Psedomonas

[Megan321]

Does psedomonas always show in a sputum culture...my sputum is still green even after ciprofloxacin x 2 weeks, and Tibi for 2 months...I have had numerous sputums done, and it's not showing up...

[Damon1864 Volunteer]

Hi Megan to be honest I m not sure as to the answer, but I'm quite sure someone will be along soon who can maybe answer this for you. You could ring the BLF helpline, I'm sure someone there can help you. Please let us know how you are and if you get your answer, sorry I wasn't able to help. Take care 🙂 Bernadette xx

[Megan321 in reply to Damon1864]

What does BLF mean....I'm from Toronto💕. Thanks for trying to help

[santisuk]

I don't have a definitive answer but just to add a few thoughts. I am a bronchiectasis sufferer who also gets a lot of sputum and frequent minor infections, some of which develop into full-on exacerbations* So, a bit like COPD sufferers. My point is that Papworth Hospital confirmed to me in the early stages of my bronchX diagnosis that I am one of a minority of sufferers who produce sputum that does not deliver any results - no indication at all that I have any specific bacteria though they can tell I have infecting bacteria of some sort. Perhaps then it may be the case that sputum behaviour is not always a reliable indicator of what's going on infection-wise for a broader generality of patient.

Another thought would be; are you getting results from the same lab and same instructing medic that you usually use when testing your sputum? It is possible that they are not letting the cultures mature long enough if it's a different lab or the medic is instructing the test differently than normal. Duration of culture (I know) and knowledge of what they are directed to look for (I think) is critical to outcome.

*minor infections colour up my sputum a tad but ultimately mostly get 'seen off' by my immune system - I might feel overly tired or have some temperature control issues or feel a bit of inflammation in my lungs that can disturb my sleep during these phases. 2-3 times a year however they do not clear up by themselves and I get purulent sputum and more variety, or a more invasive set, of symptoms and then I reach for the antibiotics.

[Megan321 in reply to santisuk]

Thank you for the infirmation

[Hidden]

It could be another bug which labs don’t screen for as a matter of course. For instance anarobes can get in there and really make your sputum horrible but they take weeks to grow. Also, unfortunately lab tests are notoriously unreliable and the pseudo may be there anyway and they just aren’t picking it up.

[Megan321 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you....that means bronchioscopy then

[Mgharris01]

It all depends on which part of your lungs the sputum sample is coughed up from.

Pseudomonas can colonise small parts of the lungs, therefore if the sputum is not coughed up from one of these sections then the bug will not show in the tests, however, if the sputum has been coughed from another area and is growing a different bug then this is what the clinicians will treat. (I hope that helps). By the way, I have only grown the pseudomonas bug three times in 10 years, but have grown other bugs in between.

[Megan321 in reply to Mgharris01]

I have done app 4 sputum samples in the last 4 months, and it's not showing, yet my sputum is still green, and the old cough is starting up again... maybe a bronchoscope would show it...it's probably not severe enough yet

[hallentine47]

I was infected with Pseudomonas while in Hospital last year and it stayed with me for months and suddenly disappeared! All my tests were done on sputum samples just as I was about to go back into hospital for IV Antibiotics to get rid of it!! perhaps you need to investigate it further. Best of luck.

[Megan321]

Thank you for your reply. I've recently switched over to the hospital lab with a new sputum. My sputum has been green since October, showed chronic psedomonas in Nov and Dec..even on 3 big antibiotics for Mac. I think I need a bronchioscopy

[Hidden in reply to Megan321]

There are ways to give you the right antibiotic without such an invasive procedure. Bronchoscopies seem all the fashion right now and they are only removing sputum from deep in the lungs which could be coughed up. It will still go to the lab. Personally I wouldn’t allow them within a mile of me with one of those things.

[Megan321 in reply to Hidden]

What other ways are there...I don't want a bronchioscopy unless I have to...??

[Hidden]

There are lots of broad spectrum antibiotics for the usual bugs plus metronidazole for anaerobes. They need to do proper tests in the lab and look for anaerobes and those which grow slowly. This is what they will do with any sputum that a bronchoscope takes out of your lungs but it will be done in the hospital labs. I have never needed a bronchoscope to find an antibiotic to knock the bad bug on the head. There is also the option of IV antibiotic which I have access to but avoid like the plague because I don’t believe in overegging it. I am colonised with pseudomonas. I always cough up coloured sputum but I am well. I think that it is possible to live with these things at a certain level and I only turn to antibiotics if I feel unwell or simply can’t clear my lungs which is the really important thing. As you are talking about a bronchoscopy I presume that your consultant has offered you this. Do you have bronch and is the consultant a general respiratory consultant or a bronch specialist. Bronch specialists can usually work their way to finding the correct ab and based on your history, have a good idea of what you need. It is up to you of course but if it were me I would discuss trying this route before you subject yourself to a process which, with whoever is treating you, you may find yourself having everytime the lab cannot find a bug. Good luck

[Megan321 in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your great advice....my lung capacity is slowly getting worse because of infection...maybe psedomonas..but not in sputum..I like your idea of a broad spectrum antibiotic, and maybe another sputum to look for anything slow growing. I have a pulmonary dr who specializes in MAC, which is the other bacteria is grow... I'll talk to my dr about this and see what she says✌️

[Hidden in reply to Megan321]

I don’t know much about MAC except that it is very difficult to deal with and can make you feel quite ill. I don’t have it. There are antibiotics which treat it and if your doc specialises in it I hope that she finds you the right antibiotic. The people I have known who had it were usually treated by IV antibiotic. I do hope that you get to the bottom of it all.

[PamDerouen]

Hi Megan, we all get different kinds of bacteria. This is mainly caused by our weak ammune system. I have bronchitis right now.

[Megan321]

I know...this all really sucks at times✌️

[Hidden]

Hi Megan, once you have pseudomonas it is very difficult to get rid of. I had the intensive 'gold standard' eradication process which did not work but keeps it at bay. At last I had 10 months of clear sputum samples and my consultant agreed I could halt the nebuliser gentamicin that I do twice every day, (along with ventolin and hypertonic saline). However after 1 month pseudo showed again so I am back on the nebuliser regime for life. It actually hides!!! It is very difficult to get rid of and can always return. A common bacteria that affects bronchiectasis and cystic fibrosis . The best you can do is to keep it in check and if it tries to get out of hand, ciprofloxacin is the standby antibiotic. There is also a smell to it, a bit like wheat or sugar puffs . It can taste sweet too. Just be aware and keep taking the meds and you will be as well as can be expected. Good luck

[Megan321 in reply to Hidden]

Last oct dr had given me ciprofloxacin 750 x 2 a day...didn't wrk...then tobi for 2 months at 160ml x 2 a day. That didn't wrk...sensitivity showed I which means u can take it but need a stronger dosage. Not sure if they did a sensitivity test before giving it to me...I am already on the big 3 antibiotics for MAC, now they have to add more....your right, it's hard to treat....I went to your link but what do u go under to find pseudo??? Thank you for your kindness💕😄

[Hidden]

It is not easy to accept the inevitability of pseudo continuing is it. I was so determined to beat it, being really fastidious with the treatment and positive in thought but to no avail! The only thing to do is to ensure that you get as much up from your lungs as you can possibly do and to try to stay away from coughs and colds of others.

14 days is the usual dose of anti bots. You can get devices to help you cough and huff effectively but I find the hypertonic saline neb s really helpful and carbocistene a boon....I wouldn't be without them!

Regarding Pseudomonas being on this site, it is not. Nor Bronchiectasis as a separate entity. We have to go under COPD which does not fully address our particular conditions. All good wishes to you Megan321.