So I ‘regularly culture’ Strep pneumoniae and Haemophilius Influenzae (possible bronchiecatasis)
I’m currently having another flare, usual loss of voice, coughing up and general feeling dreadful (on now on my rescue pack of Doxy)
My question is….my 7 yr old son is around me all the time (he’s been home educated since start of the pandemic due to being clinically vulnerable) and even though I’ve tried to be very careful, Ive even wore a mask around him, he’s started feeling rough and complaining of sore throat etc.
I worry about him at the best of times, now I’m terrified, can he get ill the same way I can from these awful (and potentially dangerous) bacteria’s?
Thank you in advance 🙏🏼🙏🏼
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CandiR
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Hello CandiR. First of all, I have had bronchiectasis from the age of 3 and am now 71. I have had to tackle the bugs that you mention all of my life and have been colonised with pseudomonas since 1986.I have NEVER passed any of these to my children, my family members or my friends. Don't worry. These bacteria are harmful to you but you are not infectious to others.
However, my dear children have given me lots of their cold and chest viruses which lead to an opportunistic bacterial infection in my lungs. It is other people's germs which we need to avoid. Not the other way around.
You have been on this forum since 2016 and still do not have a proper diagnosis of your lung problem.
'Query bronciectasis' is simply not good enough. Your needs are not being met. I'm afraid that you are going to have to jab your doctor into action by finding a bronch specialist near to you, taking the name to your GP and insist on a referral. Then you can get a definite diagnosis as to whether or not you have bronch. Once this is established you can begin to get the correct treatment. GPs and most general respiratory cosultants do not have enough training or experience in bronch. Good luck
Awh Littlepom, I can’t thank you enough, It really panics me! So thank you so much for calming me down!
Well the good thing is, my son has stopped constantly bringing illnesses back from school now he’s home educated.
Re my ‘non diagnosis’ all they found on my CT scan was a bit of scarring and tiny shadow I think. My immunology came back ok (questionable) it was an awfully slap dash! So I was discharged back to the ‘care of my GP’. The only definite I got is that I ‘regularly culture Haemophilius Influenzae and Strep Pneumoniae’
However, you’ll be pleased to know I’ve just told my GP I want referring back to a respiratory/bronch specialist, and she said ok 👍😊🙏🏼 ….Here we go again!
Good for you. Do make sure that it is a bronch specialist. The website of your nearest big teaching hospital is probably the best place to look. Check on the consultant that your GP recommends and if they don't have a special interest in bronch, refuse to waste your time and insist on the right person. There are at least 2 members on this forum who changed to a bronch specialist from a general resp con and their lives changed with it. Whoever looked at your scan seems to have been very slapdash and probably not good at interpretting the 'scarring' given that you regularly culture those two bugs. Something is going on.
Thank you for that valuable information Littlepom! I live in York, it does mention Bronchiecatasis but not sure if they have any bronch specialists as such, I’ll keep researching.
I found what you said about others not getting anywhere with a general respiratory specialist very interesting….I’m pretty sure that’s what I had (would make sense wouldn’t it!)
So yes, I’ve never had a proper diagnosis, which is hard because I get so ill 😕
It’s a teaching Hospital, don’t know if that’s relevant!?! I’m ringing today to probe further! The reason I didn’t ‘protest’ when I was discharged back to my GP was because I genuinely thought there wasn’t anything else they could do and they simply couldn’t give me a proper diagnosis.
I’ve kind of made do with the fact that I get these awful, chronic infections, have rescue packs given at the onset…..but that’s as good as it’s going to get! 😳
It has always bothered me that I had a condition with no name, but didn’t think anyone could do anything 😊
Really the dereliction of duty displayed by all of the medics you have seen is breathtaking. It is a disgrace that you have been left to struggle on with only your GP to try to treat you. Sadly way out of their depth.This is the problem with bronch. Most have no idea of its nuances and different presentations. They claim that there is nothing that they can do and push people off just to cover up their ignorance and save face. I suggest that you have a look at the hospital website for a respiratory consultant who is either a bronch specialist or has a special interest in it. I'm pretty sure that if you get a proper diagnosis, it is bronch and you come under the care of a bronch specialist your GP will be grateful for the expert assistance and advice.
When I first saw my consultant in 2016, after ten episodes of needing antibiotics and steroids in 12 months, he arranged a CT scan. He was convinced that I had Bronchiectasis but the person who interpreted the scan disagreed and said I didn't have it. My consultant said, 'I am still sure that you have it so I will give you a diagnosis of borderline bronchiectasis and advise that you should be treated as though you have it.' My most recent scan showed the bronchietasis very clearly and proves that my consultant was right!
I'm glad to hear you have asked to be referred again to a specialist. We bronchs need that back up! xx Moy
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