five chest infections in a year

[roger52]

Help, I am in the fifth chest infection, finished my antibiotics and steroids. Still difficult to breathe and walk should be going to daughters for Christmas and Friday but I am exhausted. My nose is still bunged up with mucus, coughing up sputum but it looks clear. Went to bed at 6.30 pm yesterday, got up for an hour or so about three times and finally surfaced at 2.15pm today. Been advised by Support nurse to start taking the other anti-biotics I have on Wednesday if I don't feel any better, do any of you have any other advice for me. I know there are some really kind and thoughtful people on this sight, thanking you all. Merry Christmas everybody.

[Damon1864 Volunteer]

Drink plenty and get plenty of rest. You take care. Merry Christmas and all the best fotr the new year

[Jessy11]

Hi Avril, I'm sorry to hear you're still so unwell. If your sputum is clear it sounds as if hopefully your chest infection has cleared up.

Good advice from your resp nurse. I think you need to get plenty of rest as your body will be exhausted with all these infections you've had.

So plenty of rest, good food, lots of drinks & just relax.

Hope you manage to go to your daughters for Christmas. It might just be the boost you need!

Have a very Happy Christmas 🎄 🎅🏼🎁

[Pam1952]

So sorry that you're feeling rough. Lots of nasties doing the rounds at the moment and they do take some shaking off.

I can't really add to the advice Jessy gave you, but hope that you see some improvement very soon.

I hope that you enjoy Christmas with your family. Pam XXX

[O2Trees]

Hi Roger, Ive been told by my respiratory nurse and my GP that sometimes infection may still be lurking lower down, even if Im coughing up clear mucus.

Usually if an infection doesnt clear up, or early in a new one, people take in sputum samples for analysis to make sure the AB matches the bug it is treating. But since you're coughing up clear mucus that probably wouldn't help.

If it hasn't cleared up by Wednesday, I would be wanting to know more about what might be causing it. If I had the level of exhaustion you're describing I would be thinking, like your nurse, that there could still be infection but imo it's kind of acting in the dark to start another AB course without knowing what's going on. You could ask to have a blood test as these can indicate infection and it might be worth asking for a chest X-ray if you haven't had one yet - just to see if anything stands out which might be causing these continuing infections.

I don't know what your diagnosis is but wondering if checking for bronchiectasis would be a good idea as often people with bronch can have continuous infections. This happened to me with similar continuing infections.

But sometimes it does take a while to get over the exhaustion and recover properly after a nasty chest infection - I hope you will be better by Wednesday and won't have to resort to any of the above. Take care

[mmzetor]

I know last Christmas I got a bad infection took 20days of antibiotics and month worth of steroids to get it cleared up

[pnewcombe]

I've lost count how many chest infections I've had I'm in double figures now . My chest specialist is hoping that with good clearance that they'll get less . It's possible you've picked up a viral infection with you been run down from the chest infection that could be why you're still not feeling better if I was you I'd go see my GP hope your feeling better soon x

[Dedalus]

That sucks - hope you feel better soon & that you'll be well enough to go to your daughter's for Christmas. Wishing you and your family a wonderful Christmas & happy and healthy New Year x