Advice needed

[Collymar]

Hi, I am a new to bronchiectasis and have and exacerbation and am about to go on prescribed Ciprofloxacin for 2 weeks I feel extremely tired and waiting for result of test which i suspect will be my usual bacteria Pseudomonas Aeruginosa. I don't know if i should be at work or not while on the antibiotics, please help.

[Pentreath Volunteer]

Firstly, welcome to our friendly site. I am sorry to hear that you are feeling so unwell. Did your doctor give you any advice about working when the cipro was prescribed. We are not not qualified medical people on the site but I have bronchiectasis and would not feel able to work during an exacerbation. You could telephone the BLF helpline on 03000 030 555 and speak to one their specialist nurses and ask for advice. They are available from 10-5 from Monday to Friday. Hope you begin to feel better soon.

[Collymar in reply to Pentreath]

Hi Pentreath, first of all thank you for answering my first post, it is really good to talk to people who know what it is like to have Bronchiectasis. I had been diagnosed in May last year but now know I probably have had it for years before and was misdiagnosed. I am still learning and have had at least two exacerbations last year. My first one was severe and I knew to take Cipro and was off work for 3 weeks but this one and last one was not as obvious to me...still learning...I think I forget what it is like to feel well and I have a cough all the time. I started taking the Cipro yesterday and went to work feeling awful I got cover so came home and glad I did, I think you are right and thank you for the phone number.

[Pentreath Volunteer in reply to Collymar]

Hi Collymar - I think most of us with bronchiectasis have been told that we had probably had it for years before it was diagnosed. I was diagnosed after having repeated exacerbations that were not caused by my asthma. Even now I am sometimes not sure whether I have an exacerbation on the go or not but am fortunate in having really good support from my GP. I was diagnosed in 2011 and am still learning but I do have the advantage of being retired so work is not an issue for me. Do you have a rescue pack at home of antibiotics and steroids to take straightaway? Hope you got through to the BLF nurses - they are really good and know a lot more than most GPs about bronchiectasis.

[Collymar in reply to Pentreath]

Hi Pentreath, I have a rescue pack of antibiotics Ciprofloxacin which recent consultant has said is to 2 weeks of 750 ml, previous consultant was going to put me on antibiotics permanently. I have to see how it goes, this new a hopefully long term consultant said was important to get sample in as soon as I think there is an exacerbation then take Cipro, last one hadn't said this. He thinks I should give this a chance in treatment until my next appointment in September but said would see me before if I need to. It has been a big learning curve.

Thank you again for your help and I will give the BLF nurses a call tomorrow they sound good too.

[Hidden]

I think you have to go by how you feel. I was on cipro regularly for about 18 months and, depending on how I felt, sometimes I could work and sometimes not. If you're really tired, I don't see how you're going to be able to get up early, get showered & ready, do the journey, work all day, then come home again, cook yourself a meal etc. It's just not feasible when you're exhausted.

Have you had IV antibiotics to try & eradicate the pseudomonas?

[Liberty43 in reply to Hidden]

Hi Hanne. I have been told l have been colonised with pseudomonas and as l have a heart problem it seems there is no suitable oral ab for me. At the moment l have no ab but will probably need iv antibiotics. My GP is really good and l am now referred back to my consultant so l hope things will start moving. Just wondered if you have had iv and how long did you have to stay in hospital please?

[Hidden in reply to Liberty43]

I'm colonised with it too and the only oral ab which is effective against pseudomonas is cipro, but I can't take that any more because it caused Achilles tendinitis. (If ever you experience pain at the back of your ankles, or difficulty walking, you're advised to stop the cipro straightaway and tell your GP.)

When I first had pseudo I had 2 attempts to eradicate it with IVs. The first time was 2 weeks in my local hospital and the 2nd time 3 weeks in the Brompton. This is many years ago. It came back both times. It's notoriously difficult, if not impossible, to kill off completely. However for some years now I've been on nebulised colomycin and find this really effective at keeping it under control. Though I haven't been well this winter & really should have had some IVs, but I've developed allergies to the usual anti-pseudo ones (ceftazidime, tazocin, meropenem etc) so I'm going to a drug allergy clinic to see what they can do about it. I hope you get on ok now you're seeing a consultant.

[Collymar in reply to Hidden]

Your right it's been a real struggle recently and have been exhausted but carried on, I am taking time off now and it has really helped reading your reply.

I haven't been diagnosed very long earlier this month I saw a different respiratory consultant from previous 2 times who was brought in from another hospital to help deal with waiting lists. The previous one suggested permanent antibiotics but the new one thinks I should see how I go dealing with recognising and treating exacerbations as he recommends this over taking antibiotics permanently if it can be avoided, he did say IV antibiotics is a possibility. He has said I have to be prescribed 750 ml instead of 500 from now on. My next appointment is September but said could be referred before if need be.

Thanks for your help it is really appreciated.

[Armadillo57]

Hi

Hope you will start to feel better. With bronchiectasis you will always be given a two week course of whatever antibiotic that’s the norm. Listen to your body sometimes you can work with an infection not on all cylinders mind. Other times it gets you and you gave no option to stay at home. The choice is yours only you know how you feel. Your GP will advise but you can always self certificate for five days. Depends how rubbish you feel. Take care x

[VickiFo]

I felt wiped out when I was on Ciprofloxacin. I couldn't have worked. Hope you feel better soon.

[Collymar in reply to VickiFo]

Hi VickiFo, that is exactly how I feel, I do something like get some shopping then I am exhausted I know it would be madness to go to work feeling like this so won't do it. Thanks for the good wishes 🙂