.
