I Hate Dialysis Message Board
Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: General Discussion => Topic started by: Charlie B53 on September 21, 2016, 06:30:45 PM
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PD Nurse called me last week concerned about my low potassium level. Evidently I have dropped far under my usual very middle of the range fine and into the 'Low' area. Told me that I have GOT TO eat more potassium rich foods, bananas, tomatoes, potatoes. And to come in this Tues (yesterday for repeat labs.
Nurse called me today with the new labs. Even LOWER. Just about 'Critically LOW' What????????? But I am already taking TWO tablets THREE times every day. She called Dr and relayed to me to start taking THREE tabs three times daily. Well, O.K.
I go get another bottle and start to add to my daily pillboxes. There is NO potassium in the boxes. ????????? But..... I just loaded them Sunday. Then it dawned on me, I 'might' have ran out from one bottle, and gotten distracted, and not gotten a new bottle out. But WHEN was that? One week ago? Two weeks ago? I really don't know. How Brain Dead am I?
Is this one of those 'Senior Moments'?
I sent Nurse an email so in the morning she will find out how badly I've screwed up. Told her I will take the three X three til I come in for another repeat of labs Thursday next week.
I feel stupid now.
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Don't feel bad, this kind of thing happens to people, including myself, that have to take multiple meds. I use to sit down once a week with my mother and we both took a turn filling and checking her weekly pill box. She'd fill it and then slide it across the table to me along with all her pill bottles and I'd check it. Soon it became a habit and just a part of our Sunday morning coffee routine. Unless you can teach one of your cats or your dog, hopefully your wife can sit down and do this with you. I don't call them "senior" moments, I call them "maalox" moments because if I screw up and get upset, I might need some maalox.
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I did the same thing, only with my BP medication. Took me a whole week to figure it out. I evidently had it filled and got the bottle, but neglected to put it into the pill minder. I chalk it off to senior moments, and I think you should too.
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Hi charlie, it is good that you realised what may have happened eventually :)
My mum has blister packs made up from her pharmacy so they make up her weekly packs, put them into sections break, lunch, tea, bed so all she has to do is break the seal and pop them in her mouth.
She was doing the same thing, and at times forgetting what she had had and would take her pills again just incase she hadn't had them. So potentially having double doses. Oh dear.
Can u get black packs made from your pharmacy?
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P. S your not stupid :)
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That is not a senior momment, I have done that my self but I used to do even dumber things 40 years ago when I was in my twenties. What I do today is every time I take my pills I count them. Since the number is fixed if I don't reach the magic number I start checking. If you do a task often enough the mind sort of goes on autopilot and strange things happen.
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With three pharmacies supplying pills it would be difficult to get them into blister paks. A great idea for some.
I have a seven day box, each day can be taken out and carried and have Morn, Noon, Eve, and Night. I used to use all four but Dr's have finally reduced a few so now three is enough.
Counting could work, but I would have to get them all in correctly and then count each different time, THEN write it down. I used to have a carbide engraver, I could have chiseled it into stone. Sure as the world if I did that the Dr would make an immediate change.
Either way, the pill count is different all three times. No big deal, just numbers. I could pencil them on the wall next to where I keep my pillbox. I think I like this idea best.
However, I am in the habit of of flipping open the lid and tapping the case agains my lips, that tap makes sure ALL the pills come out. Big slug of water and 'Done'! I would have to pause a half second and take the time to actually LOOK at what I am taking. Which may be the better idea.
While we are talking about 'ideas', remember how my PD Nurse thought my 'taping' the hole in my PD line was a 'bad' idea?
Well.......................
I woke up a few minutes, or an hour, ago, shirt soaked, and both shoulders are killing me. What? I found a 'leak', a hole poked in the hose a few inches below the transfer set. Fluid leaking out soaking me, the blankets, etc.. I saw AIR sucking into the hose during the drain cycle. Since both shoulders are aching so terribly I can oly assume that an unknown quantity of that air has been shoved back into me. Qwap. Checking the Cycler I see that I am into my Last Fill already. Almost done. So I went ahead and taped the line again. Figuring the damage is already done, may as well finish treatment.
Soon as I finish this I will send Nurse an email letting her know what has happened. I expect I will have to go in, again, to be loaded with antibiotics to prevent a possible infection.
I am Grandfathering 3 male kittens. Have had them here in my room for almost a month already. I have, or thought I had, taught them NO HOSES, and NO CORDS. Had to toss my phone charger yesterday, and got out my last spare. SOMEBODY had bitten (chewed) it off completely. And now I have this hole in my hose. SOMEBODY (the cutest grey one) got hose nose tapped a minute ago when he tried to bite my hose again. He won't touch it now. I hope I made a good impression this time.
I told the Wife to call the Pet Adoption Lady and ask if there is space at Petsmart yet for these guys. I'm about ready for them to be gone. I have to admit that I will miss them, but our dog won't. Bones plays with them but he won't sleep in here while the kittens are here. They get up during the night and play, bones don't.
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I'm 28 and I did this with my Lasix the other week... Could not figure out why I was retaining a little more fluid than usual.. DOH!
So if it is a "senior moment" thing, I'm doomed because I'm getting them already!
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Spent most the day at the Dialysis Clinic, found out I get another transfer set change. Just did this two weeksk ago, my regular 6 month change. Learned they do this for every contamination also.
Shoulder pain resolved by Noon. Lucky me! Spoke too soon. It came back during the night. Ugh! I'm a 'Guy'. We do NOT cry. But I get very cranky and whimper, a LOT. Bizarre, but the pain resolved again just a little bit ago. Is this going to keep coming back every time I lay down at night? How long, how many days or nights, will it take for all this 'air' to be absorbed and no more shoulder pain?
Nurse says kittens got to go. I hope Petsmart has an empty display spot for them or I''m stuck. I won't put these little guys outside, Too many wild animals would love to have them for dinner at that young tender age. I got to find the # of that cat Lady that handles the adoptions, see if she can find a place very soon, like today! I lied to my Nurse when she asked if the kittens would be in my room tonight. Actually, I didn't lie, I just kept quite, didn't say anything but nod my head. I must have had a tight muscle in my neck that needed to be stretched. I did tuck my blanket in so none of them could get under it next to me. They just curled up on top of me. No hose they could get to.
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To stop the pets from chewing on cords buy alum and rub on the cord. Last time anyone will chew on them.
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I strongly recommend locking the kittens out of your bedroom. If they need to be "contained" during the night, I'd lock them in the bathroom - with a snuggly blanket of course! Cats have some nasty germs.
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Called Cat Lady, meet tomorrow and kittens will stay at PetSmart.
Found the word that describes air inside us. Pneumoperitoneum . Wiki spells it out fairly well. No fun. Can be caused by a bunch of things, none good.
I still consider myself fortunate, only this pain for a few days, but it isn't constant. VERY fortunate for me. And of course the brewhaha of having to get flushed and filled with antibiotics. Enough PITA that I am sure I do NOT want to do this again!
Even a dumb ass can learn, especially when it hurts!
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Today I experienced a senior moment when I only could find one of my two pearl-earrings in my earring-box
and because of it, I started to search for the other... and ... after going through a real "Sherlock-Holmes-deduction-process"
I finally figured out, that my second earring was no longer in my earring-box ... because I was already wearing it... ::)
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Kristina I have done the same thing and, unfortunately other strange things. I just laugh at my silly side. :rofl;
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Since I don't wear earrings my where the hell could it be is generally my glasses. Since I was 13 I have worn glasses. Many time in the last 50 years I have spent time looking for my glasses which were on the top of my head. Since I figure the first time I did this was in 1964 I don't think this is a senior moment just one that is stupid.
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Many times I have "lost" my cell phone while I'm talking on my cell phone. :Kit n Stik;
It's always really awkward when I'm on the phone, looking for my phone, and the person on the other line is just like "???? Really????"
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PD Nurse called me today, Sunday, seems the results of the cultures from my drain in the clinic the other day came back. No Good. Supposedly I am infected with someo type of animal carried bacteria. Now I am confused, again. That happens to us 'Guys'. My exchange drains are CLEAR. My temp is NORMAL. I do not have any abdominal pain. NONE of the symptoms associated with a peritoneal infection. Nurse is calling my Dr's at the VA Hospital to ask if they want me to check in immediately.
I reminded her of the last time labs from the local hospital claimed I was infected. I was admitted to the VA but I refused treatment until they repeated the labs as there again, NO symptoms. Next morning the team of Dr's making rounds tried to tell mem mthe labs confirmed that I was infected with bacteria and needed immediate infusion of strong A/B's. I told them that didn't make any sense as I still did NOT have any symptoms.
An hour later the Neph team (My Dr's team) came around and told me there had to be some problem with both sets of labs, although it MAY be possible to find bacteria the count was so low as not to pose any problem. Discharge me to go home with strick directions that IF any symptoms appeared to immediate come back for treatment.
That was MONTHS ago.
I got a text later, don't know who, told me I did not need to come in, yet. I would be called tomorrow.
I am wondering. I very rarely ever get sick, but when I do it ain't no fun. I have a very robust system. Others at dinner a couple of times are all sickened, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, the whole food poisoning bit. But I am fine. Perhaps I am just Blessed with a very high tolerance to many bacteria. Maybe? So I won't be surprised if the Dr calls me again tomorrow wanting me to check in, be admitted for testing, again, as I made it very clear I will not take a bunch of A/B's unless and until they SHOW ME. And in case any of you are no familiar with the phrase, it is the Missouri State Motto. My Mama is from Missouri, I'm not, I was born in the NorthWest. My Dad is 100% Norwegein, and they are known for their hardheadedness. Missourians for their stubbornness. I now live in Missouri, which makes me about one of THE most stubborn sumbitch on the planet. And my Dr knows it.
So now I just have to hurry up and wait for tomorrow to find out how this is going to go. I just may end up sitting my young butt in a hospital bed waiting on a round of new cultures. I'll take a book and my laptop alone with me. My dog will be disappointed. He finally got to sleep with me again now that the kittens are gone. He will be upset if I' not home in bed for a night or two. He loves me.
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Y'up, I'm stupid. Sometimes. Spent a lot of time on the phone with Nurses from both the Dialysis Clinic and the VA Hospital. The final decision is I get to stay home.
Yes, labs cultures did show dirty BUT the samples were taken BEFORE I was loaded with the antibiotics. So since I am without any symptoms most likely the AB's did their job.
So I got lucky, again.
I am going to have to start being a lot more careful. My luck could very easily run out. And that would be bad.
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Well.......................
I woke up a few minutes, or an hour, ago, shirt soaked, and both shoulders are killing me. What? I found a 'leak', a hole poked in the hose a few inches below the transfer set. Fluid leaking out soaking me, the blankets, etc.. I saw AIR sucking into the hose during the drain cycle. Since both shoulders are aching so terribly I can oly assume that an unknown quantity of that air has been shoved back into me. Qwap. Checking the Cycler I see that I am into my Last Fill already. Almost done. So I went ahead and taped the line again. Figuring the damage is already done, may as well finish treatment.
Soon as I finish this I will send Nurse an email letting her know what has happened. I expect I will have to go in, again, to be loaded with antibiotics to prevent a possible infection.
A peritonitis infection is NO JOKE.. I got one from a faulty transfer set... it actually came apart and fell on the floor... I got the infection from holding the end of the cath closed while I found a cap to put on it... after a few days, my bags went clear again, and we thought I was fine... but it hadn't gone away and was left to fester... I ended up with a fungal infection that nearly killed me and left me unable to do PD again... if the kitties are biting through the line, then you could be getting bacteria from their mouths into your peritoneal cavity...
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fungal infection that nearly killed me and left me unable to do PD again... if the kitties are biting through the line, then you could be getting bacteria from their mouths into your peritoneal cavity...
Fungal infections are the pits. They don't always mean the end of PD, but standard procedure is immediate removal of the PD cath.
A dialysis nurse who did federal prison time (as a dialysis nurse, not an inmate) told of a PD inmate who wanted to get out of the hole and into the more comfortable infirmary so he blew into his tube which gave him the peritonitis. I'm not sure, but I expect they tossed him back into the hole once he was cured.
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Once, one of the kittens bit the hose only once. But that was enough. It can't happen again, they are living at PetSmart until adopted.
I thought I had taught them better, NO hoses and NO wires, but that same morning I found my phone charger chewed apart. Fortunately it wasn't a lamp cord. Which is why I get on them so hard whenever I catch them even slapping at hoses or wires, they could fry their little self biting into a lamp cord.
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fungal infection that nearly killed me and left me unable to do PD again... if the kitties are biting through the line, then you could be getting bacteria from their mouths into your peritoneal cavity...
Fungal infections are the pits. They don't always mean the end of PD, but standard procedure is immediate removal of the PD cath.
It was definitely not an enjoyable experience... I don't recommend it
In my case, the infection caused too much scar tissue for PD to work properly
btw, as much as I love them, cats are a-holes... I had one who liked to lay on the heater bag, cuz it was warm... he got a couple of boots up the bum from me, and he didn't do it again..
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I have had Drain Pain occasionally. It clears when I fill, but while it happens it is terrible. Well............ last night it started early during about my second drain but never stopped when it filled. Anolther couple of exchanges it just got worse. When it grew up through my abs to my diaphragm I woke up the Wife and had her make phone calls, cause I could hardly talk.
Long story short, I was admitted through the ER. I cannot say now that I've never had an infection.
This sucks. I'll be much better in a day or so. Qwap!
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Oh no! Hope you clear up quickly, Charlie! :cuddle;
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Oh no! That's terrible, Charle. Is this from your kitten bite? Take good care.
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That was Wed night/Thurs morning. It is now Fri morning, they still have not told me exactly what bug, only that they are sure it is graham positive and my white count is very high.
Bizarre, earlier Wed Afternoon I had labs at my Dr appt, all was fine. I am shocked how quick and how bad this came about.
I really don't think this is anything to do with the kitten. That was 8 days ago. Somehow I contaminated myself. I just wish I knew how so I can make sure to never make that mistake again.
Resident Dr here finally wrote an order for fentenyal, just not enough. The Neph here said he would talk to the resident about increasing it as at my size and weight I do require more to have decent results.
I think I am turning into a wimp. I cannot change position by myself. From laying to sitting, or back. I have managed to stand and sit again, but it takes some doing and boy does it HURT. They don't want me to go outside so I have to make myself invisible in order to get past the Nurses to the elevator. And pretty much have to stay invisible while out in the parking lot. The Nurses tell me Security will escort me back up here if they see me. It makes a bit of effort to remain invisible. Makes me get tired again. If this fentenyal works I'll find a way to lay down and hopefully sleep my way through this.
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I think the incubation period for some infections is 8-10 days. Since symptoms don't always show up right away it can make it hard to determine the source of infection. Wouldn't worry so much about that now. Hope you get your strength back and feel better real soon. Helps to move around, keeps the system going and even a little movement is good for the muscles. Do it in small increments, like every 30 minutes. We're cheering you on! :cheer:
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Bizarre, earlier Wed Afternoon I had labs at my Dr appt, all was fine. I am shocked how quick and how bad this came about.
Infections can develop very quickly and turn deadly very fast.
My sister recently went into premature labor; later that day, at the first sign of raised WBC and fetal distress, she was whisked in for a C-section. She ended up on a ventilator in multi-organ failure, with Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation, because of a massive infection. Six surgeries and 81 units of blood later, it is a miracle that she is alive! There are four specific instances where the doctors thought she wouldn't make it. She even kept all four limbs (often lose them with DIC). She is now home recovering. Her tiny daughter, my new niece, is doing remarkably well for a 31 week preemie. She should be going home in 2 weeks!
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Just catching up on this thread and wishing you a speedy fix-up and recovery! It is astonishing how quickly infections can blossom into awfulness. Hang in there. :boxing;
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Speedy recovery wishes from across the pond Charlie
:flower; :flower; :flower;
Love, luck and strength, Cas
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Nephs finally came in to see me. They agreed the proper treatment was to dose my bags instead of IV. So will only do two long dwells 16 and 18 hours. Don't know yet how many days this will be. But with the morphine I can sit, stand and walk to go outside for a cigarette. Still unable to get from laying to sitting without help but I dont doubt I will be able to by tomorrow.
Fortunately my system is usually quite hardy, I heal well rapidly. I hope that stays true for this.
I can guarantee that I am going to be far more careful making connections from now on.
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It's now Sunday morning. I haven't had any morphine since noon Saturday and I am doing well. My pain is my usual achy joints and sore back. Pretty much normal again. Started anti-biotics in my bags last night but Dr added extra bags and exchanges, all dosed, so I will remain connected most of today.
Dr told me the name of the bug but I will have to get it in writting as it is long and IIRC starts with a Z. He tells me this is a particularly bad bug but commonly found within the intestines and bowels, sometimes managing to get loose inside and create havoc. I think I must not have sterilized my hands well enough an accidentaly touched a connection. This should have been preventable. Pretty sure it is my fault.
Usual treatment is dosed bags for up to 21 days. So pretty sure since Monday is a Holiday that I will be released with supplies to go home and dose my bags for the duration.
I consider myself very fortunate again but will have a lasting impression how close this was so I will be far more careful in the future. I sure do not want to have to go through this again.
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Maybe the doc was talking about C-Diff? http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/c-difficile/home/ovc-20202264
Hope you feel better Charlie!
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Good that things are improving. Keep it up.
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idk Charile, if it's this C-Diff, it might not have been your fault. According to the site XPlantDad posted, this particular strain is common after antibiotic use... and haven't your docs been dosing you with antibiotics lately? It's always good to be extra careful with your setups, but I wouldn't beat yourself up too much about this being your fault. I think it's just as likely it was plain bad luck due to the right combination of circumstances.
Glad to hear your on the mend, though. You should be back to poking around in your garden in no time.
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C-diff is what happens when the antibiotics kill all of the "good bacteria". My daughter had it when she was small. Once you've been around someone who has it, you will never forget that smell. :puke;
If you do have this, they will most likely give you probiotics to try and reestablish the good bacteria....
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It doesn't sound at like C. diff which is characterized by horrible diarhea, not the symptoms you describe.
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If you have ever had C-Diff, be sure to mention it when you are admitted. In some hospitals, any history of C-Diff gets you a private room.
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NOT C-Diff. I would have remembered part of that name. This was a new word to me, totally. Dr clearly said that it is a bug normally found somewhere within the digestive lower half. I don't doubt that I failed to sterilize my hands well enough and inadvertently touched one of the connectors. NO diarrhea. I have had to use probiotics months ago when the water flavoring with sucralose killed everything in my digestive system. It took almost 3 months WITH probiotics to regrow adequate colonies to stop squirting.
Now having a problem draining fully. Thinking the morphine has clogged up my works. 2 cups of prune juice this morning. Nothing..2 more with dinner, still no go. Nurse has called Dr to get orders for softener with a light laxative. Already tried one cup of coffee. I know where they have their pot so I may go get another in a couple minutes.
Pretty sure they will send me home with antibiotics and load my bags for at least the next two weeks. I already feel my normal achy self.
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Forgot to say, both hospitals policy, dialysis patients go in single rooms. Don't want any possibility of contamination from another patient.
Still, I try to stay out of here if at all possible.
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Forgot to say, both hospitals policy, dialysis patients go in single rooms. Don't want any possibility of contamination from another patient.
That was not the policy at the big name Boston hospital I use. When I had my hip job, I was put on the renal floor in a double room. The other bed was unoccupied for most, but not all, of my stay. They also did PD on the patient in the other bed during another stay (they pulled the curtain as far as it would go, but did not ask me to mask).
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Forgot to say, both hospitals policy, dialysis patients go in single rooms. Don't want any possibility of contamination from another patient.
Still, I try to stay out of here if at all possible.
Our hospital used to give transplant patients single rooms - including way after transplant for other health issues. The new transplant surgeon changed that policy and now everyone is on the regular floor sharing rooms even directly after transplant!
About a month ago, I had a tunnel infection in my chest catheter; spent a week in the hospital. Half of that time, my roommate was a recovering (?) drug addict that started making outgoing long-distance phone calls at 5:30 am!
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Came home today. Will be loading my PD Bags with antibiotics until further notice. Have to return Friday morning for labs to check AB levels. The one was getting too high so they stopped it and switched to gentomiacin the last 4 days. They tell me they do not want to continue that too many days as it can cause hearing, and or kidney damage so today I got switched to tobra???????. The print on the bottle is too small to read without my magnifying glass. Vancomiacin is the name I forgot. When it gets low enough I suspect they will start it again here at home. It can get too high pretty fast in an IV.
Otherwise I think I'm very fortunate that all is so well so quickly. I sure do not ever want to repeat this!
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:secret; I just read yesterday that the number one killer in hospitals are super bugs as the bugs adapt to antibiotics into a raging menace that can't be stopped. This nutritional approach doctor says antibiotics should be avoided when possible.