Hi everyone
I'm looking for advice. I have bronchiectasis with cough based asthma. I am on Azithromycin Monday Wednesday and Fridays which I usually stop for 3 months in the summer. I am also taking Carbocisteine capsules twice a day. I am well at the moment but not sure whether to take the usual summer break because of covid-19. My outpatient appointment has been cancelled, so I wondered if anyone has any advice for me!
Hello Cakebaker, my husband Pete has COPD and sarcoidosis and takes Azithromycin all year round three times a week.
I’m sure others will be on soon to help but what does your doctor advise? Might be an idea to check with him if possible. Xxxx😘
Thanks. Just finding it tricky to a gp who knows much about bronchiectasis!
You really need a Bronchiectasis specialist. Xxx
I have one at the hospital. My appointment was in October but has already been cancelled! I suppose she must be very busy at the moment.
If I was you I would ring her secretary, explain that you are wondering whether to have the break from azith and ask her to let you know by telephone or email. The secs are very good at that sort of thing.
Thankyou. I will try that.
I have Bronchiectasis & take azithromycin 3 times a week. My consultant advised me to stop over the summer months and I have done so. Fortunately, I was given the email address of a respiratory nurse at my local hospital, so I email the nurse if I have any questions.
That would be a useful contact - I wish I had one.
Does your surgery have Respiratory Nurse? Perhaps to could contact her! Take care and keep safe. Lizzyx
Hi I have had my Azithromycin dosage upped to daily from 3 days per week & it has made a big difference. I would speak to your GP before making any changes. I take mine all year round as i fear if i had a break i would have more flare ups.
Thanks. We have such a large gp practice and very few seem to know anything about bronchiectasis! I am tempted to carry on this year with covid being around.
is taking a break a personal choice as ive not come across anyone who does this
No my consultant has advised it for the last 3 years. Good to know others don't take a break.
Can I ask please why you take it all year? I take the same but only 3 times a week x
I take it 3 times a week too. Other replies have said they take it every day.
Hi Julie14
Whether to take a break is usually the consultant's decision. This can apply to those who nebulise long term antibiotics as a prophylactic as well. I took azthith for five years but had to come off it when it stopped working and I developed AF. It's goid that it works so well for you.
Sorry to interrupt Littlepom. I have bronchiectasis too. What does AF mean please.?I had to come off long term colomycin as I had possible side effects. I am interested in anything related to this disease. As doctors have little knowledge of it I find no alternative but to try to help yourself in any way possible.
😊
AF usually stands for atrial fibrillation which is a heart condition - an irregular and fast heart rate. I think it may be listed as one of the potential side effects of azithromycin but I’m not sure about that.
AF is atrial fibrillation or irregular heartbeat. I also developed dilated cardiomyopathy when the left ventricle becomes stretched and the heart cannot beat properly. The cardiologist thinks that a virus caused it. Not the bronchiectasis. However, azithromycin cannot be taken with either of these heart conditions.
Nebulised colomycin, gentamycin and tobramycin made me wheezy but I am ok nebbing ceftazidime which is supplied from the hospital.
I hope that helped.
Forget the GP. You are right. They don't know enough about bronch to advise you
Hi
I too take Azithromycin on the same days and have done for years. I don't take a break - that was never suggested so I don't think it would do you any harm to keep taking them. Maybe ask your gp? They would need to prescribe the extra anyway wouldn't they.
Stay safe and well!
X
Hi, this isn't advice as i am not medically qualified, but I have to stay on azithromycin all year round, and feel with the current situation that this is maybe a good idea. I think you need to discuss with your doctor,
Take care Sopsx
Hi. I have been taking azithromycin for 9 years three times weekly and I have been under a consultant for 9 years. He says to take it continually, even when I am on a course of antibiotics for a flare up.Good luck!
Linda x
Hello, my consultant told me to continue taking this over the summer months due to the COVID situation.
I take azithromycin daily without a break and have done for 10 years now as I had recurrent chest infections with my bronchiectasis every few weeks. I would certainly offer the same advice, contact your consultants secretary and ask if they can pass your query onto your consultant. They may at some point get round to doing telephone consultations with their patients as a follow up appointment
You should keep taking both of those tablets throughout the year
I’m on both of those tablets myself,
Carbocisteine you could take upto 6 tablets per day
I’m on 3 per day and it’s helping me bring up my sputum
I have the same illness bronchitis and Emphysema plus COPD
I also have asthma and bronchiectasis and take azithromycin Mon,Wed and Friday every week throughout the year.
I always stop it if I need to take a course of other antibiotics and restart at the end. I have always been told it's the appropriate thing to do.
I agree with others; GP's in general know little about bronchiectasis and rely on the specialist. Like others I have a telephone number to ring if I am in trouble or have a question. It puts me through to the bronch specialist nurse at the hospital. If you have any letters from your specialist there may be a department phone number somewhere you could try.
I've had my follow-up appointment due this month delayed to this time next year!
I’m the same as you on the very same treatment I was toled by my consultant never stop iv taken them for about 20 years only one brake I did my self a couple of years ago thinking do I really been them then my chest went real bad mucus was terrible also I have a resmed airsence 10 Macine and at the moment for past 3 months it may have been cov 19 but had pneumonia and I believe Macine a Azithromycin have save my life x
Hi, I would not have a break for the summer. I'm in the same situation and going to give myself the optimum chance of staying well as possible. One good thing about the lockdown, I've not developed any chest infection, self isolating
Why don’t you send an email to your consultant and ask his opinion that’s what I would do in your situation
Hi cakebaker22,I have bronchiectasis, asthma and copd and I take azithromycin 3 days a week all year round, my appointment was cancelled in may, I phoned the respiratory department and spoke to the physio nurse who advised to carry on as usual with medication and call if there was any worries during lockdown
Hi, it is always difficult to advise someone else. I normally stop for the summer but made the decision this year not too due to Covid. I did talk to my GP who wasn’t much help. But I thought as Azithromycin is taken for its anti inflammatory properties as well as being an antibiotic it would be sensible to err on the side of caution for this year.
Hope this helps you with making a decision that is right for you.
Hi cakebaker, I saw m consultant in Feb and this question came up, he said to carry on taking Azith for the whole 12 months. There is no proof that having a holiday from Azith is of any medical benefit. I am happy with this advice as I took a summer break from Azith in 2019 and I was worried sick the whole 3 months even though I was not ill during the break. Take care and I hope this helps. I will never take a break again. Keep well Maximonkey
My wife was advised to take azithromycin during the winter months for the 3 days per week. This has been very successful in stopping break outs. Due to the risks of Covid 19 on brochiectasis sufferers we have simply carried on with the 3 day dosage into June, and I expect to do the same until there is a vaccine.
Hi there. I have Bronchiectasis, uncontrolled asthma and rheumatoid arthritis. I take azithromycin three times a week as well as many other meds. The only time I stopped the azithromycin I had the worst chest infection I’ve ever had so now I don’t stop it and certainly wouldn’t during to pandemic.
Hi, Cakebaker. I’ve just consulted my respiratory nurse at my chest clinic regarding resuming my azithromycin 3 times a week during the Covid situation. He has advised me to resume them because any ‘flare ups’ would probably require a visit to GP or pharmacist, neither of which is advised for a shielded person. So, I’ve just started them again this morning. I hope this helps you.
Thanks everyone for your helpful advice. I am going to continue with the Azithromycin and try to contact my respiratory specialist in some way just to check. Thanks again.
If you are well still may be wise to keep taking stuff- phone doctor for advice x
Just an update! After several phone calls to the hospital I finally had a telephone appointment with my consultant today. She is happy for me to stay on Azithromycin 3 times a week although she stressed it cannot prevent Covid-19. She also said that I only need take Carbocisteine when I have a lot of sputum. I feel reassured that I have spoken to her. She also said that her respiratory patients had not been hit very hard by the virus and I said maybe that's because we have not been out and about much!
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