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Respiratory Disorders (Expert Forum)
Very severe COPD patient § chronic bronchitis
Answered by
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Very severe COPD patient § chronic bronchitis
by bonzo, Oct 24, 2002 12:00AM
My husband was diagnosed 6 yr ago with VERY SEVERE COPD..He has all 3 components i.e. the emphysema, asthma & chronic bronchitis.
He does not smoke.. quit about 10 yr ago.
He has just come from the doctor with yet another diagnosis of bronchitis, and wanted me to ask if there is anything he can do to avoid it, and/or if there is any certain antibiotic that would do *the job* in getting rid of it. I know doctors have told him that the cold weather is not good for him.. his answer to that is why did I get it in August. He is presently being with a shot(again) and Augmentin(875), which he just finished a little over a week ago. Any suggestions would be welcome..
Thank you so much..
He does not smoke.. quit about 10 yr ago.
He has just come from the doctor with yet another diagnosis of bronchitis, and wanted me to ask if there is anything he can do to avoid it, and/or if there is any certain antibiotic that would do *the job* in getting rid of it. I know doctors have told him that the cold weather is not good for him.. his answer to that is why did I get it in August. He is presently being with a shot(again) and Augmentin(875), which he just finished a little over a week ago. Any suggestions would be welcome..
Thank you so much..
Doctor's Answer
by National Jewish, Nov 21, 2002 12:00AM
, Nov 21, 2002 12:00AM
The description suggests acute bronchitis. This is also called bronchitis. People with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can get bronchitis during any season of the year. It is often caused by an infection, which can be due to a bacteria or a virus. It responds well to antibiotics, when it is due to a bacterial infection. Augmentin is a good drug for this purpose.
To avoid bronchitis, he should avoid extremes of hot and cold temperatures. When your husband must be out in the cold, he should wear a cold weather mask that can be purchased at any pharmacy. Avoiding crowds in the winter may also help.
Frequent good hand washing and the use of disposable tissues can decrease the number of acute bronchitis infections. Your husband should ask his health care provider about the yearly flu shot.
To avoid bronchitis, he should avoid extremes of hot and cold temperatures. When your husband must be out in the cold, he should wear a cold weather mask that can be purchased at any pharmacy. Avoiding crowds in the winter may also help.
Frequent good hand washing and the use of disposable tissues can decrease the number of acute bronchitis infections. Your husband should ask his health care provider about the yearly flu shot.
His doctor is the ultimate source of answers for the questions you have. The recurring bronchitis is part of COPD. So as I stated before, he may continue to have these infections. the rehab and diet as positive attitude can certainly make life easier and improve the well being of such patients. I hope all goes well...take care.
JCI, RRT RCP
Check with the doctor whether it might be useful to try a different antibiotic (like perhaps Biaxin) and perhaps a longer course of it than usual, so the infection is totally cleared & doesn't mutate & reappear; sometimes the infection lingers and mutates to reappear with a vengance after the antibiotic is stopped. He may also wish to discuss with his doctor whether he should wear some sort of mask or other protective gear to minimize inhaling irritants while he's doing his farm work. Also, has he been tested for allergies? Sometimes allergies can cause post nasal drip that can be the beginning of yet another bout of bronchitis. Working with his doctor to take appropriate preventative medication and/or allergy shots might be useful if he DOES have allergies.
Starion
I agree with Starion in that the nurse should have some other ideas and also to maybe try another medication. However, he may also try a longer course of augmentin as well. Too many antibiotics for too long of a period can also cause what starion is refering to, that is bacteria that become drug resistant. I'm glad to hear that he does have some activity in his life. I, too, would go nuts just "sitting around". I think that as long as he is in the AC cab and not exposed to the sometimes hazardous environment of a farm, he may be OK.
As for the cause of the bronchitis, again I believe this to be related to his overall condition. Chronic Bronchitis is defined as three or more diagnoses lasting at least two weeks each time. I hope that made sense. In other words, having chronic bronchitis three or more times in a year and each time lasting at least two weeks. Chronic bronchitis is one of the five diseases that make up COPD. The others being asthma, emphysema, bronchiectasis, and cystic fibrosis. So the cause just may be environmentally related and the increased frequency of infections may be due to his overall condition relating to his lungs and immune system. I hope this helps. Best of luck to you and your husband...take care.
JCI, BS RRT
JCI, BS RRT