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Antibiotics curing asthma

Beefull8 profile image
21 Replies

Has anyone heard of antibiotics curing asthma? I read a blog and part of a book about how a doctor helps patients with severe asthma completely cure it with antibiotics. This type of asthma is due to a virus called Chlamydia pneumoniae. I think you can test for it and was just curious if anyone’s had it or heard about it.

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risabel59 profile image
risabel59

I take Azithromycin 3 times a week, and it seems to do wonders. I have quite difficult asthma but it is really under control at present. Touch wood.

R

Beefull8 profile image
Beefull8 in reply to risabel59

That’s really great to hear! How did your doctor know to prescribe it for you? And how long have you been on it?

risabel59 profile image
risabel59 in reply to Beefull8

I have been taking it consistently for 2 years apart from a couple of breaks when I had to take other Anti-Biotics for other reasons. My consultant decided on it as a next step, having been through a whole range of other treatments.

It certainly wasn't a first option. Also I have Bronchiecstasis, probably caused by untreated asthma as a child.

Anyhow, I'm not sure that Azithromycin is the cure all, but my asthma is better now than it has been in the last 15 years, and I've been well (ie no oral steroids for 14 months).

I actually don't want to take this for the rest of my life, but my current consultant is very keen I continue, as I can get super unwell.

I am thinking of getting another opinion so at least I can weigh up various options.

However to be well is such a gift that it is really difficult to give up on any of my current treatments.

R x

Mogget profile image
Mogget

There's this website detailing one guy's experience with antibiotics curing his asthma: asthmastory.com/

hypercat54 profile image
hypercat54

There is no cure for asthma. If there was we would all be given it and none of us would have it. Anyone who says otherwise obviously has a financial interest in claiming this.

Matman profile image
Matman

The following is directly related. Worth a read.

mdmag.com/medical-news/azit...

Beefull8 profile image
Beefull8 in reply to Matman

Thank you so much for sending that! What an interesting study!

Livre profile image
Livre

Yes I have. There has been research on this and some excellent success.

Maybe search using say duckduckgo instead of of google, for the research.

I queried a gp about this, he would only give me 3 tablets and it was miraculous, I woke on the third morning feeling wonderful and stretched!

but after a week or so I was back to usual. In Aus it is an expensive drug hence only 3.

I forgot to,pursue this when I saw a specialist. I would ask if I was you. It would save the NHS a lot of money if it worked. If not now, when a generic is available.

The research gave people the drug for 6 months as I recall.

Obviously there is huge vested interest and money in not healing asthma.

Beefull8 profile image
Beefull8 in reply to Livre

I’ll definitely ask. It’s great to here. I wonder what would happen if you stayed on it. Do you think there would have been less side effects from the antibiotics?

Livre profile image
Livre in reply to Beefull8

I don’t know. I expect you can look for the research info on the antibiotic side effects. I do know the corticosteroids are terrible,

if you get pregnenolone or at least dhea say 12 mg max daily this will protect you against the suppression of the adrenal cortex production of this anabolic ie protective hormone.

If you read you can decide. I self medicated carefully more carefully than a medical who would have given 50 mg per day.

Took progesterone too and cured the terrible thin skin and veins up on my hands.... eek, clear plasma on top and red blood cells at the bottom of the veins sticking up on my nice hands.

I had no dhea after 10 years off and on cymbicort or seratide. So lost brain, huge fat 13 kg increase, loss of hair and muscle depressed,,.weak, etc.

Livre profile image
Livre in reply to Livre

Beeful, the research subjects mostly had no asthma symptoms afterwRds. So who knows, if it works might be free of asthma.

beech profile image
beech

I’m being treated with 14 days of flucoxacillin for an infection in a cut on my shin. I’m finding after 4 days that my breathing is a little easier - for no clear reason given I’m using a host of meds directly for my respiratory problems, and don’t have a respiratory infection. I’ll keep an eye on whether this continues for the duration of the antibiotics and what happens after I finish!

Beefull8 profile image
Beefull8 in reply to beech

That is so exciting! Please let me know what happens.

beech profile image
beech in reply to Beefull8

I can’t say that I feel back to the old ‘normal’ I used to enjoy before I started breathing through a flattened straw (!), but it feels like my lungs can take in a bit more air.

Perhaps the flucloxacillin is tamping down a low-grade infection in my airways which is contributing to some of the inflammation? I doubt I’d get an unequivocal answer from a medic! Any improvement for a while is a bonus.

Minushabens profile image
Minushabens

I haven’t looked in detail at all the links in the thread as I’m out & about at the moment but I think we need to be careful to distinguish between curing and managing asthma. I take quite a lot of ABs, and my breathing generally improves when I’m on them. No doubt that’s because I am suffering an exacerbation due to an infection, which the ABs treat. But if they CURED asthma, then it would be a once only treatment & the end of my problems. Clearly that has never happened, in spite of me taking a LOT of them in my time.

If he is claiming a cure it bogus, if it worked it would be tested by now and results published.

It is possible for certain antibiotics to help certain asthmatics.

johnsmith profile image
johnsmith

Some antibiotics are also anti-inflammatories. Google erythromycin anti-inflammatory.

For example ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/125...

Under the present regrime of drug taking as treatment there is no cure. The more you dig into medical research the more you find that the body as an engineering system with feedback mechanisms is totally missing as a consideration.

McTimony chiropractors has techniques for treating asthma. Teachers of the Alexander technique have techniques for treating asthma. These set of techniques are physical and are totally missing from a medical person's understanding.

Over contracted rib muscles impede breathing. Over contracted rib muscles potentially make someone prone to an asthma attack. There is a relationship between the movement of leg muscles and the tightness of the chest via spinal reflexes.

When having an Asthma attack it is more important to breathe out rather than try and breathe in. Atmospheric pressure will refill the lungs

You mention some of this to a respiratory consultant and they would not know what you are talking about. They know all the latest drugs. Drugs cannot teach the brain how to correct faulty muscular breathing habits.

One of the things that is known is that many people develop asthma after having experienced a cold. Colds can do things to the way muscles function as they can interfere with feedbacks and instructions to muscles.

What I have said here is for you to investigate to see if it applies to you or not.

Beefull8 profile image
Beefull8 in reply to johnsmith

Thank you that’s a lot of help! I suddenly couldn’t breathe after I was diagnosed at the ER with stomach flu so I wondered if it would help me.

B_Asthma profile image
B_Asthma

I have never heard of asthma being caused by bacteria and being fulled cured with antibiotics. Personally, I would be suspicious of any claim since asthma is inflamation not an infection. This means the way to treat asthma is via some form of steroids instead of antibiotics.

Poobah profile image
Poobah in reply to B_Asthma

Some very specific antibiotics can be used as anti inflammatory meds and some asthmatics respond much better to these than to oral steroids. I've had both treatments and found that the antibiotics were easier to tolerate than steroids and I responded very well, in that my asthma really improved. BTW full tests are carried out first to rule out infections and to consider suitability. In the UK these antibiotics are prescribed by consultants who can then authorise seasonal courses prescribed by GPs without further referral.

EmmaF91 profile image
EmmaF91Community Ambassador in reply to B_Asthma

Some people do respond well to long term use of azithromycin (usually taken 3 days a week), however it is an add on, not a cure (this word choice is where I was unimpressed), and is a secondary/tertiary centre drug. As prev people have said they work with the lung biodome and have an anti inflammatory affect

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