World Antibiotic awareness week 💊

[Claire_ALUK]

Got questions on whether it’s safe to take antibiotics when you have asthma? Or whether you need antibiotics for a chest infection? Visit our website for answers and facts: asthma.org.uk/advice/inhale...

[twinkly29]

I really wish antibiotics weren't automatically prescribed for asthma exacerbations, which they still seem to be by many GPs. Or for "coughing up phlegm". Even green gunk isn't necessarily a bacterial infection so often they're prescribed and taken unnecessarily.

[Lysistrata Administrator Community Ambassador in reply to twinkly29]

Agreed! It seems better in hospitals than it used to be but last time they still tried to give me abx 'for asthma'. Err there is one antibiotic that may also have helpful properties in asthma but the one you want to give isn't that one!

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador in reply to twinkly29]

Agreed. People being given ABx just because of an asthma flare needs to stop - I’ve lost count on how many times I’ve refused an ABx course cause i knew it wasn’t an infection! And bigger explanations about viruses, cause there are still patients who think they always need ABx for a chest infection, but if it’s viral it’ll do little/nothing.

Also more awareness about long term ABx for asthma would be great. Because some people really would benefit from it, however not everyone is aware of the option. And some cons don’t connect the dots... someone who does constantly get bacterial infections probably does have the type of asthma that’ll benefit from long term ABx even if you ignore the other asthmatics who may improve even without infection history!

[Pipsqueak77]

Hi All

Please don’t forget that some of us have to take antibiotics prophylactically for asthma.... so it’s not really a choice and often people don’t understand.

Thanks - take care 👍😊

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador in reply to Pipsqueak77]

Yup. Tho that should be rarer and on a more individual basis than it is currently. If I’ve flared due to multiple triggers (very mild head cold, plus walk plus someone smoking etc), I don’t need the ABx they try to give. I do take prophylactic ABx myself but only when I have a chest infection that doesn’t start to clear in 3-5 days (I typically get viral infections), and i used to be on azithromycin (but that stopped cause con decided it wasn’t doing much). But if you’re one who always gets bacterial chest infection after you get a cold then you should take a course prophylactically.

It really should be done on a personal basis and not as standard as it seems to have become in some places. I think it’s cause COPD tend to be given rescue packs of pred and ABx, so GPs assume it’s the same for asthma. Even if they have patients who never get chest infections... 😅

[Pipsqueak77 in reply to EmmaF91]

Hi All

Well I meant really that there are certain asthmatics ( like myself) who take antibiotics prophylactically ( all the time!) and not when it is perceived that we may/may not have an infection.

This antibiotic - azithromycin has an anti-inflammatory action in the lungs as well as antibacterial but it is predominantly prescribed to asthmatics long term for the inflammatory protection it provides.

So I think it is really important to make the distinction that some antibiotics are used long term and for good reason in certain circumstances and not just imply that they are all over prescribed.

However - agree that a chest infection in anyone should be diagnosed with sputum analysis and not just ‘assumed’ / given antibiotics...

Take care 😊

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador in reply to Pipsqueak77]

Yeah. I mentioned long term ABx for asthma care (as an add on treatment not as an infection treatment ) that works with the lung biodome and needs more awareness as it can really help some people. I think it’s typically best for those more prone to bacterial infections (the people who I know who benefitted most were such), just cause of how it works. Inflammatory asthmatics prone to bacterial infections. It didn’t work for me in a 6 month trial, but I’m inflammatory prone to viral so maybe that’s the difference 🤷‍♀️😅😂.

It’s more the ‘you have asthma attack, here have 5 days of ABx’ that makes me 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️ 😅

[Pipsqueak77 in reply to EmmaF91]

Hi EmmaF91

Yes... but it’s important to differentiate - many people on this forum probably wouldn’t appreciate that certain antibiotics can be used as an anti- inflammatory in asthma.

I certainly didn’t! Until faced with the issue... and i just wanted to clarify for others. It’s not a ‘ one size fits all’ as we know to our cost!

Take care 😊👍

[EmmaF91 Community Ambassador in reply to Pipsqueak77]

I think you confused me by using the word prophylactically 😂. In terms of ABx that means to stop infections, whereas you meant as an asthma add on. So my brain thought you meant ‘I take ABx on asthma flares to stop infections’ whereas you meant ‘I’m on long term ABx to help control asthma’ 😅😂. The first one should only apply to a very small section of asthmatics, whereas the latter a larger group.

Gotta love misunderstandings 😂. Glad that’s cleared up now

[twinkly29 in reply to Pipsqueak77]

Oh yes, I didn't mean those in my reply above, was meaning those given for flare ups.

[Pipsqueak77 in reply to twinkly29]

Hi👍