recovery from chest infection

[Victoireh]

I'm wondering what is the maximum recovery time from an acute chest infection? I have asthma and take regularly symbicort 200 (6 puffs/day). I had problems with asthma control before I got the infection, and am seeing a respirologist for this problem. Over 8 weeks ago I woke up one morning with mucous rattling in my chest, and after the third day I developed a fever. I spent 5 weeks on prednisone for the exacerbation and 10 days of antibiotics. Still was producing excess mucous after 3 weeks and saw the respirologist again. She told me that my lungs are healing up. She also figures that maybe GERD is the cause of the excess mucous in the first place and that it brought on the infection. Or perhaps it's due to unknown allergies, so I'm getting tested for GERD and allergies again. I have known allergies to dustmites, molds, cats and feathers. However, 8 weeks later and I still feel congested in my chest and I bring up some mucous. But I don't have so much that it causes rattling in my chest. My peak flows sit around 400 to 440 (best peak flow is 500). The asthma I think is pretty good, but I'm wondering when my lungs will settle down? Or do I need to have more patience and wait a while longer for them to heal up?

[ChitChatNine]

Hello & WELCOME to our community.  I'm not really sure with an answer, hoping others will jump in but did want to mention that it takes a long time after an infection like that for the lungs to fully heal.  I remember my daughter had an xray that showed an asthma attcack/bronchitis from weeks before and the evidince was still on the xray and they said it lags behind by weeks so this probably is playing a factor in your healing.

I'd ask and keep in touch with your doctors.

What have the put you on for the GERD?  Also not eating late at night and staying in upright position for an hour after meals may be helpful.

GERD can cause one to microaspirate during the night and that can cause ongoing asthma too!  My daughter had that and when she went on Prevacid it all went away and this was after yrs of undiagnosed GERD.

If you go to the GERD community (under the health pages) there's some good posted info on GERD.

C~

[Victoireh]

Hi,

Thanks for your response. I haven't been diagnosed yet with GERD, waiting to do a barium test first, which I hope is soon. I do watch how I eat and try not to eat late in the evenings. I have tried years ago some GERD meds years ago, but it made no difference on the asthma, as at that time I had bad sinusitis (fixed up now 3 surgeries later). I guess I shall see what the specialist has to say. But I'm glad to hear the the GERD treatment for your daughter worked. I hope my problem is as simple as that too. It sure would make life easier! I will let you know what my specialist figures out for my asthma problems.
Vicky

[ChitChatNine]

Hi,

Also, keep in mind that the barrium enema test will only show GERD if GERD is happening at that time and is not 100% failsafe but will also rule out any type of anomolies.

Keep us posted!

C~

[wannasing]

Hi,
Just to pass on my experience -- I'm a former off-and-on smoker who had poorly controlled asthma (was using my Albuterol quite a bit) when I developed an acute bronchitis that lasted about three months.  This started mid-October 2008.  They tried several treatments -- nebulizers, oral prednisone, several rounds of antibiotics, until my condition started to stabilize (I was down to a pulmonary function of 71%, and then made it back up to 92%, which is where I've remained).  My peak flow is 500-525, but I still cough up yellow mucus several times a day.  I'm on Symbicort 160 2x day, Singulair, and Flonase.  I think my problem might be GERD-related, but I haven't had a study done yet.   I do find my breathing is better the next day when I haven't eaten right before bed.  My next step is to get an IgE blood test, which I hope to fit in this week.  I find that exercise helps, but no, I never feel as if my lungs are completely clear.  I never had this cough (or bronchitis, for that matter) before this episode.  Just wanted you to know you're not alone.

[Victoireh]

Thanks for replying. I have done both the IGE blood test and Barium swallow test recently. I should be seeing the specialist soon over those results. I went down nealry 50% of my best peak flow during that nasty infection and I still suffer like you do. I'm taking 6 - 8 puffs of my symbicort and sit about 390-440. I used to be closer to 500. I guess you can't have it all. well, I will see what my doctor comes up with and let you know.

[Victoireh]

An update on this post, I finally got the tests results and no GERD and nothing unknown in the allergies. My specialist thinks the lungs might recover yet. But for now she has given me some new inhalers. As Symbicort doesn't come any stronger then the 200, I have been now given its two components in separate inhalers. Pulmicort 400  x 4 puffs and Oxeeze 12ug. x 3 puffs. My doc is hoping that this works, as winter is coming. I do well on higher doses I've noticed. But I still have cough excess mucous and my chest gets really tight and congested if I don't drink enough. Well, I'm looking forward to see how this works.