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Any pharms onboard?


Dave-G
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I'm having yet another moderate COPD infection flare up - I read it comes more often as age increases so I'm learning to live with the taste of infection in my throat and lungs.

I'm just coming towards the end of my third consultant advised heavier than usual duty antibiotic treatment with a prednisolone course now completed too this time. The antibiotic courses have been 2x Doxycycline and now have one Clarithromycin 8 day course 500mg tab remaining. This has been going on for about 6 to 8 weeks now. I know I sometimes initially leave it longer than ideal in case my body manages to clear it up itself.

I use the Systmonline medication request facility to request meds from the health centre when needed and will continue to endure it rather than risk hospital attendance during Covid 19 pandemic. I don't currently have an unused rescue pack. 

So to my question really: Are Doxycycline and Clarithromycin cheaper than usual 'go to drugs' rather than a more effective treatment being a last option sort of thing and is there something particular I ought to request? I try to avoid phoning the health centre as that can take hours to get a reply. Each course of antibiotic has seen the symptoms initially almost clear up but return before the whole course has been completed as per advice. This sounds to me like I've become either dangerously resistant to anti's - or the current infection type doesn't respond to those variations.

When I make a request I usually get a call from the chemist but if he gets no answer when he rings he only tries a second time... I don't generally carry my mobile with me.... i keep forgetting it. :ermm: I imagine there would be current difficulty presenting a sputum sample at this time too.

Edited by Dave-G
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5 minutes ago, team tractor said:

I thought you had this if your allergic to penicillin   ? 

Not heard that to be honest, and I've never been allergic to penicillin but a bit more time on Google shows there are second stage antibiotics and both of those I had are in the first stage - along with amoxicillin which I haven't had this time.

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26 minutes ago, scarecrow243 said:

H i Dave are you in a damp house this can be your cause   i have half of my right lung removed and copd a damp house caused me to keep getting ill  i moved house in 2016 and have not had any infections i also take one inhaler capsule each day

In a modern well insulated and vented dry home. gets bad as soon as wet weather turns up - always good in long summers. 911 seems to confirm I may need stage two antibiotics so much as I finally concluded thanks.

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11 minutes ago, Houseplant said:

It comes down to sensitivities of the bug(s) rather than a question of which antibiotic is best. As you know, this requires sputum samples being sent to a microbiology lab. Otherwise this is a reliable source of information: https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng114/chapter/recommendations#choice-of-antibiotic

Yep - thats the site i found thanks.

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Hi Dave-G, your situation is very similar to mine, so I sympathise with you. I can't answer your question re pricing of meds, but what I will say is that I know my body, and if certain drugs/meds [usually antibiotics] aren't having any or little effect, I'm straight on the phone to my GP [call back usually] and request something else. Then usually, after taking new antibiotics for a couple of days you [I] can feel them working. I've taken probably every antibiotic known for treating COPD and not all work with the combination of preds and inhalers etc.

My 'bouts' usually last 10/12 weeks, with a slow build-up of a month or more,,,, 4/6 weeks of suffering,,,, then 4/6 weeks of improvement, the last 2 being clear just to make sure ! My latest one started in January, came to a head in mid February with an 8 hour hospital visit, then 2 weeks later it was lockdown, then spent another 9 weeks indoors, [so a total of 11 weeks isolating as much as possible] before I could get back to work. It was very tough !

As for sputum sample testing,,,, never had issues with these, as I get the sample pots from the GP practice and return it/them through their letter box, so limited contact. I'm sure yours would do the same ?

So my advice is talk to your GP and discuss/insist on a better positive way forward 😉

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42 minutes ago, JKD said:

Hi Dave-G, your situation is very similar to mine, so I sympathise with you. I can't answer your question re pricing of meds, but what I will say is that I know my body, and if certain drugs/meds [usually antibiotics] aren't having any or little effect, I'm straight on the phone to my GP [call back usually] and request something else. Then usually, after taking new antibiotics for a couple of days you [I] can feel them working. I've taken probably every antibiotic known for treating COPD and not all work with the combination of preds and inhalers etc.

My 'bouts' usually last 10/12 weeks, with a slow build-up of a month or more,,,, 4/6 weeks of suffering,,,, then 4/6 weeks of improvement, the last 2 being clear just to make sure ! My latest one started in January, came to a head in mid February with an 8 hour hospital visit, then 2 weeks later it was lockdown, then spent another 9 weeks indoors, [so a total of 11 weeks isolating as much as possible] before I could get back to work. It was very tough !

As for sputum sample testing,,,, never had issues with these, as I get the sample pots from the GP practice and return it/them through their letter box, so limited contact. I'm sure yours would do the same ?

So my advice is talk to your GP and discuss/insist on a better positive way forward 😉

Yep - I usually wait a month or so after the first symptoms hoping to self heal but have been advised its not a good thing. we can't just turn up with samples - have to have a form to be presented with it in a sealed bag.

Main trouble with 'trying' first stage antibiotics is the extended test of two or three types then leads to a stinging yellow tongue and oesophagus and staying indoors out of cold air.

Anyway, due to shielding and wife out with the car a doc will be visiting within five hours.

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1 minute ago, Dave-G said:

Yep - I usually wait a month or so after the first symptoms hoping to self heal but have been advised its not a good thing. we can't just turn up with samples - have to have a form to be presented with it in a sealed bag.

Main trouble with 'trying' first stage antibiotics is the extended test of two or three types then leads to a stinging yellow tongue and oesophagus and staying indoors out of cold air.

Anyway, due to shielding and wife out with the car a doc will be visiting within five hours.

Yeah, I do the same thing,,,, wait and see if my body can 'do its thing' before seeking help. Once on meds I 'self medicate', ie, control the intake as I see fit,,,, or what my body is doing 😐

By your description,,,, yellow tongue etc,,,, that can be not rinsing regularly, especially after using an inhaler/puffer,,,, so one of my GPs informed me.

I also get the cold air thing,,,, not nice !

Some of the best advice I've had is to deep breathe regularly, ie, expand the lungs as much as possible. I know it's difficult, but it does work 👍

My method of sampling is the same as you describe, but never had issues. Sounds like someone is making things unnecessarily problematic 🤔

Good luck with your appt later, and keep safe 😉

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Well thanks all, doc has been...

Antibiotics apparently didn't work because its viral and more likely to be a persistent chronic cough - treatment is codeine which apparently numbs the airways a tad and contains opioid. Cream colour phlegm confirms it apparently.

Plus Nystatin to clear the oral thrush caused by so much antibiotic.  

He agrees its very tricky to determine if its viral or otherwise. Also avoid hot drinks as that improves conditions for the virus. I've learned something today. :oops:

Edited by Dave-G
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