Pleurisy and Chest Infection Clarithromycin

I've had a bad chest infection for a month now. I struggled to work for 2 weeks with it, after the 1st week I saw my doctor who said that it's just a viral infection and will clear in a few days (!), a week later it was much

worse, difficult to concentrate at work, coughing all the time etc. He checked my chest again and found

some rattling, so prescribed 250mg amoxicillin. A week later it was worse, so I went back to see a

different doctor who prescribed 500mg clarythomicin twice a day. The next day (a Friday) I just couldn't go to work, so stayed at home, and in bed all weekend. On Monday morning I saw my doctor again and she sent me for a

chest xray, saying that I have a serious chest infection which is not responding to antibiotics, so I should

clear any thoughts of going to work out of my head, and get home and rest. Sensible doctor - I haven't had a sick day in over 4 years so felt really bad about being ill. Have been resting for almost a week now, and feel less confused and slightly better, but am constantly worrying about being buried by my colleagues

while I'm not there.

N.B. Apologies if this is a repeated post.

On the other side of the big pond, too. Rarely had a cold. In January, I was hit hard with coughing that brought me to my knees, the joint pain several have mentioned. No fever. Amox did nothing. It finally stopped, but I think I damaged my throat and muscles, so didn't get back to normal. Now, today I have those symptoms again, but with additional pain in the back ribs. I hope this isn't round 2.

I do have chronic severe costochondritis, (that has gone ignored by physicians), and that is raging today. I've also begun having an itching sensation my back and legs.

This all started 3 days after accompanying a friend to the ER for an injury.

After searching the internet I found this site and would like any opinions or answers if anyone can help. I went down with a chest infection before Christmas was given ab and it seemed to clear up. Some people in work thought I had picked up a bug from a sewage works as I am never off. Early January picked up another chest infection more ab. Went to Scotland snowboarding in Feb and ended up in A&E could not get my breath, dizzy, chest pain and back pain, came home early went doctors and sent to A&E for more tests. Been off sick for 6 weeks and doctor thinks I could have a super cardio tachya thingy but I am not convinced. My usual symptoms at total random times are dizzy, chest pain in lungs and back, headache, sweating and cold and sever tiredness. It is the worst have felt in my life. I have mucus and had another set of ab which seemed to help a bit but just feel not getting anywhere or better. Any advice would be much appreciated.

Symptoms: Bad Head, Chest Infection, Weak, Persistent Hacking Cough, Sore Throat, Spaced Out, Hard to Breathe and Unable to Sleep because of the Coughing and Mucus. My wife and I both have it so looking after each other. Wife been to the Docs for Chest Infection and on Amoxicillin. Both drinking lots of boiled water, home made lemon juice, and using steamer with Eucalyptus Oil. We do not take Paracetamol (Tylenol or Acetaminophen in USA) as it can be and is a cause liver damage according to latest info from FDA -US.Food and Drug Administration.

I note that with one exception all cases in both 2013 and 2014 occurred in the UK between January and March. I also see that it is in USA and they have had two bad winters and we receive some of our pollution from them.

I suspect that one of the causes may be the proliferation of domestic Condensing Gas Boilers which plume acidic water into air. Each boiler produces about 1.8 tonnes per year mostly in winter and there are millions of them in London alone. People walk amongst this going to work and school in the morning along with car exhaust fumes and other pollution. Regardless, let fresh air into the house as often as possible to reduce build up of pollution from gassing off chemicals indoors. According to studies done at Porton Down during the cold war when there was concern of Biological attack by the Russians one of the best ways to treat it would be being out in fresh air. TB sanatoriums were also open to fresh air for the same reason.

I am so glad to have found this site and find that i am not alone.

Have been feeling poorly for about 6 weeks now.

Had a really bad wheezy cough which i put up with for a while before seeing GP.

First dose of antibiotics taken for one day but i stopped taking them as they did not agree with me at all.

Second dose of antibiotics amoxicillin but no effect.

Third visit to the GP sent for chest xray and blood test.

The chest xray was clear.The blood test shows inflammatory markers slightly raised and i am anaemic.

In the mean time my head is now "bunged" up...lots of nasty green mucus coming from my nose,ears popping and teeth ache!!!!!

Still have a cough but not quite as intense as before.

I am so tired of feeling tired and just want to feel myself again.

Back to the Gp next week

 

I'm so glad I found this site! I've had a sinus and chest infection on and off since January of this year (2014) with a horrible cough. My latest infection (pneumonia) was in March). March 6th was the worst day of it all! Fever, chills, sweat and cough. I never felt that sick in my life! Today is May 17th and I still have chest pain and a cough! ... Got a chest x-ray a month ago which came back clear... I insisted on getting a CT scan. Which came back this week, showing pneumonia and consistent lung infection. I've taken 5 sets of antibiotics since January with no improvement. I am now on an inhaler and a 10 day steroid treatment. Doctor says if the chest pain and cough doesn't go away after the 10 day treatment, I will have to go to a lung specialist to get a closer look of what they saw on my ct scan. I am a 39 years old female with 2 kids. Since i've been sick, the quality of my life changed drastically! I'm always tired and just have no energy to do anything. I am otherwise a pretty active person. Can't wait to feel better again! 

Hi Guila,

I had exactly the same thing. Finally subsided about April. Chest X-ray showed enlarged heart. Had to go for echo gram. This shows enlarged heart and faulty valve. This wasn't there before, so I'm not sure if the 'virus' has caused it. Not sure this is of any help, but at least you know you are not on your own. 

Hi All!

Sorry to hear about everyone not doing so well. I'm here in Minnesota with the same symptoms. My Husband is a semi driver and I went with him for a three week run. i was in over 8 states. I must of caught this somewere between Washington and Ohio..I have never been so weak and  in so much pain before.   I was woundering if anyone got better without a/b? I am starting to feel better now after a month but I'm still coughing. No fever and I m not feeling as week anymore. I don't have axcess to medical  o-care not for everyone! I do have an Inhailer for my asthma but would prefer not to go in if I don't have to...

Hello

I'm a young 28 year old woman, I think i possibly have the same thing, i started with a sore through a month ago then a runny nose and caugh, i felt like i was going to caugh my lungs up when i strted caughing i couldnt stop. after 4 weeks of this it started to ease off but the caugh wouldnt go away.

i went to the dr's as i was getting pain in my side from all the caughing and the dr put me on a corse of antibiotics and sent me for n xray i finished the antibiotics yesterday but they havent worked and i only seem to be worse than i was yes the caugh isent as bad but my chest and back are agony and its uncomfatable when i caugh or breath after a cauguing fit theres also a constant sting when i do breath and i have started to develop the symptons of the virus again with the sore through and sneazeing comeing back. ever since i contracted this virus ive had a constant ake from mid bisep to my fingers i have other illnses that do weaken my emunbe system with i think may have made this worse. 

my dr told me very little and just gave me antibiotics and sent me on my way, i suffer from cronic anxiety and its causeing me not to be able to sleep. ive just over the last few days started caughing up pail yellow flem with streaks of red in, im plan to return to my dr's on monday as i do not think this is goung to get better on its own.

though i feel more releaved in finding that there seems to be others out there that are also going through or have gone through this virus and are pulling through, thpough i cannot say it isent a scary thing to be going through exspetialy for someon who lives alone.  

 

Well it's me again came down with this chest infection in February as I said before - had 2 lots of antibiotics and felt well for 2 or 3 days in March and then got bad again. I have been on 2 more lots of antibiotics Clarithromycin and Doxycycline but still coughing and am now on serevent and ventolin inhalers. I have had blood tests which came back to say I had had an infection of some sort and a chest Xray which was clear plus spirometry test which was ok but improved with ventolin inhaler.

The inhalers have helped me a bit and I was put on ventolin and Doxycycline antibiotic after I woke up at the beginning of May unable to breathe - it was very scary.

BUT still coughing up phlegm, feeling unwell and very fed up now. I am a singer and have been unable to sing, due to all the coughing since the end of January. I am fed up and depressed now.... 

Eventually having a specialist appointment on 4th June - this has gone on for 4 months now!!

Has anyone else had anything like this - I just want to know if I'll ever feel well again

 

hi there, i know its been awhile since you wrote this post i was wanting to know how you was getting on. I went through the same thing apart from my left lung was infected with pneumonia. Antibiotics Weren't helping so they stopped giving them to me. But a few later after xray and ct scan i am starting to feel the symptoms start up again. I was wondering if you got over it.