Acute Bronchitis advise

[AnxiousCanadianChic]

I have bad asthma and 95% of the time my regular colds turn into bronchitis. With wearing masks I have not had a cold or bronchitis for 2.5+ years. I am now on day 9 of bronchitis and was wondering if anyone can tell me how long the wheezing and lungs full of phlegm usually last with bronchitis?

When I sit straight up it’s not too bad but as soon as I lean back on my lazy boy and especially when I lay down to sleep my chest fills up and the wheezing is insane which of course makes it hard to sleep. Below are a few things to know;

I take 4 puffs of Flovent a day(2 when I get up and 2 when I go to bed and have been on it for years), I take montelukast daily(since August) and take lots of vitamin C, D, B,K,zinc,echinacea, elderberry etc. I have now been also using my salbutamol(doesn’t seem to help really).

My blood oxygen level is around 93 and it’s normally 98ish.

how long did the chest congestion and wheezing last for those of you who have had acute bronchitis??

[Poobah]

Normally in the UK, by now, I'd be talking to my GP about additional treatment. In the main, that could include antibiotics and/or a short course of Prednisolone. But it depends on the patient and how they respond to these treatments. It's not uncommon for a virus to become a bacterial infection. Your doctor could test your sputum in order to establish if antibiotics are required.

With treatment any bronchitis I've had in the past has taken 2 to 3 weeks to resolve. Longer without treatment.

[PW_R]

Do you have any history of smoking?

[AnxiousCanadianChic in reply to PW_R]

nope I’ve never smoked and have only tried smoking marijuana a few times. I grew up in house where my mom smoked.

[Gwalltarian]

Do you have a rescue pack? - antibiotics and prednisolone for when you start a chest infection? I agree with Poobah, talk to a doctor. I’ve had some chest infections this year and needed Clarithromycin to clear them. Try taking vitamin D3 to boost your immune system.

[AnxiousCanadianChic in reply to Gwalltarian]

I went to my Dr and all she gave me was an RX for nasal steroid spray… She basically said it has to run its course and it’ll probably be 3-4 weeks 😞

[Gwalltarian in reply to AnxiousCanadianChic]

sorry to hear that. The idea here is that the sooner an infection can be cleared, the better for your lungs. Particularly important if you’re having difficulty breathing. Could you talk to a different doctor perhaps.

[Celie1]

Hi,

I’ve had the same for about a week now so I completely understand.

The doctor gave me a week’s supply of antibiotics and a course of prednisolone, so I’m on day 4 now and beginning to feel a bit better in myself.

I’m still having to prop myself up through the night and managing to get about 4 or 5 hours sleep before the coughing wakes me up. I think it usually takes me 2 or 3 weeks for the cough to go, but much longer usually, for the asthma to be sorted.

Hope you feel better soon. 🤞

[AnxiousCanadianChic in reply to Celie1]

I went to my Dr and all she gave me was an RX for nasal steroid spray… She basically said it has to run its course and it’ll probably be 3-4 weeks 😞

[Celie1 in reply to AnxiousCanadianChic]

That’s not very helpful. 😏

I find using a nasal rinse a little while before using the nasal spray helps a bit. Also sitting more upright on pillows, but leaning towards the left (just because I can’t sleep on my back) helps to stop the constant coughing through the night, but I still wake at 4.00 a.m. ish and it takes an hour or more to clear the mucus enough so I can sleep again.

Do you take your peak flow? It might help to monitor this, to check if your congestion is getting better or worse and something to take back to the doctor if thing’s aren’t improving. 🤷🏻‍♀️

🤞

[ForestFreda]

Do you have an asthma nurse alongside your GP we tend to have asthma plans in UK and keep an eye on our peak flows and sats In the short term probably a short course of steroids but you have been on the same preventer for years at same no of puffs twice a day can and maybe that needs to be looked at after you have got over this bout. Mask wearing has been good for asthmatics and kept us free of bronchititis but now getting it all again. Has your physician listened to your chest sent off a sputum? Have you tested for Covid 19?

[AnxiousCanadianChic in reply to ForestFreda]

sorry it took so long to get back to you. I don’t have asthma nurse, I don’t even think we have that here in Canada. I still wear a mask everywhere but unfortunately my bf brings colds etc home from work (he doesn’t wear a mask at work) and he’s had a nonstop cough since he had Covid in March, so we don’t know if it’s just that or an actual cold 😞.

They didn’t take a sputum test and never offered steroid treatment. I took Covid tests and was definitely negative (I got it in August from a local outdoor street festival that I didn’t wear a mask as it was outdoors).

I’m good now and I’m praying I don’t get it again for at least another year.

[Birthday60]

try sleeping with 4 pillows as I did as a child / could bd 3-4 weeks of chesty stuff. It’s all quite normal I’m afraid - I love a mask…!!!

[AnxiousCanadianChic]

I always wear a mask but my bf who I live with doesn’t wear one at work and he brings home these things. I only had 2 pillows but I’m definitely going to buy more to have on hand in case I get it again (hopefully I don’t for at least another year).