Off Topic: Elderly lady who can't shift infection

[Josiesmum]

Hello all. Writing on behalf of an elderly relative (late eighties) who has had a severe chest infection since Christmas. She's on her 4th course of antibiotics and feels better briefly after taking them but infection just keeps coming back. We're getting increasingly worried about her. She is hypothyroid but I don't thing her current illness is related to this as she was in excellent health prior to getting this infection. I've been giving her yoghurt and kefir but that's clearly not enough.

Please can anyone offer any suggestions of things we could try?

Many thanks in advance.

[Jazzw]

I think - and this is a toughie to write xx - that it’s very likely she has a touch, or more than a touch, of heart failure. And what’s happening is probably more due to pulmonary oedema (fluid building in her lungs) than an infection (the infection would be secondary).

Best things for relief and healing tend to be around posture and physio - is she sleeping as upright as she can? Regularly changing her position? Is anyone doing physio to get her to cough up the gunk?

[Josiesmum in reply to Jazzw]

Thanks for your suggestions. She's not having any physio, do you know what kind of physio might help? Thanks again.

[Jazzw in reply to Josiesmum]

It’s usually percussive - tapping on the back etc. Maybe ask the doctor if she could be referred? GP may well say no but worth a shot?

[humanbean]

1) Lots of vitamin C taken throughout the day, but not so much that it causes diarrhoea.

2) N-Acetyl-Cysteine - it helps to thin out lung secretions and makes them easier to cough up.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acety...

examine.com/supplements/n-a...

healthmonthly.co.uk/swanson...

I often take 600mg once or twice a day to help with lung congestion, but I do take breaks from it regularly.

[Josiesmum in reply to humanbean]

Thank you for your suggestions, that's really helpful.

[Slappiduck]

If heart failure is a possibility ( ankle/leg swelling) go to GP and ask for a BNP blood test, chest X-ray and ECG. Also worth having a look at anything she coughs up. White and frothy like washing up bubbles indicated pulmonary oedema. Thick and mucus more likely to be infection related. Particularly if it is discoloured.

[cjrsquared]

After 4 lots of antibiotics has anyone asked for a sputum specimen? Has she had a chest X-ray to exclude pneumonia or other causes? ( a typical pneumonia, empyema, malignancy). Does she have any other chest condition, asthma or copd. Does she use any inhalers? Red flags for chest symptoms include weight loss, blood in sputum and night sweats. If she has any ankle swelling the above suggestions for investigations for heart failure are robust. Also just to let you,know it takes 3-6 months to recover from a pneumonia. I hope she recovers soon.

[sandywandy1]

Has she had CT scan/ other tests? Agree sputum test could be helpful.

My relative treated for chest infection for 6 months following bout of 'pneumonia'. Recent outcome was fungus rather than infection in lungs. Treatment anti- fungals.

Also could be antibiotic treatment wrong sort or too short.

Kefir good. Garlic, coconut oil also considered helpful.

[mourneadventurer]

Nose wash with Emser salts daily, Go in one direction only per day. Inhalation using something like a little Mentholatum and boiling water in a bowl with a towel over the head. Perhaps consider mould instead of bacterial infection? Some detective work needed to eradicate the source.

Possibility of high reverse T3 levels which could mean that despite in range T4 and T3 your friend might be clinically hypothyroid and unable to fight the Underlying infection.

[Shar0n]

I second the garlic. My mother had a lot of relief with it from COPD. In her case it was the garlic capsules taken at night (not odourless).

[Josiesmum]

Thanks everyone for all your great suggestions, plenty to try here.