Severe Cold, to Bronchitis; PMR has not returned

[Boss302Fan]

Had gotten a cold that became tenacious, as after 1 week of a head cold it progressed to my chest. A week later I had Bronchitis for the first time in my life and starting with week 3 my GP put me on a Prednisone routine of 40 mg, 30, 20, 10 over a course of 10 days. As if that wasn’t enough, she added two different prescriptions for cough, decongestant / expectorant syrups one every 4 hrs and the other before bedtime. Spent 1 week on these and another week expelling remnants of the ordeal. Of course from the beginning I followed normal SOP for dealing with a cold. What’s interesting is at no time did I run a fever, and only had a sore throat for 2 days. Wasn’t COVID as I did an Ag test every 5 days and all were negative.

I’m fully vaccinated for Covid-19 w/Moderna 2-part shot + 3 boosters. Also current on Flu vaccine and Pneumonia vaccines.

Felt like a viral infection and my GP agreed and no antibiotics given.

I was concerned that all of this would trigger a return of PMR, but so far (it’s been 2 weeks since end of this infection) with no symptoms.

Just 2 weeks from being 6 months off Pred., and my fingers are 🤞🏻.

[Purpleazalia]

Sorry to hear you suffered bronchitis. Will keep my fingers 🤞 for you too.

[PMRpro Ambassador]

Fingers crossed indeed - will have been a thorough testing of your immune system though!

[SheffieldJane]

There are some unusually nasty viruses about that hang on and on and feel unusual, since Covid. My friends are saying the same thing.

[Boss302Fan in reply to SheffieldJane]

My wife and I did catch Covid late September 2022. I was put on PaxLovid but my wife was not due to interaction with her COPD medications which the Dr felt were more important. We had it for about 10 days before testing negative. Wasn’t that bad except for brain fog and getting jabbed in the head in random places with a sharp, but short pain.

I wonder if it made me more susceptible to this recent respiratory infection?

[SheffieldJane in reply to Boss302Fan]

That would make sense.

[Preacherball]

This sounds very similar to what I have been enduring for the last 3 weeks. The difference is that in my case, my GCA symptoms have mostly presented as upper respiratory issues, so it is hard to know if this has been caused by some virus due to being immunocompromised or a GCA flare that causes inflammation leading to my symptoms. Each time this has happened, I have had a severe cough. This time it has been like having glue in my chest, coughing up phlegm often, but also a dry cough as well. Negative for covid, pneumonia, flu, no temp. Rheumy has been aware since my symptoms showed up again. Went from 2mg pred. up to 20, but this did not stop the progression. Up to 60 for 3 days, then progressing down, now at 30. It's helped, but not done with it yet.

[Boss302Fan in reply to Preacherball]

My cough was horrible, often have bouts of coughing and nothing coming up. Tightness in my sternum followed, then became wheezing and that was when I reached out to my GP because the Mucinex DM wasn’t doing anything while the two liquid syrups prescribed also contained the same chemical but they worked immediately. Made OTC meds look like candy.

[Preacherball]

What were the two medications you were prescribed? Previously, I was given one that had codeine, but I didn't think it helped much.

[Boss302Fan in reply to Preacherball]

Promethazine-DM (5 ml @ bedtime)

Pseudoeph-Bromphen-DM (5 ml every 6 hours

As needed - and I needed it) and was told I could take both at the same time at bedtime (I didn’t).

Also prescribed Albuterol Inhaler, once every 4

Hours as needed. This I used 2-3 time per day initially, then down to once per day at the very end.

[Preacherball in reply to Boss302Fan]

Thx! I'm over the worst of it, I hope, but will keep for future reference. I think this is now the fourth time I've been through it since my diagnosis in June of 2021. Lots of qustions for my rheumy when I see him later in March.