Bronchiectasis & Pseudomonas

[Primrose63]

I was diagnosed with Bronchiectasis in 2018. Over the past 4 years i have learned how to look after myself - with regular chest clearance, exercise, diet. A few weeks back i had a gum infection which went on & on and my dentist prescribed a week of amoxiclav ....the medication didn't work and I eventually had to have the tooth out - which was a huge relief. I do remember the dentist saying that the gum infection was draining into my mouth. My general health had been good, but I did start to feel 'below par'. I handed in a sample to be sent for analysis before putting myself back on antibiotics because there were signs within my chest clearance that things weren't right. Coincidentally I had my yearly appt with my chest consultant, who said that it was quite likely that the gum infection had transferred to my chest.

My GP was notified that the sample showed Pseudomonas and I was put on 500mg of Ciprofloxacin for 10 days, but today my GP prescribed 750 mg for 4 more days.

I do not want to take A.B's unless absolutely necessary, but I do not want to make my condition worse. The trouble is from my point of view, is the quandary i am occasionally in and the fact that the onus of responsibility is down to me.

My post is not asking for answers to questions, it's more to say - Thankyou for sharing your experiences with Bronchiectasis. Unless you are a sufferer I don't think there are many people who even know what the condition is.

I am also a very new Grandparent, which is lovely and I know Bronchiectasis sufferers are advised to avoid young ones (especially with colds) this is not always possible!

Thankyou for reading.

[Mooka]

oh dear Primrose along comes the dreaded pseudomonas just when you have someone to celebrate. For a start ciproflaxin is the only oral antibiotic that works for pseudomonas. The course for someone with Bronchiectasis should be 14 days. Pseudomonas lurks in the corners of your lungs and comes out to play at all the wrong times. It took my team nearly a year to find out my recurrent infections were caused bt pseudomonas. After several prolonged courses of Cipro I had iv antibiotics and now nebulise antibiotics twice daily to keep it away. I’ve been doing this for over four years. Congratulations on your new grandchild and yes they are little germ machines love them. I hope you feel better soon.

[Primrose63 in reply to Mooka]

Thankyou for your reply Mooka... I am just about at the end of two weeks' Cipro....which seems to have worked. My GP thinks it would be a good idea to send a further sample in for culture a week after I have finished my course of A.B's - 'just to be sure'. I am very grateful for this forum platform and the information shared within it. Thankyou and keep well yourself.

[Mooka in reply to Primrose63]

thank goodness your Gp is on the ball. I hope the cipro has done its job.