I’ve recently had a mucous test and the result was a colony of Psuedomonas A. I’ve read a little about it and now wished I hadn’t. Am I right in thinking once this Has colonised your lungs it stays there?
I have had a productive cough now for a few years with intermittent infections, antibiotics and steroids improve my chest but the cough and phlegm and fatigue never seem to go. Now after the last two chest infections has come this frightening breathlessness. I’ve now been referred to a respiratory Dr.
Does anybody else have this problem and does it improve with treatment and what can be done about it?
Thank you for any information.
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Wilfreda
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I'm also colonised with Pseudomonas. There are members on here who have been colonised since childhood and are all very experienced and will soon come to give you advice and support.
I to have pseudo...diagnosed 2 years ago..if u have symptoms...green sputum etc...they should try to irradiate it at first is cipro 3 weeks,Tobramyacin for 3 months and it sometimes an IV...make sure you get a good respirologist that knows about pseudo...this bacteria is manageable but can be difficult to treat....
Hi Wilfreda I have the same and in answer to your question I’ve heard it does seem to stay with us but the hospital will watch it in case you have a flair up. I take ciprofloxacin now as they tested my sputum with antibiotics and that is the only one which helps me. It is a matter of management and being careful really if you have a good respiratory consultant.
I hope you get on ok with the consultant. Keep us up to date with your progress.
Wilfreda - once colonised with pseudomonas it normally hangs around. However, it can be controlled with good lung clearance and appropriate antibiotics.
Hopefully you have been referred to a consultant who has expertise in management of the condition. He/she will work in tandem with the microbiologist.
The fact that you are coughing so much seems to indicate that you need a course of the correct antibiotic and to improve your lung clearance. Antibiotics can be given direct into the lungs via a nebulizer eg Colomycin, Tobramycin. The physiotherapist can help you with lung clearance techniques but for many people breathing exercises and huffing may not be enough. You may need a clearance device such as Aerobika, Flutter Valve, Aerosure PEP device (there are others). Some people are helped with hypertonic saline but this needs to be initiated by hospital staff. You need to fit clearance into your life, at least twice a day. Plenty of information on here and on the Internet in general.
I’m on mycophenalate ( another chemo drug like methotrexate). When I was treated with the right antibiotics ( ciproflexin ithink) they told me to stop the chemo drug while I took the antibiotic and also for one week after after that. I also had intravenous antibiotics for 3 days before the ciproflexin. I had to be in hospital for that. . So it was see the ild team. Hospital three days for the iv antibiotic, then the ciproflexin for 7 days and then restart the mycophenalate a week after finishing the ciproflexin.
I also was very breathless and a torrent of mucus. The last 2 mucus samples have been clear, but I think that means the pseudomonas are at a very low level. I have to do regular mucus tests.
Thanks Jomo for that information, i’ve Had to stop the meds in the past with the last two infections and before surgery so I will see what they suggest.
Its the choking phlegm and the breathless ness that affect me the most.
Have you been diagnosed with a specific lung condition? If its bronchiectasis and you have a history of pseudomonas infection you should be pressing to have a bronchiectasis specialist not a general lung specialist.
A good source of guidance if you do have bronchiectasis is "British Thoracic Society - Guideline for Bronchiectasis in Adults - Jan 19" Googling will get you that guide.
For instance, the BTS guidelines say re getting specialist advice:
"Specialist vs non-specialist setting
There are no studies available describing differences in outcome
for patients with bronchiectasis in specialist compared with
non-specialist care settings. The consensus team (expert opinion)
suggest there may be benefits to patients by attending a specialist
clinic for bronchiectasis as this will facilitate access to appropriate
diagnostic and management expertise through a multidisciplinary
team (for example Respiratory Nurse Specialists, Pharmacists,
Consultants with a special interest in bronchiectasis, Immunology
Consultants, Respiratory Radiologists, Dieticians and
Psychologists). This may be most relevant to patients with severe
or complex disease.
Good practice point
✓✓ Specialist clinics should be considered in patients requiring
hospital follow-up.
There is also a lot of specific guidance on treating Pseudomonas in the BTS Guidelines.
I had Psuedomonas about a year ago which was diagnosed whilst on a stay in hospital, was discharged on same drugs as original. It took about 3 months to clear thro' but I already had breathlessness and this only made it worse but no other side effects that I am aware of. Unfortunately the breathlessness has not improved and I've moved onto a course of ambultary oxygen (Excuse the spelling) There is nothing that will restore the lungs to normal again but there are treatments out there that can help the situation, lung transplants, valves etc. All is not lost, just keep looking around, don't believe everything you read on nett, life can go on but you have to manage yourself a little more.All sounds worse than it really is.
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