Pseudomonas UTI - help it’s not responding to antibiotics
Posted , 5 users are following.
Hi, this is the first time on here.
My Dad age 69 had a lung biopsy 4 weeks ago. Luckily the biopsy came back all clear. He was discharge 3 days after the op and then ended up in A and E a day later with an infection. He was presenting with high temps, rigors and general unwell, weakness and aches. They said the infection was from unknown origin and they never tested his urine for 2 weeks and when they finally did he was diagnosed with pseudomonas UTi.
He is so ill and he has been on different antibiotics. This past 7 days he's been hammered with a triple bundle of antibiotics but his high temps are still there and now he is even more unwell from the side affects of the antibiotics.
The bundle of antibiotics they have been using are:
Metronidazole - IV
Teicoplanin - IV
Ciprofloxacin - ORAL
I'm wondering does he have a hospital caught antibiotic resistant super bug form of pseudomonas?
Does anyone have any similar experiences and can anyone offer advice?
I feel the consultant is running out of ideas with what to do next! We are in Liverpool. Can anyone recommend an expert in this area we can visit privately who might have a solution?
Any advice is greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Emma
0 likes, 2 replies
kathy219 Emmax
Posted
Sorry about your dad.
I have no experience with this, but would as if he is being treated by a specialist...an infectious disease doctor...or just a general doctor.
Also, were cultures run on his urine to determine type of bacteria? Any antibiotics prescribed should be a match for the bacteria he has.
Has he had UTIs in the past? Was he catherized for the biopsy?
Kathy
miriam65408 Emmax
Posted
Hi Emma, I'm so sorry this has happened to your dad. It does sound a bit like they were negligent to start with (no urine testing? I bet he was catheterised for the op as well), and then they went into panic mode by giving three strong antibiotics.
Cipro certainly shouldn't have been given to an over-60 unless it was as a last resort. Pay particular attention in case he shows signs of tendon problems or joint pains. All of these antibiotics will affect his gut so try to give him live yoghurt or probiotics to help things along - if he can't digest his food very well this will seriously impede his recovery.
My father- in- law got an infection from a uti from being catheterised and they threw endless antibiotics into him then discovered he had a fungal infection of the blood. Presumably the antibiotics allowed the fungus to get a grip (like when you get thrush after an antibiotic for cystitis).
Have your father thoroughly checked for all types of infection, not just bacterial. Antibiotic resistance is very common and one big problem with Cipro is that it can allow C.difficile to flourish - which is another reason it is not supposed to be used unless it really is the one last drug that might save him.
I do understand how worried you are and you desperately want to do the right thing. The big problem is that they act like they know everything but just sometimes they don't!