Reoccurring chest infections

[Brittleasthmatic]

With my severe asthma still being all over the place and I get a wheeze and a cough daily the last thing I need is to keep getting chest infections. The past 6 months I’ve had 8 chest infections and 2 in just the past 3 weeks! Does anyone else keep getting reoccurring chest infections all the time? It’s like everytime anyone in my family has a cold I get a chest infection !

I am waiting for my GP to get the flu jabs for my age group which they said would be another 4 weeks then I will have it

Does anybody else get this?

Why do I get this?

Is it just another thing to do with having bad asthma?

[twinkly29]

Do you take a maintenance antibiotic? If not it might be worth asking about one. Or perhaps a different one if you do take one?

Also you could get your flu jab at a pharmacy sooner - depending if they have them in, if you're allowed to have one elsewhere health-wise and if you're well enough to have it done of course!

[Brittleasthmatic in reply to twinkly29]

I don’t have a maintenance antibiotic but thanks for letting me know about this I should have to ask my gp. Also I didn’t know you could get it done in the chemist - Thankyou!

[twinkly29 in reply to Brittleasthmatic]

Lots of places offer the flu jab, Boots, supermarket pharmacies, Superdrug, etc. I always thought it was just for those who wanted it but weren't eligible for the free one but anyone can have them, you just don't pay if you're entitled to a free one. My mum filled out a form and was given a bit to give to her surgery so they can record that she's had a jab so I assume that would also be the case for those eligible for a free one.

With the antibiotics, I don't know if the GP can just decide to prescribe the antibiotics long-term or if it needs to be a respiratory specialist but definitely worth a discussion and, if you haven't already been referred to a specialist, it might be good if that was an option too.

[KnPoa]

I normally have recurring chest infections over the winter. It starts as a cold then bam chest infection. It starts about October then lasts until Feb time (depending on weather). My last one I went through 8 different antibiotics and 9 lots of steroids. I’ve been through all the blood tests and chest X-rays, always come back fine.

My doctor thinks it’s down to allergies, in the winter all windows and doors are shut and there isn’t a flow of fresh air.

Have you been tested for allergies?

[Brittleasthmatic in reply to KnPoa]

Yes I have many many many allergies. I’m on the waiting list for xolair injections to get my allergy levels down but I don’t know how long this will be.

Thankyou for replying I’m sorry you struggle to

[Hannah125 in reply to KnPoa]

Hi,

Does it mean that you can have a chest infection and have normal blood and x-ray results ?

I've been sick for months and my chest feels sore and inflammed continuously, I have attacks everyday but all my results come back good.

[Js706 in reply to Hannah125]

Normally if blood tests and X-Rays are fine it’s either something else causing the symptoms like allergies, or possibly a virus.

There are a few atypical bugs that need specific tests to identify them but I think they normally have red flag symptoms that would lead to a doctor suspecting them before testing.

[Chip_y2kuk]

I spoke to a very good asthma nurse from the REACT team who said that this could be just one of those things or it could be a dig your asthma control is still a little off and there's mucus in your lungs causing the infection....she started me on Montelukast and I've not been able to time my chest infections since (I used to be 3-4 months for one)

[Ayeup]

Hi Brittleasthmatic, a doctor years ago told me that as an asthmatic you could expect one chest infection a year. If you're getting more you should review your meds. Currently I'm at the 'review your meds' stage as my chest infections are lasting months so in the past year I've been ill more than I've been well. I've got a respiratory consultant appointment next week and I'm hoping they'll review my meds. I'm on Fostair, Spiriva, Montelukast and desloratadine for multiple allergies. Hope you can get sorted out, the chest infections make you so weary.

[Sonique58]

Dear Brittleasthmatic,

Here is Probably a Bit Of a Slightly Unusual Way To Address This Problem,

Please Can Anyone Let Me Know if Others Have Tried This and Had it Helped Them?

If You Also Suffer Hay Fever Also, Like I Do, There May Be Another Solution, I Take Piriton Tablets All Year Round, Just One In The Morning That’s it, Because As I Noticed Whenever I Used To Get Them On Repeat Prescription, Apart From Them Being More Expensive, They Only Allow Them Till Sept End, And as Soon as They Stopped Them I Got Very, Very Sick Almost Immediately, and it Kept Happening, Yr On Yr, So I Asked it Be Removed From My Repeat and The Sickness Over Winter Stopped, After I Started Taking Them All Year Round, If I Get Sniffles, I May Take 2 or 3 That Day ie As You’re Allowed 1/3Times a Day and the Next Day I’m Usually Fine Again, Can’t Take Fly Jab Anymore, Not Since They Mixed the Swine Flu Jab, & Other Stuff etc With the Old Seasonal Flu Jab, as the New Version Makes Me Really ill, as it Does Many Of My Friends & Family etc

Also Having a Standby Antibiotic? They Say if Antibiotics Are Taken Almost Constantly, They Can Lose Their Effectiveness & May Not Work Again At All, if & When You Really Need Them. Also They Seem To Have Adverse Long Term Effects On Stomach Fauna, They Seem To Destroy or Lessen the Effects Of Friendly Bacteria In Your Gut, Leading To IBS and GERD, Which is What Happened To Me, as I’ve Had Severe Asthma Since 1965, and At One Stage Before Taking Piriton All Year Round, I Was Suffereing Chest Infections and On Antibiotics Every Other Month or in Other Words, 6 Months a Year,

I Hope This Helps!

[Whitechinchilla]

Hi there Brittle asthmatic.

Firstly my sympathy to you, truly.

I had 8 infections in 2018 so I understand a little of how you feel.

I won’t bore you with my issues with my surgery over the handling of that.

Suffice it to say, I got the nurse to refer my to the local RESPIRATORY CLINIC.

Long story short, medication was changed and I have been clear for 11 months now.

(My own theory about my issues is that my antibiotics were no longer effective, but I could not get a gp to agree.

The physios at the clinic however had a completely different opinion)

At the clinic the staff are SPECIALISTS in lung problems.

Do see of you can find a clinic near to you and try and self refer. It’s worth a try.

(Later on when your condition is under control they can offer other help by way of PR classes, but don’t stress about that now.)

So many recurring infections leave us with a compromised immune system, and that brings more problems.

I do wish you well in finding a clinic who will give the very best treatment, advice and encouragement.

I hope you can resolve this quickly before the winter sets in.

As far as the flu jab is concerned, do be sure that all infection has cleared before you have it to avoid side effects.

Good wishes and let us know how you progress.

☺️

[Tugun]

Hi,

I know I don't even like looking at someone who has a sniffle for fear I'll catch it! My doctor gives me a prescription for Tamiflu which I keep in the cupboard in case I get the flu. I try my best to overcome it (keep warm, take extra C and A- only a little A as you can overdose on it, take some olive leaf and anything else I think might work) but if it begins to go into my lungs and the breathing becomes heavier; I take the Tamiflu. For me it works. It seems to stop me from getting too bad. I still have to keep warm and keep up everything else.

If you are really bad, try intravenous Vitamin C. By taking it intravenously, it bypasses the gut and you able to take a higher dose. It's water soluble so it does exit the system quite quickly. I found it helped when I had a severe chest infection that had gone deep in my lungs and the phlegm was very thick/hard. By severe, I mean I had to sleep propped up and put the alarm on when I went to bed to wake up every hour and take Ventolin because if I left it longer, I found it extremely hard to have enough air to breathe in the Ventolin.

I found the intravenous Vitamin C seemed to make it easier to breathe for a little while and seemed to help me through what was a very difficult time. I didn't have Tamiflu at that time.

keep looking for ways to build up your immune system.

All the best.

[DrZivago32]

I too get recurrent chest infections. I dread getting a cold as it's a 3/4 week issue for me (or longer if I end up in A&E). I haven't got a remedy- I triple my inhaler dose as soon as I realise I'm coming down with a cold.

[Rachiejo87]

Hi there,

I seem to bypass the "cold" and instead proceed straight to a chest infection ?

I hope you feel better soon and gain more control xx