Reoccurring chest infections since 2012- any advice and solutions?

[Annawaywego]

Reoccurring chest infections since 2012- been reading threads on here about this as a lot of people seem to pinpoint their first chest infection in 2012- is this just coincidence or is there a prevalent strain in london at that time? I've had 3-4 chest infections per year since then- had one at Christmas 2016, doctor always given the usual: a prescription of amoxicillin and 7 day " rescue" pack of 5mg prednisone, ventolin (blue) and Beclometasone Dipropionste (brown) inhalers- cleared it up although not completely this time and then Boom! Went down again with it two days ago- bed bound. Never suffered with asthma, although mum and sister have it- I only get wheezy and breathless when I have the chest infection. I only ever take the inhalers during a chest infection- I don't suffer with colds and haven't had flu in 10 years so I refused the flu shot.

My symptoms are severe constant headache, upper backache, chest pains, persistent coughing, ( which eventually leads to phlegm (Darkly coloured) temperature, joint and body aches, confusion. I can't sleep either for days. Anyone out there with similar who found a solution?

[Jandm]

I'm guessing that your doctor hasn't requested sputum samples if he is giving you the same drugs! If you've got 'dark' sputum then I would have thought a sample would be essential. Your normal recovery drugs may be masking an underlying bacteria that isn't being adequately cleared.

[Annawaywego in reply to Jandm]

Hi Jandm,

Thanks for your advice, I actually had a bad reaction ( I think) to the antibiotics prescribed to me Amoxi-clav. I became acutely unwell with sweats, headache and passed out cold, luckily I was not alone at home and SN ambulance were called, they revived me and brought me to hospital I had CT scan and ECG but all normal. I did feel significantly better after I had passed out, they then prescribed Amoxicillin just in case it was the Anoxi-clav that made me ill but they said it's very unlikely I came home 8 hours later but no real conclusive end, I'm going to see my GP tomorrow and request a sputum test although the phlegm is now becoming clearer and light yellowish tinge.

Thanks

[Jandm in reply to Annawaywego]

Sounds like you could be on the mend 😃 Fingers crossed for you

[Annawaywego in reply to Jandm]

Thanks Jandm

I still need to get down to the bottom of why so many infections over the last few years, also I don't have an appetite and seem worse in the evenings and don't sleep until around 4am because that's when the coughing will get worse, is that normal?

[johnsmith]

See a McTimony Chiropractor. My experience of bad coughs (chest infection) is that they put things out and can leave you with tight ribs which need to be un-tightened. To clear bacteria from the chest you need to be able to cough effectively. Tight ribs will prevent good strong coughing.

There is a condition brought about by faulty muscle habits which caves the chest in. To counter this the help of an Alexander Technique teacher who knows about breathing would be useful.

What I have suggested may or may not be accurate in your case.

Hope I have been helpful.

[Annawaywego in reply to johnsmith]

Thank you Johnsmith

I've seen a chiropractor before last year for 15 sessions to sort out a back problem but didn't feel any significant benefits it was not a mctimony chiropractor though so I may look into that, thank you.

[johnsmith in reply to Annawaywego]

Thanks for the reply. You are right about the lack of significant benefits. I have found from experience that some things need a multi therapeutic approach. A chiropractor cannot fix a problem if as you leave you do the very things that cause the problem.

Mindfulness the new in thing which I have been doing for 40 years does not fix a muscle going into cramp. The mindfulness however does allow me to pick up the moment I am about to put the muscle into cramp and so stop myself from putting the muscle into cramp. Once I have put the muscle into cramp I need the services of a McTimony chiropractor to uncramp it. Mindfulness cannot uncramp the cramped muscle.

Hope this proves useful.