Information about Pseudomonas

A friend who suffers from asthma needs some information about this condition.

I'm posting her request...

""Ever since I was in hospital and had the dreaded Pseudomonas. every couple of weeks I get aches and chills, horrendous sore throat, equally diabolical headache pains in chest ,dry cough, and so so tired, Pf goes way down. Then a couple of days later I get wheezey SOB. feel real spitty. and loose cough with the bright luminece green sputum . Is it possible this damn infection 'pseudo' is in my Upper respitory tract , ie nose sinuses throat and spreads South to my lungs??.

Every time it comes back, 4 time now since February, it gets worse and worse.

Thanks for any help. ""

Thanks.

Mia

xxx

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Psudomonas is a nasty but all to common bug with peaople with chest compalints, has your friend had a the relivant antibiotics to the sensitivities of the sputum culture? has she had a negative result since? Its unusual to get it so often unless something underlying like copd or cf, or could be that wasnt treated right ie right andtibs or right lenght of time that it is lying dormant untill imunsystem low then surfaces again?

Well worth a dr review as still sympomatic?

Woirth doing another sputum culturee when sputum green as could be anothre bug thta needs treating differently.

good luck

Andrea xxx

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Hi Mia - I have a permanent pseudo infection and nebulise antibiotics (colomycin) to suppress it. It started as just an occasional outbreak which seemed to clear with antibiotics but eventually it settled in for good and now I'm stuck with it.

Exacerbations are characterised by a change in the mucus, i.e. darker/greener/more tenacious, accompanied by a general feeling of not-particularly-wellness, but not the acute symptoms your friend mentions. Certainly I don't get any fever, aches etc and I think my experience of pseudo is common. I think it tends to hide in the far reaches of the airways rather than the URT, which is why it doesn't always show up in sputum. Maybe some medics on the site can comment.

But with me, at the start, the problem did keep recurring every few weeks like your friend said, and I suppose if left untreated (I was taking ciprofloxacin about 2 weeks out of 4 so that was probably stopping it getting worse) one would eventually get the symptoms your friend mentions

I think your friend should have a number of specs analysed over a period of time; that's how mine was eventually diagnosed. Then if it is pseudo I'm sure her con will throw the big IV AB guns at it to try and eradicate. Sadly, though, it is a devil to get rid of, but if your friend has no actual lung damage she may be lucky.

Let us know how she gets on

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Yep she needs a sputum test and sensitivity doing !!

I've just had this for 6 weeks and until they got the right antibiotic in the right dose it wouldnt shift !!

I've never had this before but have been warned once you had it the once then it is increasingly more likely to get it again !!

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Hey mia

I too have pseudo, mainly thanks to my CF boyfriend. I do a month on and a month off of nebulised tobramycin and have IV tobramycin during flare ups. My boyfriend has the same and we keep re-infecting each other so try to work our 'on months' in together. They have recently talked about swapping his for colomycin but it means they'd probably have to swap mine as well, i don't know its all very complicated. During flare ups I fell like I have flu, achy, headache, sleepy and chesty doesn't even come into it. Rich coughs up blood when he has a flare up usually meaning his lungs are inflammed and in a bad mood. Another sputum to see if its still there and see what its sensitive to maybe of some use. I think the 3 clear sputum rule applies before saying your defo clear. I have known through Rich pseudo to be in sinuses, ears, throat. Nebulised antibiotics maybe the way to go.

tks xxxx

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I have permanent pseudo and Im simlar to you TKS when my flare up starts I get temp as first sign along with sleepy and fluey and if I dont treat chest kicks in. Im on nebulised antibs as well as azith and spend most of winter on cipro as well. Things do tend to calm down through the summer so dont need cipro as much.

It does lay in the lower airways and can just cause symptoms in the beginning without positive sputum particularly if you have had it before.

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I was offered antib's via nebs but don tu need a special pot or something ??

I only got a normal side-stream and a Pari cup thing !!

If I went on these do you think the GP would give me an attachment if they had one ??

I'm struggling again now after finishing my oral antib's (double max dose due to sensitivity test) and was just thinking if I can get away with neb stuff it be better with all my allergies !!

[KateMoss]

I have used nebulised Gentamicin twice in the last 2 years.

Yes, you do need a special neb unit called a Vent stream. It has either elephant tubing so the waste goes out the window or you use filter pads with a filter unit - it stops the un-inhalled anti biotics escaping into the environment. There are disposable ones too - I have a stash somewhere. If you are prescribed them you should be given or loaned a vent-stream system. ( otherwise, They cost around £50!)

One thing about nebbed ati Bs - I alwasy use nebbed ventolin before hand as it can cause some constriction and you need a bit of suck as the mist doesn't automatically come out the mouthpiece.

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I had vancomycin nebs for mine, be careful wheezer as cause broncospasm, my lung centre prefer in patient now as were having lots probs? i wouldnt chance them at home if never had before?

Andrea xx

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I use colomycin nebs and had to try them first in hospital for the reason of bronchospasms and to start with did salbutamol before and after although now Im use to it, it depends how my chest is. It is a bit like putting syrup into the lungs.

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Thanks for all your replies and pm and info. –Speedy, Polly TKS, Kate, Andrea,Wheezer xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

All much appreciated by friend.

I don’t know anything about this problem apart from someone in my team whose husband suffers from Pseudomonas although not asthma, However he does suffer from Aspergillus. She (his wife) says that he really improves in hot dry climates.

This certainly rings a bell with me re the positive effects of a hot dry climate and my breathing probs although not related to Pseudomonas.

Has anyone noticed a similar response?

Mia

xxx

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It came back from sputum that neb antib's would be a useful add on if the doubled max dose of the orals didnt clear it all but will have to see what happens I guess but if it came too it my GP would have me at the surgery under supervision (that way I am where needed IF something goes a stray) rather than send me in (she works with me cause of issues with me and hospitals) !!

I know I am strange/weird/whatever but my GP understands my qurks etc and I trust her but we are holding Colymycin nebs(sp?) in reserve right now but like I said my neb is side-stream (will take vent stream attachments according to manual) but I just don't have a vent stream attachment !!

I used a GP loan neb for nearly 12yrs before buying my own 5yr back roughly and got a new neb last year suitable for the extra attachements as they were also wanting me on Flixotide nebs but my old neb wouldnt take them !!

Still will see what GP says when I am review soon !!

Thanks !!

[DunCaan]

Yes I can identify with warmer/dryer climate up proving my lung health. We have made the decision to move to south of France from west Sctland! Bit drastic but I am much healthier when out there over the summer so decided to move out there. Bit hesitant because of not being too familiar with health care but gave heard it us good. We will give it a try. Hope you continue to get on top of you lung problems. Take care