Antibiotics for a cold?

@zscline Welcome to Mayo Connect.
Regarding antibiotics!, remember that colds are caused by a virus and antibiotics don't work on them, so the short answer would be No. But, with bad lungs, a cold can quickly give was to a bacterial infection, whether bronchitis, pneumonia or a sinus infection, and those will respond. Each person and their docs must wprk out a treatment plan that works.
Also, at the first sign of a cold, it is usually good to double up on airway clearance, get extra rest and eat well. I also add a sinus rinse to my protocol to help wash out the virus.
Sue

Some what depends on your insurance. Any Dr you see should be aware of your condition and treatment and act accordingly. When I get any antibiotics from other than pulminologist, I send him a message.

Sometimes you might need it. I started out as frequent colds and the infections went into my lungs. That was how my bronchiectasis started. I should have treated soon with antibiotics before the bug went into my lungs.

Thank you. Yes, there is always the insurance coverage to be considered. Wise plan to keep all doctors aware of what medications you have been prescribed.

Thank you. Unfortunately, sometimes we only realize these things after the fact. Sometimes it's hard to know until too late that something is more serious than "just a little cold."

Thanks so much. It's the part about how a cold can quickly give way to something more serious that now worries me, since being diagnosed with Bronchiectasis. Trying to determine if it's reached that critical point. Unfortunately, the first time this happened, I was away and not able to easily reach my doctor. This time, he is on holiday leave. I guess once he is back, we need to work out some sort of plan for occasions like this. Your advise is most helpful. Thanks again.

Everybody is different, so you need to work out at what point you are dealing with "more than just a cold."

Here are my personal signs:
Short of breath even after using levalbuterol inhaler or neb.
Coughing hard enough to hurt ribs or throat or leave me breathless.
Colored mucus - either from lungs or sinuses, anything darker than very pale yellow I watch carefully. Green is my "danger sign" - that's when I know I need antibiotics.
Extreme fatigue - bone tired after a full night of sleep, falling asleep when I sit down to read.
Fever over 100 for more than one day (my usual temp is between 97.7 and 98.0).

For five years before my MAC diagnosis (I'm sure I already had it), I went through this cycle several times each year, and this plan was developed long ago, my pulmonologist is on board with it.

If I experience the cough and my cold is more than 7 days old, my personal treatment plan calls for steroids and I always have a proper amount on hand.
If I experience the colored mucus or fever, I call my doc for an Rx which she phones in to the nearest pharmacy (we travel a lot and live in 2 states seasonally.) Whoever is covering for her has my records, and I have always been able to get antibiotics. Often she asks if I don't see improvement in 3 days on antibiotics to get a chest x-ray. I haven't had it go that far since my MAC was treated in 2018 & 2019. In fact with saline & airway clearance, I have had only 3 exacerbations in 4 years, with only one ending in antibiotics.

How does everyone else recognize their critical point?

Sue

Very helpful. I am nowhere near the danger signs. Just coughing so much and now having to expel a lot of mucus, but it is light in color. I am tired out from it all and have had the cold for around a week, but guess it's not all that bad. Once my doctor gets back and I have my next appointment, we really do need to make a plan so that I have things in place for events like this where he's away or I'm away and need to call in for help. Thanks again. I am so glad I found this site where it seems that people are giving very reasonable responses, not overly dramatic, but just clear and to the point. Much appreciated.

Hello Sue, thank you very much for all the information you share with us. I would appreciate it if you were more specific about the use of steroids. Merry Christmas to all.

I'm sorry I can't be more specific, because everyone is very different - diagnosis, whether or not they have active MAC, whether they can/should used steroids based on other health issues and medications.

"How to handle and exacerbation" is a discussion each Bronchiectasis, Asthma and COPD patient needs to have with their pulmonologist (and ID doc if one is on your team) before illness strikes. And it will differ from one person to another.

One thing I will say has kept me healthy - at the first sign of a cold or respiratory or sinus bug of any kind, or even severe allergies - double my saline use and airway clearance. If I am wheezy, I may even add a levalbuterol neb before saline. This seems to give my lungs a "fighting chance."

Sue