Advice wanted.

[CELAT06]

Hi all, hope all had a good Christmas and a happy new year. I’ve come down with a chest infection, I take antibiotics regularly, 3 x week. Do I need to increase them or increase the dose ? I don’t have an emergency pack now and docs and chemist closed for a few days. I’ve not had one for a while but this has really hit me, I’ve got a cough which leaves my throat a bit sore when I’ve had a bout and I’m a bit hot and feel achy and exhausted. I slept till home 4 today, which is not like me. I’ve done a covid test, as has my husband and we’re both negative. Do I just wait for it to ease or try and get some help ? X

[CELAT06]

About, not home !!

[Damon1864 Volunteer]

Hello a d happy New Year, I would advise you to seek help. Please do not increase the dose of your antibiotics without medical advice. I hope this helps please let us know how you get on Have a good night and take care 😊 Bernadette and Jack 🐕 xxxxxx

[CDPO16]

If you phone 111 they can arrange for an out of hours GP appointment or even arrange for a GP to see you at home if they think it's needed. They could give you a prescription and tell you which chemist is open in the morning. I'm not sure that increasing your antibiotics will be the right thing to do.

[Lol1944]

I am quessingyou are taking azithromycin thrice weekly. You always should have an emergency pack at home at all times. My understanding is that you should cease the azithromycin and take your emergency pack. However if you have no emergency pack but you have enough azithro ycin then take them for at least 7 days continuous. Failing this you need to get some antibiotics from your gp and quick. You also need to request an emergency pack on repeat as necessary as per n.i.c.e. quite lines.I hope this helps short term and stress this is only my opinion. I have just had my best 6 months in many years having been on the thrice weekly tabs and was surprised to awake last Tuesday with a chest infection with no previous warning. So it was double dose antibiotics plus 30mg pred plus 4 whiskey doubles and bed at 6pm. Much better morning after and meds reduced but continued and now fine. After 18 years I seem to have fathomed how best to sellf medicate!!

[YummyBear in reply to Lol1944]

Great advice, good on you! .......NICE GUIDELINES! Not quick lines!

[YummyBear in reply to YummyBear]

Whoops.... not QUITE lines!

[Oshgosh]

Have you thought about ringing 111.They may be able to help you get a rescue pack.

Idea.LG if the drug you take is Azithromycin,you are supposed to stop taking it when you take the antibiotic,usually Doxtcycline.

You could perhaps go to an urgent care centre.I hope they will be able to help you.

[Oshgosh]

When you get your rescue pack,you need to make sure to order another one to keep in the cupboard.I was recently surprised to get a lung infection,which came out of no where.

I’ve not had an infection for 3 years.

It’s taking a long time to get over it.

I hope you can get sorted

[B0xermad]

Hi all the replies are spot on and exactly what I would have said, I like you have the same situation over Xmas and ended up using my rescue pack of amoxicillin and a week on the prednisolone just starting to get well again, definitely seek an econsult or 111 as it will get worse before you know it .wishing you better soon

[Lutontown]

I presume your 3 x a week AB is azithromycin, and you've maybe an infection bug which that does not sort. I would say you need to get a sputum sample into your GP asap so the hospital can find what the bug is and prescribe the right AB. I'm afraid this will take time. Do you have an Urgent Care Service at your hospital? If so see a doctor there. Maybe a long wait. Good luck.

[peege]

Are you sorted now with having rung 111 & speaking to someone? It sounds as though you urgently need a full course of antibiotics besides your thrice weekly abs asap to prevent a serious stubborn infection taking hold which, depending on your usual state of health can progress to pneumonia. As others say, a drop in centre at a hospital, calling 111, calling your surgery for urgent attention or doing an E-Consult on your surgery's website. When I did an E-Consult a doctor called me within 2 hours.

Its a bit remiss of your surgery that if you need prophylactic abs they won't give you a rescue pack of abs and prednisolone (mind you, that's exactly my situation, my gp just won't give me a rescue prescription to fill even though I managed to get winter abs. Grrrr).

I know its wrong however, recently I had a bad case of sinusitis, after trying to get through to surgery for hours . I was feeling so rotten I gave up & took Azithromycin 250mgs every day for 10 days then reverted back to thrice weekly 🤐

[LissacFrance]

Hi,

My wife has Azithro 3 x per week but lat week started with possible chest infection and was put on 5 days of Amoxicillin. Azithro acts not only as antibiotic but also anti-inflammatory. Chest infections, i.e. sputum is green in colour usually require different anti bio to Azithro. best wishes for speedy "return to normal".

Chris.

[LissacFrance]

My wife has Azithro 3xper week but occasionally, e.g. 2 weeks ago, sputum turned green and visit to GP was needed. Result, 5 days of Amoxicillin to clear it up, and continued with usual Azithro.

Best wishes for speedy recovery,

Chris.