Diagnosed with pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in my lungs

Hi!, I hope you are doing ok. This is not a reply, I have two questions for you: (1) How do you send sputum samples away? (2) How do you get sputum samples? Thank you.

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I have pseudomonas again or still. I had it in 2019 but it disappeared while I was on Arikayce. However it's been back in my lungs again since this summer. My doctor said that we will discuss treating it when I have more and am sick. I don't know about having more because the results reports say that I have many. She has more details re exactly how much there is. My main symptom is copious amounts of mucus, 2-3x more than usual. I am
doing airway clearance 2x daily.

I have an appointment scheduled for the end of the month. My pseudomonas is susceptible to all the various antibiotics used for this bacteria.

Should I push for treatment? I know some of you have been treated for this bacteria and I did a search of the discussions but I really would appreciate an opinion as to whether I should start treatment. I would prefer an inhaled drug because my gut is still recovering from the MAC antibiotics that I stopped more than 6 months ago. I would be grateful for input from anyone who has been treated for pseudomonas.

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Sounds like this is the second time you are taking the Levaquin? This time without the prednisone? Usually with Pseudo levaquin is prescribed for 10 to 14 days. How long did you take the levaquin the first time? Did it make you feel any better at all in August? Did you have any side effects? It is a strong antibiotic but easier on the system than Ciprofloxacin supposedly. Cipro usually has the best track record with Pseudo of the two. But Pseudo is very difficult to "get rid of" . Usually you can only knock it back. At any rate you really need to find a pulmo who is familiar with things like MAC and Pseudo. I have chronic Pseudo. Using a nebulizer and hypertonic saline 7% twice a day is essential.

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Irene, I would like to ask you, since I have Pseudo since Sept of 2023 and asymptomatic,
and am new to Airway Clearance, what do you think of my using 7% saline always in the morning, but sometimes using 3% saline in the evening or no saline?

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@rits You have pseudomonas and you are looking for treatment information.

You will notice that I moved your question, "Treatment for pseudomonas" into a discussion where members are already discussing this topic. I did this so you could more quickly connect in order to have your questions answered. I encourage you to scroll back through the comments to find previously shared suggestions as well.

May I ask if you have considered getting a second opinion to see if their treatment recommendations are similar?

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It sounds like that is what you are already doing according to your previous posts? If it were me I would do 7% both times but since you do not have symptoms maybe the second time is not so important? You want to do whatever you can to keep the Pseudo knocked back and prevent it from becoming mucoid strain. I tried Toby inhalation a couple of years ago. After only 5 treatments I had to stop because of reduced urine output. But I am prone to that ever since prolonged use of Augmentin. I now have to be super careful of taking things that will produce that effect. I have a friend who took Cipro for 10 days and Toby inhalation at the same time for 2 weeks. Before taking either she used Korean Ginseng to help open up the biofilm and allow the antibiotics to penetrate. Anyway she seems to be testing negative for Pseudo now. She was able to tolerate the treatment but just barely. The Toby made her cough terribly towards the end. But it seems to have worked?

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Irene, my doctor just prescribed me Augmentin 875mg twice a day for 10 days for haemophilus parainfluenzae. I have never taken it before, should I be concern about anything? I'm very cautious with antibiotics and that's why I'm asking. Also, I'm interested in Korean Ginseng, what is that? a capsule or tea may I ask.

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Hello, I also share your concerns with antibiotics. I actually did ok on the Augmentin that I took a few years ago. But because I took it for 4 weeks, I started to have reduced urine output in the 4th week. He had wanted me to do 6 weeks but I had to quit at 4 due to the urinary issue. If you do not have bladder or kidney issues and you are only taking it for 10 days it should be ok God willing! Be sure to take with meals. It also gave me insomnia some nights but not all nights. Whatever I had back then it cleared up and I was VERY sick. I think my friend took capsules of Korean Ginseng but do not take that at the same time as the Augmentin! One good thing to do is try to find information online as to what vitamins or minerals you should not take and which ones you need to replenish with any given antibiotic. Also I took 3 Natren pro biotics while on the Augmentin at a different time of day.

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It sounds like that is what you are already doing according to your previous posts? If it were me I would do 7% both times but since you do not have symptoms maybe the second time is not so important? You want to do whatever you can to keep the Pseudo knocked back and prevent it from becoming mucoid strain. I tried Toby inhalation a couple of years ago. After only 5 treatments I had to stop because of reduced urine output. But I am prone to that ever since prolonged use of Augmentin. I now have to be super careful of taking things that will produce that effect. I have a friend who took Cipro for 10 days and Toby inhalation at the same time for 2 weeks. Before taking either she used Korean Ginseng to help open up the biofilm and allow the antibiotics to penetrate. Anyway she seems to be testing negative for Pseudo now. She was able to tolerate the treatment but just barely. The Toby made her cough terribly towards the end. But it seems to have worked?

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I am 76 years old and a new patient at National Jewish Health in Denver since November of 2023.. My culture in Sept of 2023 revealed Pseudomas A.
Levaquin did not knock it out in September nor 14 days of Ciproflaxacin in October.
I am active and no signs of any sickness since being diagnosed, even had Covid in December of 2023 and recovered.
As per doctor's order I have a SmartVest as of January 2024 and do airway clearance 2x daily.
My regimen is Levalbuterol inhaler (I have arrythmia so do not use albuterol),
then SmartVest for 20 minutes in the morning (10 minutes in the evening),
and while using the vest, I use nebulized saline 7%, morning, (sometimes 3% in the evening or no neb saline) and Aerobika device
then after vest, a low dose steroid inhaler.
I discussed nebulized Tobramycin at my first doctor's visit. I understand Pseudomas can be difficult to clear and can be hard on the kidneys. The drug is also very expensive.
I am still learning and researching.
I see that your post came in 2020.
As for your question to push for treatment, it is the same question I had. After a second visit with my doctor who explained the ramifications of using Tobramycin, I chose not to do treatment for the time being.
Wishing for you a good outcome with whatever treatments you are doing.
Pamela

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