I am in the midst of the worst flair up I have ever had. Up till now COPD was a minor irritation now I am scared.

[hannahmac]

The first antibiotic Amoxycillin didn't touch the symptoms I am now half way through a six day course of clarithromycin and no improvement. What should I do now

[azaard]

Ask your doc or specialist for good decongestion medication, in the mean time try olbas oil, it works for me, clears my lungs really well and eases my breathing

[Hidden]

Do not sit taking no action if you are in trouble - that can and has made a bad situation worse.

Only you can tell how you feel but take no chances if in trouble CALL 999.

I say this because I've been there, did not allow my wife to pull the red chord until she over-rode me and I ended up in a 3 day coma and in ICU for 3 weeks.

I wish you luck and come back to us hannahmac and let us know your outcome, please.

Chris

[sillywitch]

have you put a sputum sample in? If your breathing is bad you may need to start steroids, I had a scary attack a couple of weeks ago & it turned out I was allergic to a new med i,d just started so if the antibiotics aren't doing their job it could be an allergy? ring the help line & ask for advice if you feel things are no better. hope you improve soon

[hannahmac in reply to sillywitch]

I have a friend who always benefits from the steriod treatment. She has a feeling of well being and euphoria. Not my reaction at all!!!! I come over get all tearful, emotional and head banging so I am never anxious to start another course. I have made it through the weekend \one more night and I will be in the GPs surgery yipeee

[Hidden]

A bad chest infection can take a good while to clear,,,,if no improvment by monday,,,go back to see gp,, on monday,, hope it clears for you,,,,,,,,,,,,, if you have any breathing probs over the weekend,,,,go straight to A @ E

[elian]

I would recommend finishing you current course of antibiotics hannahmac as, quite often, it's only toward the end of the course that you start to feel the benefit of them. Also have a chat with your and mention your anxiety as this will not be helping your recovery. Last of all, try not to be scared (I know that's easier said than done) as this will only increase your anxiety levels. Try to relax and practice the deep breathing technique that is recommended for those of us with COPD.

I wish you well in the very near future

xx

[Johnboy0070]

Try not to panic is the golden rule here....

It will increase your anxiety and so increase your heartbeat and the urge to gasp for more breath.

Try to relax, as hard as that may seem.

Breath in through your nose, and out through your mouth.

Try to think of a pleasurable experience that you have gone through and concentrate on that feeling.

Gradually you will begin to feel more at ease.

Phone your doctor or local out of hours number and explain your situation.

Sometimes you may need more than one course of antibiotics.

Good luck.......

[moneal]

Johnboy has said it all really, panic is my worst enemy, it's easy for others to say relax if it is not them who is suffering,( all of us on this site know the feeling well) that felling of no oxygen is evil. I have had a lot of help getting the panic under control and my life has changed for the better.

Like most men I don't read the instruction book and used to try to put up with bad infections, it's not worth it, some antibiotics I am told take seventy two hours to kick in, after that scream for help.

One trick that might help, find something to take your mind off the breathing, I use the computer or play an electronic game anything that I have to focus my attention on.

Good luck, by tomorrow lets hope the pills have kicked in and you feel better

[hannahmac]

Thanks Moneal,

I could have gone to a drop in medical centre today but felt a little better when I woke up and thought I was on track for a recovery but by this afternoon I feel as bad as I did at the beginnning of the week!!! So I will be on the doctors doorstep tomorrow beating his door down. Just ordered a salt pipe. I intend to read all the instructions, invest in all the recommended cures and take all the preacautions. Whatever they may be???

[deezles]

Have you seen the heart scare about taking of Clarithromycin? It was the 3rd antibiotic out of 6 I was given over the winter for 2 bouts of pneumonia. I read about this in Metro and plan to take newspaper cutting to show GP at next appointment as since then, for the first time in my life, I'm 65, I have twice been told I have raised blood pressure, after testing.

The antibiotic that worked for me in 2nd bout was Doxicillin, and I intend to remind doctor about this if I have another bout. I feel you have to be so much on the ball, so to speak, and when you are feeling poorly, that is the last thing you are able to be!

[hannahmac in reply to deezles]

What was the problem with clarithromycin? I have been having bouts of Tachycardia (fast heart rate) everytime I eat a meal. does this have anything to do with it?

I have an appointment at 10 am today.

Receptionist wanted to make it a telephone appointment. For the first time ever I was in the one in charge I said NO I wanted to be seen and heard this morning!!!

[hannahmac in reply to deezles]

What was the problem with clarithromycin? I have been having bouts of Tachycardia (fast heart rate) everytime I eat a meal. does this have anything to do with it?

I have an appointment at 10 am today.

Receptionist wanted to make it a telephone appointment. For the first time ever I was in the one in charge I said NO I wanted to be seen and heard this morning!!!

[Hidden]

Usually anti-biotics are enough for me but occasionally I have had to have steriods as well. I can't take penicillian so take doxy....something. This usually works for me.

Bev x

[hannahmac]

What was the problem with clarithromycin? I have been having bouts of Tachycardia (fast heart rate) everytime I eat a meal. does this have anything to do with it?

I have an appointment at 10 am today.

Receptionist wanted to make it a telephone appointment. For the first time ever I was in the one in charge I said NO I wanted to be seen and heard this morning!!!

[Joany]

I have an emergency pack of Prednisolone steroid tablets given to me by the asthma nurse at my GPs and have been told to take these if I have a flare up - increased breathlessness, change/increase in sputum colour, increased tiredness, reduced walking distance.

The aim being to keep down INFLAMMATION in the lungs which, as we know, can cause further damage. Told to only take anti-biotics if sputum colour changes. I have yet to try this strategy as managed to avoid a chest infection last winter. Also, it makes sense to me to not take anti-biotics because they are becomingless effective generally. Hope this helps.

Joany