how would you know if you got

[flowers89]

a chest infection,,,

[SusieQs]

Coughing, coloured sputum, shortness of breath, no energy, tiredness, wheezing, temperature, loss of appetite, tightness in chest. I`m just getting over an infection and these were my symptoms. I`ve had them in the past and have been able to carry on as normal to some degree but this one floored me and left me feeling really weak.

[helingmic in reply to SusieQs]

All in one Susie. I hope you get better, though <3

[cofdrop-UK]

It varies from person to person, but I would say you would get one or more of the symptoms mentioned by Susie above. With regard to sputum colour, I would say if it is different to what is norm for you, as many bronchiectatics, myself included, always have yellow/green gunk, which is normal for us. Personally I get a high temp and feel very unwell. Gunk mostly becomes very dark, although it can sometimes change only in a subtle way, but the taste is awful. I can tell by how high my temp goes and the taste if I have HI or strep.

Love Sue x

[Sohara]

You will be putting the pathologists out of a job Cofdrop...doing it by taste !!!!

[cofdrop-UK]

He he no way hun - I pretty much always get a sample in - they need it in black and white! My temp stays in the lower 38s with HI and the gunk is v dark. With strep gunk only has a subtle change early doors but the taste tells me by tea time it will be filthy and temp will go to 40 and I would then need help. Wierdly a short while ago I had both together and my temp didn't go that high and didn't follow a usual pattern. Bronch can still catch you out, even when you thought you knew it inside out. Grrrrrrr!

cx

[Sohara]

Well done though for knowing your body so well. That HAS to help to keep you well

[cofdrop-UK]

Wish that were the case Sohara. Only know symptoms of HI so well because I am colonised and get it so frequently, only a week or so after completing abs which it is supposedly sensitive to. Still hopeful........

love cx

[Hidden]

I usually get coloured gunk. But not always. I know because I am more breathless than usual and start walking slowly. I also find my spit tastes a bit salty/coppery.

[BigBreaths]

For me first symptoms are breathlessness and sometimes a different sort of breathlessness where I breathe and breathe and it feels there is no air there.

[out-for-lunch]

I don't cough up much sputum of any description, even when I have an infection. I tend to rely on changes in my energy levels, my general breathing & I'm aware I always get a slight but distinctive saltyish taste in my mouth a few days before an infection gets established.

I keep a couple of those little tubes they give you for samples in the medicine cupboard and if I think I may have an infection I'll spit a bit of sputum in it & pop it into the GP surgery - they phone me when the results are in. Doing that tends to be much quicker than making appointments or even just having to go down to get a sample container .... these things always happen on the Friday evening before a bank holiday!!

[junespoon]

Hi yes,usually the colour of my phelm changes but just come down with some sort of infection, Sunday and only small increase in phelm, and still stayed white and frothy, so not been on here much, also had the lap top man in as I had a virus,wonder if it was from all those strange things that popped up the other week anyway its great to have it back, I am on my rescue pack, steroids giving me big appitite, not sleeping, stripped the beds and washed this am, shattered now, hope all my mates on here are ok.xx

[Hidden]

It's green