Recurring Chest Infection

[galvatron27]

Hi I have recently been suffering from chest infection over the past 2 months and have had 4 lots of antibiotics of 2 different kinds.  The infection keeps coming back, the longest i have gone feeling good is 2 weeks in the 2 months.  I have also had a chest xray which came back clear and a test for asthma which was also clear, i have an inhaler which does not seem to be working now and each time the infection hits me it seems to be worse.   I also get awful pains in my sides when it hits.  Please help fed up of feeling ill all the time....

[galvatron27]

Thanks for your reply sorry to hear your suffering from this too.

I did think about allergies but all doctors ever do is pack you off with tablets when there clearly not working for me.  As for heart burn etc i have no symptoms of this.  I am a smoker though and maybe (definately) thats where i should start as obviously it wont be helping the situation.  Not mentioned CT or anything like that.

Just have to keep going back until its sorted. Thanks again

[bsmsl]

So sorry you are having so much trouble getting well.  Believe me, I understand what you are going through.  I have been dealing with chest infections every month to month and a half for over a year now.  It isn't fun.  I do have asthma though.  

Have you been evaluated for allergies and acid reflux?  Acid reflux does always cause the heart burn and other symptoms we typically think of when we think of it.  There is a form of acid reflux where the acid refluxes higher into the back of the throat where it can be aspirated and cause lung issues like infections.  It can also cause sinus infections and asthma like symptoms.  Those might be good places for you to start.

Also, have you had a bronchoscopy or chest CT?  It may be a little early for those, but worth talking to your doctor about.  

Good luck in finding answers and feeling better.