DEAR DR. GOTT: I woke up deaf in both ears after having a hysterectomy. I went to my doctor threes days in a row and begged, pleaded and cried to have a penicillin shot. He kept saying no but eventually caved in. The morning after the shot, my hearing was back to normal. I immediately called and thanked him. A few days later, I received a letter in the mail stating that he could no longer be my doctor because I wouldn't take his advice and that I should see an ear-nose-and-throat specialist for any future ear problems.
    I want to know why doctors no longer give penicillin shots when they work. I was right, and it helped my hearing, but my doctor made me change to another physician anyway. I am not a doctor, but I know that this shot can help many people, has helped many people and works right away on lots of ailments. Please tell my why doctors make us suffer when a simple penicillin shot will cure us right away!
    DEAR READER: You were beyond inappropriate to beg and cry to your doctor for a shot that you did not need. While "divorcing" a patient is a last resort, I have to agree with your doctor in this case. Rather than determining the cause of your hearing loss and taking your doctor's advice, you behaved in a dangerous and childish way.
    Antibiotics are overused and, because of people like you, drug-resistant bacteria are on the rise. Penicillin is not a cure-all. It should be used only to treat moderate to severe bacterial infections that do not resolve on their own with modest care. This is true for all antibiotics.
    As for you claiming to be right, this is debatable. Most people will recover from minor ailments, sometimes even major ones, because they believe something will work. You may have simply believed that the penicillin shot would work, so, after having it, you recovered. Chances are it was coincidence that your hearing returned after having an inappropriate shot.
    Penicillin shots are no longer given for many reasons, but the top two are severe allergic reaction and overuse by people who don't have bacterial infections.
    I urge you to control your behavior and listen to your new doctor's advice. If you disagree with it, you can always seek a second opinion, but, before insisting on a treatment that may cause more harm than good, you need to know what is causing your problem. Only then can your doctor treat you appropriately. This is true for everyone. While you do not have to take your doctor's recommendations, it is important that you hear what he or she has to say and find out possible risks from both the illness and treatment.
    To give you related information, I am sending you a copy of my Health Report "Ear Infections and Disorders."