Antibiotic resistance

[Elizabethk]

I have asthma and Bronchiectasis and have been fighting lung infections with antibiotics since last August. I’m allergic to amoxicillin and now find myself in a rather worrying state of health as doxycycline hasn’t cleared up the infection and I now have tetracycline to try.

Does anyone else have experience of antibiotic resistance?

I expectorate daily, don’t smoke, eat and drink well and do gentle exercise. How many options are available to dealing with infection?

My Dr suggested going to Australia for a holiday-without irony-I reminded her that Australia has a very high case load of asthma sufferers.😕

[Hidden]

Hi Elizabeth, you can tell your doctor that posts on this site indicate that Australia is even worse at treating bronch than the UK.

You are probably on the wrong antibiotic, for the wrong period of time, in the wrong dose or delivery system. Any of those.

Do you have a bronchiectasis specialist? GPs are way out of their depth with bronch as are most general respiratory consultants who simply do not have the training or or experience in it.

Also, many people swear by sending off sputum samples to find out which bug is in there. Whilst this can be a useful tool there are bugs which lurk in bronch lungs. They don’t always show up in standard lab tests but they make us feel ill and so we know that they are there. A bronch specialist understands this.

If your consultant is a bronch specialist ring their secretary and get to see them as soon as poss. They can then arrange for treatment through the hospital or tell your GP which antibiotics etc.

If it is a general respiratory consultant that you have been seeing, look on the web for a bronch specialist in your area. Usually at big teaching hospitals. Take the name to your GP and insist on a referral. If they start to argue just be very blunt, quote how many exacerbations that you have had recently and tell them that your condition is not being managed properly. I’m afraid that we have to be very pro active in our own interests and vociferous in sourcing the right treatment.

[Elizabethk in reply to Hidden]

What a great reply! Thank you, I’m going into battle! Ex

[cofdrop-UK]

Just to add to LPs comments. Doxy is part of the tetracyline family. There are two other families of oral abs you could be prescribed 1. Macrolides and 2 quinalones. I have put up a link, which I was lucky enough to be involved with and if you look under treatment you will see the ab list.

europeanlunginfo.org/bronch...

You will probably find it useful in any event to know what you should expect from the medical profession re your bronch and your self management.

Good luck - be your own advocate and please let us know how you get on.

Cx

[Elizabethk in reply to cofdrop-UK]

More great information, thank you! I now know fore SURE that after 6 infections in 6 months I need to see a specialist and have the motivation to do so after reading the past 2 replies. I also need to stress to them that the 1 week course of antibiotics that I’ve been prescribed is inadequate. Trying to remain calm-so grateful for all wonderful forum advice! E x

[Bella395 in reply to Elizabethk]

You also should ask for immunology blood tests. This is in the British Thoracic Society Guidelines for the Management of Bronchiectasis. Not read the new ones but IIRC it was advised if the patient has greater than three infections per annum.

[peege]

Was an Australian holiday on prescription?? Cor, I'd like to move to your region!

Seriously, you've great replies from littlepom and Cofdrop, they're so knowledgable on bronch. I trust everything they write.

I had a similar experience to you. Endless infections, occasional sputum tests some of which came back suggesting amoxicillin 😳 Which never, ever worked for me. It wasn't until a GP put me on Azithromycin as a kill/cure course at 3 days on then 7 days off for two months and I was finally clear of infection - I sometimes wonder if this was a fluke and he'd misread the instructions for Azithromycin, I've not read this anywhere else. Anyway, it did the trick much to my huge relief.

When I finally saw a consultant he told me that Azithromycin was rubbish and did nothing but dry up the mucus, horrible man.

[Elizabethk in reply to peege]

Oh yes, I feel at the mercy of the Dr’s efficacy. The one who said go to Australia 😕 has also prescribed only 7 day’s worth antibiotics. She appears to have not even the most basic understanding of Bronchiectasis, surprised she didn’t prescribe paracetamol and hot bath instead. E x

[Dietrech]

Hi Elizabeth I’m the same! Have Asthma Bronchiectasis, advanced COPD. NEVER smoked! been on long term Amoxycillin, tetracycline, now Doxycycline but can’t clear my chest infection, although my sputum specimen is sensitive to all three of them. I’ve gotten quite down because I can’t achieve much at all at the moment, even coffee with friends is difficult. I’m not under a Bronchiectasis Dr either! Hope you and I have an improvement soon! 💐🤕 flowers for Valentine’s Day!

[Elizabethk in reply to Dietrech]

Hi Dietrech, I’ve never smoked either but was exposed to a lot of pipe and cigarette smoke when I was young plus I’m genetically predisposed to have asthma, it sucks! I’m sorry that you’ve been struggling with lung infections for a long time, it is physically and emotionally draining to continually feel ill with no reprieve. You have all of my sympathy! My condition affects my ability to work and socialise too because I’m exhausted by early evening and talking and laughing makes me cough.

It’s not easy in my area to see a Bronchiectasis specialist, I would have to travel to London but if this infection continues I will ask for a referral.

I hope that we both feel much better soon, there was a lovely warmth in the breeze today🌤

The valentine’s flowers were very thoughtful!

Take care. Ex

[Dietrech in reply to Elizabethk]

Thanks for that Elizabeth. I retired some time ago following radiotherapy for breast cancer which made my lungs so much worse! Just taken another sputum specimen into the lab today because the infection has worsened! Hope we both pick up soon! 🙏🤕

[Elizabethk]

You’ve had to deal with a life-changing procedure! You have my admiration and hope that the right course of treatment is given to you this time!

I had a grotty, restless night with coughing and achy joints-the joys of ageing and asthma/bronch 🤬! I’m just grouchy enough this morning to insist that my Dr refers me to a bronch specialist and stops fobbing me off with more antibiotics.

Good luck with your sputum test. Take care Ex