Thanks, SteveAUD, for your advice. I really do appreciate it. And KenP, I’m sure if I need it the scrip will be filled with a generic; certainly neither I nor my insurance will be paying for the brand name stuff.
I’m sorry if my initial post sounded cavalier about not taking prescribed meds, and it was probably compounded by my flippant response to Doc Jake. I admit that I was provoked by his rude response. Please rest assured that I know what I’m doing and have doctor approval.
This is not the first time I’ve had avulsion and partial matrixectomy (it is actually my third), and I spent a good deal of time discussing postoperative care before my first operation (for a much more serious case). In our discussion at that time my podiatrist admitted that the postoperative routine that is usually recommended (1-2 weeks of daily soakings, with or without Epsom salts depending on the particular doctor’s predilection and routine prophylactic antibiotics) is based more on habit than evidence. My impression was that few people ever asked about it. Indeed, as we discussed at the time, the best evidence from prospective controlled studies show no difference in postoperative infection rates between those treated with antibiotics and those without. There aren’t great studies on soaking, but the little evidence there is suggests that keeping the wound dry actually speeds healing over soaking. My podiatrist agreed at that time that using antibiotics only if signs of infection appeared was a reasonable course.
I will admit that the podiatrist who performed today’s procedure is not my usual podiatrist, who was unavailable on short notice, but instead his partner. I did not discuss the plan with him, but I did confirm that there was no special reason that he was recommending antibiotics in my case. I feel confident that I’m following an evidence-based plan for postoperative care and one that will help do my part to minimize overprescription of antibiotics.
NW Indiana