Azithromycin Fatigue
I’m taking Azithromycin antibiotic lo... - Lung Conditions C...
I’m taking Azithromycin antibiotic long term for the treatment of bronchiectasis. I am now suffering chronic fatigue. Could this be linked?
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Lolndol
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I take the same but only through the winter months. Mine is for colonised pseudomonas in my lungs. Can't say I have chronic fatique though. Breakthlessness is always a problem and don't have much stamina I hope you manage to cough up the mucus every day - that is important. I take Carbocisteine to thin it out to make coughing it up easier. But, hey, I have an appointment with my lung specialist on 30th March and I'm so looking for to it. Haven't seen him for well over a year. Would be interested in hearing more about you.
With the usual caveat that I’m not remotely medically qualified. The BNF doesn’t list fatigue or tiredness as a side effect at all, however both the Zithromax patient information leaflet and other reputable sources list tiredness as a common side effect, and sleepiness as a rare one. That said, you don’t say how long you’ve been taking it, or how quickly the tiredness began in relation to taking it. Whilst there are some exceptions, the majority of the time, side effects will occur or become noticeable within the first few doses of a medication - if you’ve been taking the Zith for more than a week, two max (so 6 doses), my personal opinion would be that it’s unlikely to be responsible on that basis. As with all meds, the PIL does state that any side effects may settle with time as your body adjusts, so if you haven’t been on it long, you may find that the effects fade with perseverance, but although it can be very helpful for some, not everyone gets on with Zith, or finds benefit from it.
Have you spoken to the person/team that prescribed it for you? Given that fatigue is fairly non-specific, it might be worth getting some basic blood tests done to rule out issues like anaemia, particularly if you’ve been taking Zith for a little while and the fatigue is new.
Lolndol in reply to
Thank you for your comments. I’ve sent a longer reply below to answer your points raised. Cheers, x
I have been taking Azithromycin for some years, and at some point I thought it made my breathing worse.We are all looking for answers to our symptoms.
One of the main symptoms of Bronchiectasis is fatigue, especially when you are having an exacerbation.
The most likely reason you are feeling unwell is that you are growing a bug, or anxiety is getting the better of you.
There are many possible reasons for fatigue so see your GP for probable blood test to rule out iron deficiency, diabetes etc. Best wishes.
Hi Loindol. Yes it could be linked as tiredness is listed as a side effect. Moreover bronchiectasis itself is bloomin well exhausting so where does one start and the other end? My own experience initially with azithromycin was of caring for a ten year old and six year old at age 60 on my own. Exhausted anyway, I didn't notice anything extra. However, make sure that doctors are looking at everything. A lot of my problem over the years with tiredness was doctors concentrating on treating COPD and bronchiectasis at the expense of the heart failure that I definitely had. With water tablets my breathing and energy picked up a lot. Make sure they treat the whole picture of who you are not just the symptoms of one particular ailment. They need to take an holistic approach. It needs to be taken all together. My side effects were itching in the face and neck area which eventually passed. Let's hope that your tiredness does but make sure that they rule out whatever else it might be.
Hi I have severe Bronchiectasis and colonised pseudomonas... I’ve been taking Azithromycin for over three years with a lot more medication too and although I get tired, which I think is more to do with many things it’s never caused extreme fatigue. I couldn’t live or breathe without it and for me it was a miracle drug tbh. I take 500mg every other day constantly and I’m grateful for it hugely as it’s changed my life as before I had it I was having IV antibiotics constantly and was very poorly for 6months. It’s allowed to live a “normal” life and I just hope it keeps working for many more tests as I’m 55 and pretty young to be diagnosed with it at this age 🙂 keep going with it if u you oh can a s hopefully it will hell you too? X
Thank you for your comments. I’ve sent a longer below. Cheers, x
I also take Azithromycin (250mg every other day) for about 5 years and have not noticed that side affect. I also, as you, have Bronchiectasis w/asthma.
Part of having Bx is fatigue, due to the build up of mucus and constriction of the airways reducing oxygen to the body. I battled fatigue for years, until I talked to my specialist about my asthma. I always felt a tightness in my chest. We tried several inhalers until we tried one that greatly improved my breathing. Which in turn, allowed me to breath better and have less fatigue.
You don't say what other meds you are taking or what you are doing to get the mucus up and your airways clear.
Talk to your specialist, there could be another reason for your shortness of breath.
Beth
Hi I took azithromycin in the winter months for a few years in the winter months September until April. It did helped but stopped holding the exacerbations. I now take nacsys 600and nebulised saline. But still get infections now E Coli. Tiredness comes when I am ill. Hope you find out the reason for yours
I have Lung Cancer and also take it. For the very first time in over 60 years I haven't had bronchitis this winter..and for that alone I am just so grateful..but yes, I do suffer from exhaustion, but even if the drug is the reason, I'm still grateful
I have been Azithromycin for 12months and have had no side effects. I do find that I have days when I have no energy at all, but I think that is more to do with the bronciectasis than any drugs.
It could well be when I was on them I felt as if my tummy had turned to cement and found it hard to concentrate on anything at all it was a awful feeling that I could not carry on with I did feel so guilty coming off them but I just could not manage but good luck with them you might find it wears of and they will help you lots love SUESAL 🐾💛🐾💛
As mentioned above, fatigue is linked with bronchiectasis.i too am chronically fatigued.its very hard to cope with.i had it before azithromycin
Thanks for comments about Bx and fatigue 😍😍thought i was just getting old and lazy🤪🇨🇦
Thank you to so many kind people who have replied to my question regarding fatigue and Azithromycin. To give some more information, I was diagnosed with bronchiectasis in 2017 (although for many years previously I just thought I was having an annual dose of flu). Flare-ups caused me to be bed-ridden for 2 weeks followed by 8-10 weeks of fatigue. In Dec 2019 a specialist prescribed 250 mg Azithromycin 3 x per week (to reduce inflammation), 375 mg Carbocisteine 2 x per day (to help to thin out mucus) and breathing exercises every evening to bring up mucus. This regime has proved to be most beneficial in that I haven’t had a flare-up since and I’m most grateful for that.
However 2 weeks after starting the course I came down with fatigue which lasted several days without being preceded by a flare-up. This recurred several times and then on 20th August last year it was as if someone opened a valve and drained out all my energy. I was so fatigued I was in bed for 3 weeks. Since then I’ve been fatigued the whole time, tiny little jobs wipe me out and short walks make me feel air-hungry and my lungs feel cold inside. I haven’t been back to see the specialist because I don’t want to take risks of contracting covid.
I’ve had telephone consultations with my GP and several blood tests that have ruled out diabetes, thyroid and parathyroid issues, anaemia, white blood cell immunity, liver, kidney issues, calcium and sickle cell. Perhaps I’ll just have to put up with this since my age is 73. It’s difficult to accept of course and I will arrange to see a respiratory specialist or maybe an endocrinologist once I’ve received my second covid jab. Can anyone else relate to this?
in reply to Lolndol
Given it was initially intermittent, this doesn’t sound like it’s related to the Zith, to me. This sounds more like something you definitely need to speak to your consultant about, and many teams have been offering remote appointments via the phone and/or video, so don’t let covid put you off from reaching out for help from them. It’s good that the bloods so far have been normal, but there’s something that definitely seems not right, and I wouldn’t personally consider it to be your age unless you’ve exhausted all other options.
Lolndol in reply to
Thanks for that Charlie, I will follow that through.
Hi, I can totally emphasise with you. I had been on 2 tablets x 3 times a week for my Bronchiectasis - which luckily has now been clear since November, (fingers crossed) thanks to the Azithromycin but they were making me so fatigued- so stopped taking them and felt much better.. Discussed with my Specialist and he recommended that I continue but with only 1 tablet 3 Times a week ( for 6 months) . I have been doing this now for 6 weeks and have not noticed any deterioration back to the high fatigue times- discuss with your Specialists see what their view is - hope this assists
If a short walk is making you more breathless than normal, I would definitely talk to your doctor on the phone.It does sound like a worsening (exacerbation) of your Bronchiectasis symptoms, he/she may suggest a sputum sample to see if you are growing any bugs.
Hope you feel better soon!
I take it 3 times a week, and sometimes feel slightly nauseous for a while, but apart from that I've had no side effects. They seem to be doing their job all right.
Thanks for your comments
