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Haemophilus Influenza Colonisation

Posted , 7 users are following.

will1997
will1997

Hi guys,

I am just posting on here to ask for advice about what to do about a bacterial colonisation (at least that's what I think based on symptoms and sputum samples done by my GP.) Over the last 8 weeks I have had 4 courses of antibiotics (Amoxicillin 1 week, Co-amoxiclav 10 days, Doxycycline 4 weeks in total.) All have helped to curb the infection during the course, but the infection has return immediately after (the usual symptoms of thick green mucus, slight chest pain etc.) My question is, what would be the best course of action from here? I had a chest X-Ray the other day but the results will not be sent through to my GP for another week. Possible courses of action which I've thought about are intravenous antibiotics, nebulised antibiotics or just an increased course of oral antibiotics. Has something similar happened to anybody on here, if so, what did you do to combat it?

Thanks, Will

1 like, 11 replies

11 Replies

  • lesley05714
    lesley05714 will1997

    Posted

    Hi Will,

    I really would recommend asking the doctor for a referall immediately to see a specialist at the hospital. You require a CT scan; my xrays showed up clear just before a massive lung bleed. The Ct scan showed up lots of 'gung' in my lungs and the infection was analysed and I have had lots of antibiotics. The diagnosis was bronchiectasis which can't be cured...but it can be managed with specialist treatment, the correct antibiotics. You may have something similar, I do suggest that you get it checked out. I have a couple of 'lodgers' in my lungs at the moment, the stuff comes up, same as yours, but mainly in an afternoon.

    Trust you get it sorted...

    Blessings,

    Lesley 

    • will1997
      will1997 lesley05714

      Posted

      Forgot to mention that I do have bronchiectasis and an immune deficiency already. Doubt there's going to be a large bleed, usually keep myself in pretty good condition and have ran a 10k the last 3 days to clear mucus and haven't felt awful, just a large quantity of thick mucus
    • lesley05714
      lesley05714 will1997

      Posted

      ...it is the chest pain that concerns me, I had that before the bleed, but I was coughing a lot and being treated for 'indegestion' for 8 months !!! ha, ha, I can laugh now at the absurdity, but it was deadly serious at the time.

      The blood just squirted up my throat at 4am in the morning and woke me up. So watch out for too much coughing,

      hope all goes well,

      Lesley

    • Operalyn
      Operalyn will1997

      Posted

      This has been going on a bit Will. You need specialist help now I reckon

      My sputum levels and consistency can be changeable but could be you need IV antibiotics - anyway some better help than you are getting.

      Take care.

  • supercough
    supercough will1997

    Posted

    Hi Will, haemophilus Influenza is a bug that is present in almost all the lungs of people with respiratory disease but it does make you quite ill when it gets going as in your case. You would not or SHOULD not be prescribed I/V or nebulised antibiotics by your GP, only a chest consultant should order that. You don't mention the dosage of the drugs so it is reasonable to assume that they were below maximum. Co-Amoxiclav (Augmentin) has excellent action against HI but the dosage has to be right. I wonder, do you attend a consultant's clinic or is your GP 'winging it'? If the latter it's time you had a referral and some more intensive investigations. This is the sort of situation that causes problems later when nastier bugs come around. It is essential that the correct dose is used and not 'gnat bite' therapy which serves to promote antibiotic resistence. My advice therefore is to ask for a referral to a specialist if you haven't seen one and if you have, get your GP to contact him/her with a view to seeing you soon. 
    • Operalyn
      Operalyn supercough

      Posted

      I would just like to say I agree wholeheartedly with you regarding will and other people who post on here.  Bronchiectasis needs specialist help.  I have been fortunate in having it all my life and taking it totally for granted.  Most GPs don't know enough about antibiotics, their dosage and the necessity for bronchiectasis patients to have a longer course than average.

      I do hope will1997 takes your advice!

       

  • rachael71638
    rachael71638 will1997

    Posted

    Hi Will,

    just wondering how it went for you? As after a nasty bout of bacterial pneumonia (never had any lung probs before) they found this in my sputum. 4 weeks later it's still there and the sputum is still Greenish. App is not until the 26th, think i'm going to bring it forward!

    did your specialist give you any info?

    thanks in advance

    rachael

    • will1997
      will1997 rachael71638

      Posted

      Hi Rachael,

      From when I posted on here a lot has changed. I think I finally got rid of the bug after about Easter with a 2 week course of antibiotics and with me doing some good physiotherapy work to remove it (riding my bike every day, breathing exercises etc.) Throughout my summer holidays I was fine, until going back to school in September I picked up the bug again. I don't know whether I ever really got rid of it, I think it was just at a low level. I had a few courses of oral antibiotics again, same old story! In the end I got an appointment to see my specialist in November and he recommended giving me intravenous antibiotics in hospital. I took a week of them but it had pretty much gone within 2/3 days! Since then it has not returned!

      I am not saying you will necessarily have to have intravenous antibiotics or anything, I am just saying for me it was the only think that worked effectively. I do have a slightly weakened immune system (cause of the bronchiectasis) and therefore cannot fight infections as well as others.

      Hope you get well soon,

      Will

    • rachael71638
      rachael71638 will1997

      Posted

      Thanks Will, that's great , really pleased for you.

      i'm going to speak to the consultant tommorow. I was on I.v antibiotics for a week in hospital. So maybe we'll get somewhere after the lung function tests to see if theres an underlying condition.

      thanks again, good luck

  • rene80906
    rene80906 will1997

    Posted

    Hi. I was admitted to hospital a month ago cause of a abnormal chest exray. I was there for a week. My sputum test shows h influenza non serotype b. I noticed think yesterday after I went to the lab and asked for all my blood works that was done. Apparently according to the comment on the results it says it is now being cultured and should be back in 5 weeks. I am extremely worried as my specialist physician has not discussed this with me. I had to google it. It's been a month now, ,should I not be on some sort of treatment?
  • cuddles1
    cuddles1 will1997

    Posted

    Hi will, haemoph flu is what started me on this downword lung spiral, I have had many, many antibiotics to try to get rid of it ,it kept coming back like yours, and many pneumonias over the years. Now I have bronciectasis and lots of lung damage. I think it is colonized in my lungs . Go to a specia,ist and read all you can, it is your body, so you have to fight for the right treatment.
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