Azthromycin commenced.

[pergola1]

I started azithromycin last week indefinitely, I think. What experiences do people have with it. Do I still need a rescue pack? At the moment, I dont feel bad apart from the usual coughing and breathlessness. Interested to hear.

[butter-fly]

Hi pergola 1.

I have been on Azthromycin 250mg continually for almost two years. I take one capsule three times per week. Prior to this I was getting infections at a rate of about one every three to four weeks. It worked well for me. Since starting the Azithromycin I've had only one cold and that went to my lungs. I was given Doxycline for that but continued to take the Azithromycin as usual.

You would probably need your normal rescue pack to take when you have an infection but you would certainly need to clarify this with your doc.

[kimmy59]

Evening.

I'm on my 4th week, first couple of times I took it I felt terrible then someone on here told me to take it first thing before any other medication breakfast etc, been fine every since fingers crossed. I'm on 500mg three times a week.

Kim

[SecondLife]

Hubby has been on Azthromycin for a year now and has had only one cold which went to his chest. We were told that if you were taking your rescue meds then you had to stop the Azthromycin until they were finished.

[morrid]

What are rescue meds please?

[MarieW-F in reply to morrid]

They are medications prescribed to you (usually steroids and antibiotics) that you keep on hand in case you get an infection. Makes you able to start them straight away without an appointment, or if you are like me always start feeling lousy on a weekend. Hope this helps.

[morrid in reply to MarieW-F]

Thanks Marie must get me some.

[MarieW-F]

Azithromycin is a low level antibiotic in the way i and yourself use it. It was explained to me that its there to keep the baddies that are in your chest and can colonise at bay so its not really there to fight a new infection. Been on it almost 2 years and had my first exacerbation just before christmas (a head cold that then went onto my chest). I used my rescue pack for that (and kept taking the azithromycin). So in answer to your question i think the answer is yes you will still need to have a rescue pack to hand. Have a chat with your GP though - he should be able to clarify for you

[pollyjj]

Hi I have been on Azithromycin 3 times a week now for over 2 years but I have been told that if I have to take my rescue med (Clarithromycin) I must stop the Azithromycin. It seems it depends on what you rescue meds are, please check with nurse or doctor.

polly xx

[Maximonkey]

Hi pergola1, I have been on Azithromycin now for 2 years and it is marvellous. I was very ill every 2 weeks and every time I ended up in Hospital. To me it is the truly a wonder medicine, the first 6 weeks I did have a metallic taste in my mouth and sometimes I felt a little sick but I kept on and my body got used to it. Now I have no side effects. I have only been ill once in the 2 years with a bad dose of flu, azithro cannot help with flu, but I recovered well and I did not have to be hospitalized. Good luck and take care, Maximonkey

[kirsty72]

My new respiratory consultant told me to stop my Ciprofloxacin at night permanently and start usng Azithromycin every monday, weds,and friday. 2 x 250mg.

I took it on Friday, and buy saturday, I was itching all over, but whenever I scratched it, it wouldn't go away. I didn't put it down to the tablets straight away!

By sunday, my eyes were swollen, and I was still very itchy.

I rang the NHS Direct to see if I was having an allergic reaction to the tablets, and she got a doctor to call me back, who then told me to stop taking them, and speak to the consultant on Monday.

Well, it's now Weds, and he hasn't returned my calls. I haven't taken any antibiotics at all or reverted back to the Cipro.

I'll wait until I get another chest infection again then shall I?

[monkey65]

I've been on azithromycin for 8 months now, and for me, like some of the other posters above, it has made a huge difference to my life. Not had a single exacerbation bad enough to need rescue meds. My consultant says keep taking if you need rescue meds, there's no evidence it makes a difference if you stop. He says he will want me to have a 'break' in the summer because there are no long term studies of its use yet. He also says some people do get side effects so bad they have to stop. This makes it seem like my consultant gives lots of information; he doesn't, I just ask a lot of questions!

[monkey65 in reply to monkey65]

Just thought on the side effects; I do follow a wheat free diet- I'm sure I read somewhere that this helps with the stomach type symptoms so this may make a difference.