Brinsupri follow-up

@scoop hey scoop glad you are feeling better. I had a similar issue. I’ve been on Brinsupri since 9/5. Did real well until 10/16. That’s the day I got my Covid & Flu vaccination. On 10/18 I took a trip to my local hospital ER, with more sob, body aches, fatigue, and more phlegm, and chest tightness. I had blood work, chest x-ray done and it was determined that my sodium in blood was low 126, (normal is 136-146) its a condition known as Hyponatremia. Now I’ve had this before, But I’m convinced that the Covid or flu vaccine triggered this condition, so is my pcp. Just 2-3 weeks prior my Sodium levels were 134-135, and had been that for the previous 3 months. I’ve been told previously that hyponatremia is common in people with lung disease. Nevertheless the treatment is fluid restriction and salt tablets, and furosemide. I know that there is alot of controversy over the Covid vaccine, in fact Florida is really initiating anti vaccine rhetoric, although it is optional to residents, and to me it seems evidence appears to be growing that maybe this vaccine isn’t as safe & effective as we’ve been told. Anyway it leaves us with an even tougher decision!! Do we get the vaccine or not??? Thank you for listening sorry so long. Also I did file a complaint with the FDA, my pcp says nothing will be done with it, it’s just another data point for them.

@spider109 Did the ED treat you for a BE flare in addition to the Hyponatremia?

@cwal @irenea8 I'll do my best to answer these questions. Pulmonary treats the patient and not only the sputum culture. In other words, increased cough, increased and darkening sputum feeling crappy for well over a week, all these symptoms drive the decision to treat. My sputum culture showed: excellent specimen quality (no epithelial cells), increased polys means strong inflammatory response (lots of neutrophils), rare mixed bacteria (nothing dominant), no specific pathogen isolated, low level infection likely. Also waiting for tests on fungi and NTM (which take longer).

Could it be a viral thing? Yes. Often exacerbations start out as triggered by some virus. Then, it progresses to bacterial due to weaknesses in my lungs (bronchiectasis). Sometimes I can fight it off and sometimes not.

Do you think the Brinsupri caused the issue? I sort of doubt it. If anything the brinsupri helped as recovered more quickly than usual and did not get as sick.

@scoop hey scoop glad you are feeling better. I had a similar issue. I’ve been on Brinsupri since 9/5. Did real well until 10/16. That’s the day I got my Covid & Flu vaccination. On 10/18 I took a trip to my local hospital ER, with more sob, body aches, fatigue, and more phlegm, and chest tightness. I had blood work, chest x-ray done and it was determined that my sodium in blood was low 126, (normal is 136-146) its a condition known as Hyponatremia. Now I’ve had this before, But I’m convinced that the Covid or flu vaccine triggered this condition, so is my pcp. Just 2-3 weeks prior my Sodium levels were 134-135, and had been that for the previous 3 months. I’ve been told previously that hyponatremia is common in people with lung disease. Nevertheless the treatment is fluid restriction and salt tablets, and furosemide. I know that there is alot of controversy over the Covid vaccine, in fact Florida is really initiating anti vaccine rhetoric, although it is optional to residents, and to me it seems evidence appears to be growing that maybe this vaccine isn’t as safe & effective as we’ve been told. Anyway it leaves us with an even tougher decision!! Do we get the vaccine or not??? Thank you for listening sorry so long. Also I did file a complaint with the FDA, my pcp says nothing will be done with it, it’s just another data point for them.

Wondering out of those taking Brinsupri that have noticed decreased sputum amount and a lightening of color, have you also noticed feeling better? Some say breathing better? I still wonder how it is going to work for someone like me with chronic infection/exacerbation daily.

@irenea8
I have been on Brinsupri 25 mg for 2 months. Prior to taking it, I had 3 respiratory infections this year. My mucus production and cough have definitely lessened. I still do airway clearance twice a day.

@lmanells Glad to hear you find that your mucus production and cough have lessened. I am curious...... did you experience full exacerbations prior to beginning the Brinsupri? Two of the pulmonologists I had visits with this week both indicated Brinsupri is geared towards helping to reverse exacerbations for those having them. Were you given the Brinsupri with exacerbations as the reason for starting it???
For me I feel my biggest problem is the mucus production, I haven't had an exacerbation, as yet and hope never.
Barbara

@cwal @irenea8 I'll do my best to answer these questions. Pulmonary treats the patient and not only the sputum culture. In other words, increased cough, increased and darkening sputum feeling crappy for well over a week, all these symptoms drive the decision to treat. My sputum culture showed: excellent specimen quality (no epithelial cells), increased polys means strong inflammatory response (lots of neutrophils), rare mixed bacteria (nothing dominant), no specific pathogen isolated, low level infection likely. Also waiting for tests on fungi and NTM (which take longer).

Could it be a viral thing? Yes. Often exacerbations start out as triggered by some virus. Then, it progresses to bacterial due to weaknesses in my lungs (bronchiectasis). Sometimes I can fight it off and sometimes not.

Do you think the Brinsupri caused the issue? I sort of doubt it. If anything the brinsupri helped as recovered more quickly than usual and did not get as sick.