I suffer mild bronchiectasis. However, a bad episode over a year ago did frighten me and since then have kept an emergency pack of doxycycline 100mg. After three days of greenish phlegm but very minimul and the GP being closed, I decided to start the course in the belief it would prevent an exacerbation which I perhaps mistakenly believed was one of the reasons for keeping the pack. I had no other symptoms discomfort in back.
Within 24 hours my phlegm is normal. What is worrying me now is that I rushed into taking the doxycycline too soon and they will now do more harm than good by lowering my immune system with antibiotics resistance. AlsoI have only just come off two courses of antibiotics for toothache.
I have so far taken three doxycycline and very tempted to stop now especially as very soon I will be having the second virus vaccine injection. Can anyone offer some comments which may help. I fully understand they do not replace a medical opinion.
Thank you.
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Frustrated12
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They will still give injection if you have colds etc. But at the moment I am chiefly concerned with whether I am taking antibiotics when I don't need them!
You need to finish the course otherwise it will not have completed its job and the bacteria will increase again. You obviously needed it because it made a dramatic change. Taking the whole course will not lower your immune system but only taking part of the course teaches the bacteria how to avoid it.Tell them at the vaccination centre that you are taking it.
Thanks for that. The course will be finished by the time I go for the second vaccine. I am worried I am taking the antibiotics too early! I have been told not all changes in the colour of phlegm necessarily needs antibiotics.
With bronch it is better to start abs sooner rather than later to stop the bugs getting hold in the fluid in the damaged parts of our lungs and making us really poorly. We are different to copd or 'normal' people who may be beginning an infection. They can wait to see what is going to happen but with us once it begins it is in there.Unfortunately many GPs don't know this. I do hope that you have a bronchiectasis specialist consultant looking after you. You did the right thing. BTW the usual course of abs for bronch is 14 days.
Thanks for that. Makes me feel a lot better. I was worried about being overcautious. I really don't want to be taking strong antibiotics when I don't need them but as you say if it gets a hold, it is a nightmare. Do you think I might get away with a 10 day course?
I think that the length of course for the future needs revising in line with the guidelines for treatment of bronch. You need to get your consultant to advise your GP. Hopefully, if you have caught it in time the 10 days will sort it out this time. 🤞
Considering my symptoms seems to be very early stages, do you think it might be much better to take a 7 day course? After all I have already had three tablets. Would certainly feel more at ease with that but the recommended course by the hospital is 10 days and even 14 days.
Trouble is after more than 5 days on Doxy I need Fluconazole the day after the last Doxy as it gives me a yeast infection ( which goes to my lungs as well!)
I have a similar problem. It is always difficult to judge the right time to start antibiotics but you should finish the course just to make sure you're better.
I have Bronchiectasis too. This year, I had an infection creep up on me. Like you I was concerned about starting the antibiotics too soon as the phlegm was only a bit green one day then less so the next, then a bit more green, then less so - and so it went on for a long time.
Eventually, breathlessness got the better of me and, as I was seeing the GP about something else, I asked her to check my lungs. She was horrified! I had left an infection festering and in the end it took three courses of antibiotics and prednisolone to shift it!
The moral of this story is don't leave it! By avoiding taking one course of antibiotics, I ended up taking three!! Therefore, in the long run, I am technically worse off.
The good news is that the antibiotics finally did their job and since then I have felt better than I have for several years.
I have decided to start my rescue pack of amoxycyclin after having a temperature for two nightS running. Feeling very shaky and had a nasty pain in my under arm chest/back area in the night. I too am down for a virus injection on the 4th Jan,
My view, but it is just my opinion: You did right to start the abs. Don't stop. That's always a bad idea I believe. If you can speak to your GP about stopping after 10 days all well and good otherwise the advice for bronch is always 2 weeks of abs.
BIG thank you for all the replies of support. Been a terrible year for me (and so many others off course) with numerous medical issues but so refreshing to receive so much care. Good wishes and blessings for the New Year.
I think you should be congratulating yourself on seeing it off! It’s always difficult to know if we should start taking them. I’ve left it too late in the past and ended up in hospital and that is the last place any of us want to be at the moment. You should discuss this with your consultant when you can but at the moment better to be safer that sorry. X
Definitely with the majority on here - with bronchiectasis, I have learned that you need to start antibiotics sooner rather than later. If you leave it until samples are processed, etc., chances are that it will take two or more courses to actually shift the infection, because it is so deep down. I only rarely produce sputum (even when I had TB many years ago, produced nothing) However, recently had felt breathing was down a good bit, although no cough, etc.. I do have standby Ciprofloxacin, but didn't start it. Then GP, via telephone consult, prescribed Doxycycline for sinus infection - sinuses improved but - surprise, surprise - so did breathing, so obviously something else was going on further down. I'll be warned for future.
Hope you get your second jab with no problem, good luck!
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I wrote too soon!!!
Azithromycin 250mg and infections. 
Your comments please 
HELP !" In trouble here
Speaking too soon
