Ok, so we’re not used to sticking drugs up our bums in this country, but suppositories are the choice of delivery in countries like France, and they may have something with this..!
I had occasion recently to find alternative antibiotic delivery mechanisms because of the sheer number of allergens and additives in the ones given to a patient they couldn’t tolerate. Meds commonly contain lactose, gluten, wheat starch, maize starch, colours, flavourings, sugars, sweeteners, plastic compounds etc which just would not be acceptable in many foods. I think it is shocking.
In desperation I looked at some of the different types of the same antibiotic available – it was Flagyl – and it comes in tablets, suspension or, much more rarely, suppositories. Here are the various ingredients for you to compare:
Tablets: Calcium hydrogen phosphate (E341), Starch maize, Povidone K30 (E1201), Magnesium stearate (E572), Tablet coat: Pharmacoat 615 (E464), Macrogol 400 Ph. Eur.
Suspension (liquid): Liquid sugar granular liquors (sucrose), Sodium dihydrogen phosphate LC or sodium acid phosphate crystalline, Veegum HV, Methyl hydroxybenzoate (E218), Propyl hydroxybenzoate (E216), Ethanol 96% v/v, Lemon No. 1 NA, Oil orange terpeneless, Purified water.
Suppositories: Suppository base E75, Suppository base W35.
Can you see the difference in the length of the ingredients, for a start? The message: suppositories here contain simply the antibiotic and 2 bases which are meltable fats made from palm and coconut oil most often. I know because I rang the manufacturer to find out.
So, next time you need any meds, remember first to check the ingredients out for allergens and additives and, second, if you want to avoid toxins and don’t mind the thought of it, choose suppositories and make like the French!
NB: You may need to get them ordered in for you as we don’t use them often in the UK.