I’ve finally spoke to respiratory team today after a couple of bad asthma attacks and generally struggling:
They’ve given me prednisone for 5 days as expected but want me to have antibiotics as she thinks I have a chest infection because of my cough. I don’t agree I’ve got a chest infection as the cough is only occasionally productive, so my question is - do chest infections show differently in asthmatics? I don’t have a temp or feel Ill except for my breathing - surely I would? Or would I? X
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Emzcat41
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Sorry to hear you’ve not been so good. The way it’s been explained to me before by drs. Is that when your asthma is flaring/ having attacks your airways produce more mucus but at the same time your airways swell due to the inflammation. So this can lead to mucus being trapped, and in time this then becomes a good environment for an infection to develop. Then on top of that you are taking prednisone which can dampen your immune system which can make you more susceptible to infection. So sometimes they are given as a lesser of two evils because if you went on to develop an infection that wouldn’t be good especially so close to a time when your lungs haven’t been happy. I appreciate it is frustrating as I had it recently in a&E where I got given antibiotics just in case and I’m like I’ve already had so many! Hope that helps any, but take it easy.
It is such a balance between taking them just incase especially if you don’t feel like you’ve got an infection and taking something you might not need. Hope you feel better soonI’m loads better took a few weeks worth of pred to get on top of it. That was an occasion where I got given antibiotics & they didn’t do anything/ weren’t required. So do get the frustration of taking something for the sake of it!x
Lotti is right in her explanation of why they're given. It's a difficult one though because a lot of doctors routinely give antibiotics in asthma (for that reason) when they're not actually needed. Even if one does develop an infection, more often than not they're viral anyway.
Personally, if you have no other signs of a chest infection (including temp and green sputum) I would think it's the steroids you need not the antibiotics. But as I say that's a personal choice based on how I would normally present with asthma - I can usually tell if it feels more like my normal "just asthma" or asthma with an infection. The pred shouldn't reduce your immunity in such a short course.
It's so difficult to know what we should do though in times like this. If you're still undecided (and you may be happy to just take them anyway), can you call your GP and ask what they think? If only there was a quick finger prick type blood test to check infection markers - that done before a doctor prescribed antibiotics would be so useful!
Completely, and I remember a time where a prescription for steroids meant an automatic prescription for steroids! But do find now that they don’t automatically go with that approach and go with the instructions of only starting the antibiotics if I feel I need them. Wouldn’t a finger prick be so useful! 😁
I think in Germany or somewhere they do do that at GP level, like for children with tonsillitis they do the test to check CRP and whether antibiotics are needed or not. I mean if they could also cure asthma that'd be great too 😅
Ooh yes a finger prick check would be awesome lol - roll on the future!
Thanks for the replies - I think I will take them this time just in case as these attacks have been really scary.
I really don’t want to burden the nhs atm nor do I want to risk going in to hospital so I feel it’s worth it just in case. Even though it’s probably not needed! X
Hi,People who know a lot more than I about asthma have already replied. I want to ask whether you have an oximeter? My young daughter has on two occasions had chest infections missed by doctors that I spotted - because I could see how unwell she was - by using the finger oximeter and noticing how low her Sats were - 92 and under - which meant that other GPs then had a listen and spotted a crackle. She doesn’t always have green stuff coming up or indeed much stuff coming up when she has hers.
Hey, I actually do only because respiratory nurse told me to get one so could check if I was becoming hypoxic with working with covid and my asthma being a pain. But it's not normally recommended I don't think. But as you said its helped you so it's a winner! 🙂
Oximeters are recommended for people dealing with Covid symptoms, currently. Not sure why asthma patients are different on principle. Do you know? The benefit of using oximeters when dealing with young kids is that you actually get a straight answer.
Oximeters are not reccomended in asthma as home probes can be unreliable and in a lot of asthmatics saturations are normally the last to drop. Asthmatics are usually great compensators so can maintain even during a severe attack as the issue with asthma is difficulty breathing out rather than in . For example I have nearly been admitted to Intensive care, even though my oxygen was perfect but I was working hard for it.
Yes my sats never drop significantly and neither do my patients I've escalated. even though I have it I really don't use it. As not a helpful tool and can make you feel all is well when not which is not good when your an ostrich or unicorn like me!🤣😂.
This was me last week have I or haven't I got an infection? Do I take the abx with the prednisolone? In the end I decided to take both it's a personal choice but I made an informed one right for me at the time.
Few days before xmas, did not want to risk? Infection getting a hold of me scared crap out of me last time 😆 also do not want to be in hospital ever, but especially now if I can avoid (if you need it, you need it) then within a day started with back and chest pains and aches so I feel I made right choice!
But next time I may decide not to depending on symptoms and other factors. But yes you can talk it through with respiratory team or gp. Good luck!
I think I’ll take it for same reasons as you - don’t want to risk hospital. I think we get so used to being under parr that we don’t always realise we need the treatment. I don’t anyway xxx
Due to COVID-19 & you not breathing normally they are reluctant to see you face to face just in case you’ve got the dreaded virus I know it daft but I recently had a face to face consultation using a video call I had to wait until 2 minutes before call & dial a number then choose the correct extension & wait until they clicked onto my link for the consultation, mind you it worked out well lol
They may be able to say yes infection by listening but no way can they tell whether it's bacterial or viral and therefore whether it needs antibiotics. So I think you're best doing what feels right as you plan to. (I don't think being seen in person would have changed things really).
NOT ideal! If A&Es weren’t currently under a weight of patients not seen since April and full of Covid, I would recommend going to the non-urgent patient unit at your local hospital to have it heard. My daughter had terrible sleep apnea last week. Her sleep was cut off every 5 minutes due to tonsils taking up all the room at the top of her airways. GPs refused to have a look at her throat but her respiratory consultant said that if she really needs to be seen, get her to a hospital. As I said - rampant Covid means taking the antibiotics looks a safer proposition for the foreseeable!
Sorry to read not great. I had similar a few months back, when on my second back to back dose of steroids, was given an antibiotic. Not a fan of taking tablets I don't see the sense in taking, however since the GP I spoke to was convincing I did take it, and actually it broke the cycle.
I didn't have any real signed of infection, well not that I was used to, but then again, since my asthma no longer presents in a standard way, it's hard to tell. For me my PF was all over the place.
I have lost count the number of times, this year, I have had a chest infection. Typically, I have been given prednisone and antibiotices or just antibiotics. Like yourself, my chest infections were mildly prodcutive. Meaning, I rarely cough up anythng but I was given antibiotics to be safe.
For one year now I’ve been making a brew using tablespoon of turmeric two lemons juiced with half A tablespoon of ginger powder mixed in 1 litre of water bring to boil simmer for 20 minutes & I drink a cup every morning then put the rest in a container in the fridge, so far I’ve not had a bad asthma attack or a cold for 12 months as the turmeric is antibiotic & you can add honey to taste instead of sugar
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all these tips really help so thank you
Chest infection?
Repeated chest infection
Chest 
Feeling fine then not
