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Medication for reocurring lung infections

MAC & Bronchiectasis | Last Active: Jan 3, 2023 | Replies (10)

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@fdixon63

Interesting irenea8. I'm surprised your doctor did not do basic sputum testing to see what you might have. I had a bronchoscopy 5 years ago because of months of dry coughing and it revealed MAC and pseudomonas. The pseudomonas has continued to be positive except for a few months along the way. I was initially offered the option to suppress it or eradicate it. I said I wanted to eradicate it. They put in a PICC line and three times a day my husband helped me do 30 minute IV application for weeks. We were so happy to have gone through that to rid my lungs of that bacteria. It did not turn out the way we hoped--I still test positive. So now I continue with inhaled Levalbuterol, inhaled Tobramycin twice a day nebbing with 3.5% HyperSal. At this point it appears that this is my life going forward. Just so glad I've got a good support system in my husband. No other family around. The very best to you.

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Replies to "Interesting irenea8. I'm surprised your doctor did not do basic sputum testing to see what you..."

Initially he did do some basic testing but said nothing specific was found. But he felt it was anaerobic so prescribed the Augmentin which i took for 4 weeks and it worked. Some time later i took the Augmentin again for 2 weeks during an exacerbation but that time it did not work. That is when i suggested the Pseudomonas to him and the sputum test cup and procedure was different from the initial basic testing. We had to drive it up the same day on ice and it was just one sample as opposed to three that were mailed. I have had it done twice now and both times it comes back with chronic form of Pseudomonas (mucoid strain) which means i will never be rid of it and can only knock it back. I could not tolerate the Tobramycin unfortunately. I rely on Saline and some other "natural things". What do you find the Levalbuterol does exactly? Does it make the sputum easier to expel or does it simply allow you not to react to the saline? Does it give you any heart symptoms? My heart is very reactive at this point.