Colomycin nebulising

[breslin]

I’m wondering if there is anyone on the above drug. I have been on it now for 10 days and will stay on it for 12 weeks. I have been pretty unwell since March with re occurring psuedamonas. I am on oxygen therapy, I also have bronciectasis and past T.B. also chicken pox pneumonia, I am on steroid therapy for adrenal insufficiency so I do have a lot to contend with.

I’m just wondering how long it will take to start to feel even a little better. I find that I am awful breathless and of coarse you panic when this happens. I would really appreciate anyone’s comments on this

[Swizzy]

Colomycin is a very good drug against pseudomonas. Unfortunately nebulising it can cause your lungs to spasm and make you breathless. I had this happen with nebulised colomycin. It is possible that you need a 2 wk course of IV colomycin. I am doing this atm with meropenem because I have come to the point after years of nebulising several different abs that my lungs don't tolerate them that way any more. I hope that you have a bronchiectasis specialist. Do discuss it with them..

[breslin in reply to Swizzy]

Thank you for the advice which does help me a lot to understand the drug. I had noticed I was more breathless after nebulising. I do have a great nurse specialist who I have been seeing for over 40 years.

[Izb1]

Oh my word what alot you have going on. I can't advise but really hope that your consultants can get their heads together and come up with a plan that will work for you. Its awful to feel poorly for so long. Sending big hugs x

[70michael]

Hi Breslin l am also on nebulised colomycin for pseudomonas and have been on it for almost a year. I too suffer from being very breathless and more so after nebulising with it. I spoke to my consultant about it and she said there was nothing she could do and wasn't very empathetic. I was told l need to take it as my lungs are very badly damaged through having Bronchiectasis and the pseudomonas needs to be kept at bay. What l have found now is that after inhaling the effects seem not so bad after a couple of hours which is an improvement. I must say it has kept the lung infections under control. Exercising does help l must admit l have been a bit lax with that to my own detriment. I am due to start an excercise class on the 22nd of this month which l am hoping will help.I get a review next year and until then l am on colomycin for the duration. It was also intermated l may have to be on it long term.

I am also on oxygen therapy and that will be for the duration of my life. I must admit l find my life very restricted since my diagnosis in 2022.

[breslin in reply to 70michael]

Thank you for your comments and does help me to understand what is happening to me after taking it. I intend to speak to my nurse specialist tomorrow who I find very helpful. I too go to a little exercise class, but haven’t been for 3 weeks, hopefully I will go back this week

[VirginOil]

I was also on nebulised colomycin for six weeks last year and after each treatment my breathing was very laboured. Was givin ventolin through the nebuliser befor each treatment which did help a little bit but not great. Now on a different drug called promixin but it also makes me breathless but just putting up with it meantime.

[janedivney in reply to VirginOil]

Actually, Promixin is the same as colomycin but in a slightly different form. Ask your consultant about tobramycin, some people seem to tolerate that better

[VirginOil in reply to janedivney]

Thank you.

[Oldmuso]

Hello Breslin,

In April I completed a 3 month course of nebulised Colomycin mixed with Salbutamol 2.5mg - fortunately no breathlessness only the “shakes” for the first few days which settled down. I was diagnosed with colonised pseudomonas and had a sputum test shortly after finishing the course which still showed traces of pseudo.but not active. My lungs have been quiet since and my daily sputum much reduced. I am awaiting a follow up with my Consultant in the autumn who has warned me that I may have to consider a longer term nebulised Colomycin. I am now 87 and have lived with Bronchiectasis for 30/40 years and now also have R.Arthritis with daily 5mg Prednisolone which unfortunately has contributed to Osteoporosis and a recent vertebrae fracture. I am fortunate to have a wonderful supportive wife (for 65 years) and try to remain positive and enjoy life. I hope my comments will help

[breslin in reply to Oldmuso]

Thank you so much for your comments. They sound very much like myself. I too was diagnosed with bronciectasis 30/40 years ago, and was on 5mg Prednisolone for years, developed osteoporosis from this and my adrenal glands shut down am now on steroid therapy for this. I so happy that you have such a loving wife and have gave me a bit of hope from this illness. I am 77 and have a marvellous son, but sometimes I feel he has such worries with me. I just wish I felt better, but feel pretty weak just now. Thank you again for your lovely comments

[janedivney]

I did very well on nebulised colomycin for a good 10 years. It made me wheezy for a few weeks but then settled down, so maybe this will happen for you, too.

I had a few admissions for pseudomonas over the 10 years but not many. Unfortunately about 18 months ago I became colonised with another nasty bacteria, proteus mirabilis. Now I’m nebulising ceftazidime and colomycin on alternate months, and hoping for the best 🤞Like you I also have adrenal insufficiency. What a nuisance it all is!

[breslin in reply to janedivney]

Thank you I am finding everyone’s comments so helpful. This my second week on Colomycin and I’m coughing a lot up and am feeling pretty weak. My nurse practitioner is calling me back Wednesday or Thursday so I will speak to her then about this

[janedivney in reply to breslin]

Have you tried nebulising or inhaling salbutamol beforehand? I did that for a while at the beginning. Unfortunately there are some people who just don’t tolerate it. How did you get on with the challenge test, at the hospital? My FEV1 dropped by 19% and if it’s over 20% (I think) they won’t let you have it. But as I say, I got used to it within a few weeks, although I used my Ventolin before & after for several months.

If you can’t tolerate it perhaps you could try Tobramycin. My consultant told me a lot of CF patients use that, and bronch is very similar. Good luck, Breslin, we’re all here for you x

[breslin in reply to janedivney]

I am using salbutamol just now. I can tolerate it in the morning it’s the evening one I have the problem with, but only started using the salbutamol yesterday so I’m hoping things will settle down but thank you for your comments