How do YOU know?

ladybug · Nov 7, 2008

Hello, friends...

So, many have been following my saga with this recent illness and I'm just really perplexed. After 11 days of IV meds, I'm not feeling any better and my pfts are just barely up 2%. Blah. This is highly unusual for me. I"m still tired and still coughing up stuff, but the stuff I'm coughing up is thinner and less green, so maybe a good sign?

Anyway, I am curious how YOU know when you're totally (or almost totally) better on IV meds? For example, do you still cough up gunk, though it may be thinner, lighter, etc. or does your cough disappear entirely? Do you still have shortness of breath or is that completely "cured" by the middle to end of a clean-out?

I usually felt so much better by day 5-7 that I barely produced any cough and when I did it was super dry. There is no way I could have given a culture at those points. However, now after the 11 days of meds, I'm still coughing and this worries me.

My docs have told me that I AM sensitive to these meds and they will work, they just may need longer this time to kick in. I would accept that, however, some of these days, the longer I'm on the meds, the more I cough and more I cough up. Highly unusual for me.

Just curious what YOUR experience is?

Also, when you've done a course of IV meds, at what point do you KNOW you're "better" and can go off them? Is it all based on how you feel or are your numbers always much higher? Do you ever go off IV meds even if you still have a productive cough?

Thanks everyone! I'm just kinda freakin' out here and am curious what others experience.

p.s. Nightwriter, I appreciate all your insigh on what else may be causing my issues... It may NOT all be an exacerbation, which would maybe explain not getting good results. I have been sliding pretty consistently though in fev1 just over the past few months, so I think my infections had something to do with it. I am curious though, if it IS asthma related (I'm on all sorts of meds for asthma and allergies, even though I don't have allergies.) would I still be coughing stuff up? I always thought inflammation of airways just makes you SOB and gives other symptoms, but not necessarily green sputum. Thoughts?

ladybug · Nov 7, 2008

Hello, friends...

So, many have been following my saga with this recent illness and I'm just really perplexed. After 11 days of IV meds, I'm not feeling any better and my pfts are just barely up 2%. Blah. This is highly unusual for me. I"m still tired and still coughing up stuff, but the stuff I'm coughing up is thinner and less green, so maybe a good sign?

Anyway, I am curious how YOU know when you're totally (or almost totally) better on IV meds? For example, do you still cough up gunk, though it may be thinner, lighter, etc. or does your cough disappear entirely? Do you still have shortness of breath or is that completely "cured" by the middle to end of a clean-out?

I usually felt so much better by day 5-7 that I barely produced any cough and when I did it was super dry. There is no way I could have given a culture at those points. However, now after the 11 days of meds, I'm still coughing and this worries me.

My docs have told me that I AM sensitive to these meds and they will work, they just may need longer this time to kick in. I would accept that, however, some of these days, the longer I'm on the meds, the more I cough and more I cough up. Highly unusual for me.

Just curious what YOUR experience is?

Also, when you've done a course of IV meds, at what point do you KNOW you're "better" and can go off them? Is it all based on how you feel or are your numbers always much higher? Do you ever go off IV meds even if you still have a productive cough?

Thanks everyone! I'm just kinda freakin' out here and am curious what others experience.

p.s. Nightwriter, I appreciate all your insigh on what else may be causing my issues... It may NOT all be an exacerbation, which would maybe explain not getting good results. I have been sliding pretty consistently though in fev1 just over the past few months, so I think my infections had something to do with it. I am curious though, if it IS asthma related (I'm on all sorts of meds for asthma and allergies, even though I don't have allergies.) would I still be coughing stuff up? I always thought inflammation of airways just makes you SOB and gives other symptoms, but not necessarily green sputum. Thoughts?

ladybug · Nov 7, 2008

Hello, friends...

So, many have been following my saga with this recent illness and I'm just really perplexed. After 11 days of IV meds, I'm not feeling any better and my pfts are just barely up 2%. Blah. This is highly unusual for me. I"m still tired and still coughing up stuff, but the stuff I'm coughing up is thinner and less green, so maybe a good sign?

Anyway, I am curious how YOU know when you're totally (or almost totally) better on IV meds? For example, do you still cough up gunk, though it may be thinner, lighter, etc. or does your cough disappear entirely? Do you still have shortness of breath or is that completely "cured" by the middle to end of a clean-out?

I usually felt so much better by day 5-7 that I barely produced any cough and when I did it was super dry. There is no way I could have given a culture at those points. However, now after the 11 days of meds, I'm still coughing and this worries me.

My docs have told me that I AM sensitive to these meds and they will work, they just may need longer this time to kick in. I would accept that, however, some of these days, the longer I'm on the meds, the more I cough and more I cough up. Highly unusual for me.

Just curious what YOUR experience is?

Also, when you've done a course of IV meds, at what point do you KNOW you're "better" and can go off them? Is it all based on how you feel or are your numbers always much higher? Do you ever go off IV meds even if you still have a productive cough?

Thanks everyone! I'm just kinda freakin' out here and am curious what others experience.

p.s. Nightwriter, I appreciate all your insigh on what else may be causing my issues... It may NOT all be an exacerbation, which would maybe explain not getting good results. I have been sliding pretty consistently though in fev1 just over the past few months, so I think my infections had something to do with it. I am curious though, if it IS asthma related (I'm on all sorts of meds for asthma and allergies, even though I don't have allergies.) would I still be coughing stuff up? I always thought inflammation of airways just makes you SOB and gives other symptoms, but not necessarily green sputum. Thoughts?

ladybug · Nov 7, 2008

Hello, friends...

So, many have been following my saga with this recent illness and I'm just really perplexed. After 11 days of IV meds, I'm not feeling any better and my pfts are just barely up 2%. Blah. This is highly unusual for me. I"m still tired and still coughing up stuff, but the stuff I'm coughing up is thinner and less green, so maybe a good sign?

Anyway, I am curious how YOU know when you're totally (or almost totally) better on IV meds? For example, do you still cough up gunk, though it may be thinner, lighter, etc. or does your cough disappear entirely? Do you still have shortness of breath or is that completely "cured" by the middle to end of a clean-out?

I usually felt so much better by day 5-7 that I barely produced any cough and when I did it was super dry. There is no way I could have given a culture at those points. However, now after the 11 days of meds, I'm still coughing and this worries me.

My docs have told me that I AM sensitive to these meds and they will work, they just may need longer this time to kick in. I would accept that, however, some of these days, the longer I'm on the meds, the more I cough and more I cough up. Highly unusual for me.

Just curious what YOUR experience is?

Also, when you've done a course of IV meds, at what point do you KNOW you're "better" and can go off them? Is it all based on how you feel or are your numbers always much higher? Do you ever go off IV meds even if you still have a productive cough?

Thanks everyone! I'm just kinda freakin' out here and am curious what others experience.

p.s. Nightwriter, I appreciate all your insigh on what else may be causing my issues... It may NOT all be an exacerbation, which would maybe explain not getting good results. I have been sliding pretty consistently though in fev1 just over the past few months, so I think my infections had something to do with it. I am curious though, if it IS asthma related (I'm on all sorts of meds for asthma and allergies, even though I don't have allergies.) would I still be coughing stuff up? I always thought inflammation of airways just makes you SOB and gives other symptoms, but not necessarily green sputum. Thoughts?

ladybug · Nov 7, 2008

Hello, friends...
 
 So, many have been following my saga with this recent illness and I'm just really perplexed. After 11 days of IV meds, I'm not feeling any better and my pfts are just barely up 2%. Blah. This is highly unusual for me. I"m still tired and still coughing up stuff, but the stuff I'm coughing up is thinner and less green, so maybe a good sign?
 
 Anyway, I am curious how YOU know when you're totally (or almost totally) better on IV meds? For example, do you still cough up gunk, though it may be thinner, lighter, etc. or does your cough disappear entirely? Do you still have shortness of breath or is that completely "cured" by the middle to end of a clean-out?
 
 I usually felt so much better by day 5-7 that I barely produced any cough and when I did it was super dry. There is no way I could have given a culture at those points. However, now after the 11 days of meds, I'm still coughing and this worries me.
 
 My docs have told me that I AM sensitive to these meds and they will work, they just may need longer this time to kick in. I would accept that, however, some of these days, the longer I'm on the meds, the more I cough and more I cough up. Highly unusual for me.
 
 Just curious what YOUR experience is?
 
 Also, when you've done a course of IV meds, at what point do you KNOW you're "better" and can go off them? Is it all based on how you feel or are your numbers always much higher? Do you ever go off IV meds even if you still have a productive cough?
 
 Thanks everyone! I'm just kinda freakin' out here and am curious what others experience.
 
 p.s. Nightwriter, I appreciate all your insigh on what else may be causing my issues... It may NOT all be an exacerbation, which would maybe explain not getting good results. I have been sliding pretty consistently though in fev1 just over the past few months, so I think my infections had something to do with it. I am curious though, if it IS asthma related (I'm on all sorts of meds for asthma and allergies, even though I don't have allergies.) would I still be coughing stuff up? I always thought inflammation of airways just makes you SOB and gives other symptoms, but not necessarily green sputum. Thoughts?

Nightwriter · Nov 8, 2008

Hey Sonia,

I always tell my doctor I wish I knew more. I have no medical background and I don't understand so much of the medical and scientific information she imparts to me (and I am fascinated by).

Before I met my doctor, I always had a chronic, productive cough. Always. When I was sick, it was much worse. And it was always green, even when when I wasn't sick. I assumed that it meant I always had some sort of low level infection going on.

My doctor has taught me green does not necessarily mean infection. It can also mean "old" mucus. Mucus that hangs around in the lungs "cook" and can turn green. Yellow mucus doesn't necessarily mean infection either. This can be a sign of inflammation.

I never knew I had asthma. I test negative for almost all allergies. But Sonia, can they test for every item in the world? No. And many of these allergans bother you as irritants. Same effect. Swelling of the airways or constriction. Asthma.No tesst for chemical sensitivies. But I bet you'd cough if you used hairspray.

Many people have no symptoms of asthma. NONE. PFT's before and after bronchodilators MAY reveal asthma. But not always. Lets say Olive trees made your airways narrow, but the Olive tree isn't in the lab where you are being tested -- no airway narrowing. Still may have asthma. But if the test shows asthma, this is great. It means you have room for improvement.

Once my asthma was better controlled, my sinuses were treated for inflammation, my chronic cough went away. I only cough if I'm really laughing hard. I cough up a small amount of green mucus every day. After H.S. and the Flutter. When I have an excerbation, I can cough up a lot. And my asthma is out of control.

You may very well have an infection. Do you know what your white count is? You can have both infection and inflammation. Now this is an important point-- Inflammation without infection can also be responsible for PFT's sliding. I once went off Advair. My peak flow dropped 25%. From inflammation. Went back on. PFT's shot up. Inflammation causing asthma.

Sonia, if you want to control the inflammation part of this disease, at some point you might have to change your environment plus some of the other things I have mentioned in other posts.
If my life changed so drastically as others have too on this site, why can't others improve too? We are not so special. I have cultured PA most of my life, plus at times: staph, MRSA, MAC. I have bronchiectasis too.

No promises. Just possibilities.

Nightwriter · Nov 8, 2008

Hey Sonia,

I always tell my doctor I wish I knew more. I have no medical background and I don't understand so much of the medical and scientific information she imparts to me (and I am fascinated by).

Before I met my doctor, I always had a chronic, productive cough. Always. When I was sick, it was much worse. And it was always green, even when when I wasn't sick. I assumed that it meant I always had some sort of low level infection going on.

My doctor has taught me green does not necessarily mean infection. It can also mean "old" mucus. Mucus that hangs around in the lungs "cook" and can turn green. Yellow mucus doesn't necessarily mean infection either. This can be a sign of inflammation.

I never knew I had asthma. I test negative for almost all allergies. But Sonia, can they test for every item in the world? No. And many of these allergans bother you as irritants. Same effect. Swelling of the airways or constriction. Asthma.No tesst for chemical sensitivies. But I bet you'd cough if you used hairspray.

Many people have no symptoms of asthma. NONE. PFT's before and after bronchodilators MAY reveal asthma. But not always. Lets say Olive trees made your airways narrow, but the Olive tree isn't in the lab where you are being tested -- no airway narrowing. Still may have asthma. But if the test shows asthma, this is great. It means you have room for improvement.

Once my asthma was better controlled, my sinuses were treated for inflammation, my chronic cough went away. I only cough if I'm really laughing hard. I cough up a small amount of green mucus every day. After H.S. and the Flutter. When I have an excerbation, I can cough up a lot. And my asthma is out of control.

You may very well have an infection. Do you know what your white count is? You can have both infection and inflammation. Now this is an important point-- Inflammation without infection can also be responsible for PFT's sliding. I once went off Advair. My peak flow dropped 25%. From inflammation. Went back on. PFT's shot up. Inflammation causing asthma.

Sonia, if you want to control the inflammation part of this disease, at some point you might have to change your environment plus some of the other things I have mentioned in other posts.
If my life changed so drastically as others have too on this site, why can't others improve too? We are not so special. I have cultured PA most of my life, plus at times: staph, MRSA, MAC. I have bronchiectasis too.

No promises. Just possibilities.

Nightwriter · Nov 8, 2008

Hey Sonia,

I always tell my doctor I wish I knew more. I have no medical background and I don't understand so much of the medical and scientific information she imparts to me (and I am fascinated by).

Before I met my doctor, I always had a chronic, productive cough. Always. When I was sick, it was much worse. And it was always green, even when when I wasn't sick. I assumed that it meant I always had some sort of low level infection going on.

My doctor has taught me green does not necessarily mean infection. It can also mean "old" mucus. Mucus that hangs around in the lungs "cook" and can turn green. Yellow mucus doesn't necessarily mean infection either. This can be a sign of inflammation.

I never knew I had asthma. I test negative for almost all allergies. But Sonia, can they test for every item in the world? No. And many of these allergans bother you as irritants. Same effect. Swelling of the airways or constriction. Asthma.No tesst for chemical sensitivies. But I bet you'd cough if you used hairspray.

Many people have no symptoms of asthma. NONE. PFT's before and after bronchodilators MAY reveal asthma. But not always. Lets say Olive trees made your airways narrow, but the Olive tree isn't in the lab where you are being tested -- no airway narrowing. Still may have asthma. But if the test shows asthma, this is great. It means you have room for improvement.

Once my asthma was better controlled, my sinuses were treated for inflammation, my chronic cough went away. I only cough if I'm really laughing hard. I cough up a small amount of green mucus every day. After H.S. and the Flutter. When I have an excerbation, I can cough up a lot. And my asthma is out of control.

You may very well have an infection. Do you know what your white count is? You can have both infection and inflammation. Now this is an important point-- Inflammation without infection can also be responsible for PFT's sliding. I once went off Advair. My peak flow dropped 25%. From inflammation. Went back on. PFT's shot up. Inflammation causing asthma.

Sonia, if you want to control the inflammation part of this disease, at some point you might have to change your environment plus some of the other things I have mentioned in other posts.
If my life changed so drastically as others have too on this site, why can't others improve too? We are not so special. I have cultured PA most of my life, plus at times: staph, MRSA, MAC. I have bronchiectasis too.

No promises. Just possibilities.

Nightwriter · Nov 8, 2008

Hey Sonia,

I always tell my doctor I wish I knew more. I have no medical background and I don't understand so much of the medical and scientific information she imparts to me (and I am fascinated by).

Before I met my doctor, I always had a chronic, productive cough. Always. When I was sick, it was much worse. And it was always green, even when when I wasn't sick. I assumed that it meant I always had some sort of low level infection going on.

My doctor has taught me green does not necessarily mean infection. It can also mean "old" mucus. Mucus that hangs around in the lungs "cook" and can turn green. Yellow mucus doesn't necessarily mean infection either. This can be a sign of inflammation.

I never knew I had asthma. I test negative for almost all allergies. But Sonia, can they test for every item in the world? No. And many of these allergans bother you as irritants. Same effect. Swelling of the airways or constriction. Asthma.No tesst for chemical sensitivies. But I bet you'd cough if you used hairspray.

Many people have no symptoms of asthma. NONE. PFT's before and after bronchodilators MAY reveal asthma. But not always. Lets say Olive trees made your airways narrow, but the Olive tree isn't in the lab where you are being tested -- no airway narrowing. Still may have asthma. But if the test shows asthma, this is great. It means you have room for improvement.

Once my asthma was better controlled, my sinuses were treated for inflammation, my chronic cough went away. I only cough if I'm really laughing hard. I cough up a small amount of green mucus every day. After H.S. and the Flutter. When I have an excerbation, I can cough up a lot. And my asthma is out of control.

You may very well have an infection. Do you know what your white count is? You can have both infection and inflammation. Now this is an important point-- Inflammation without infection can also be responsible for PFT's sliding. I once went off Advair. My peak flow dropped 25%. From inflammation. Went back on. PFT's shot up. Inflammation causing asthma.

Sonia, if you want to control the inflammation part of this disease, at some point you might have to change your environment plus some of the other things I have mentioned in other posts.
If my life changed so drastically as others have too on this site, why can't others improve too? We are not so special. I have cultured PA most of my life, plus at times: staph, MRSA, MAC. I have bronchiectasis too.

No promises. Just possibilities.

Nightwriter · Nov 8, 2008

Hey Sonia,
 
 I always tell my doctor I wish I knew more. I have no medical background and I don't understand so much of the medical and scientific information she imparts to me (and I am fascinated by).
 
 Before I met my doctor, I always had a chronic, productive cough. Always. When I was sick, it was much worse. And it was always green, even when when I wasn't sick. I assumed that it meant I always had some sort of low level infection going on.
 
 My doctor has taught me green does not necessarily mean infection. It can also mean "old" mucus. Mucus that hangs around in the lungs "cook" and can turn green. Yellow mucus doesn't necessarily mean infection either. This can be a sign of inflammation.
 
 I never knew I had asthma. I test negative for almost all allergies. But Sonia, can they test for every item in the world? No. And many of these allergans bother you as irritants. Same effect. Swelling of the airways or constriction. Asthma.No tesst for chemical sensitivies. But I bet you'd cough if you used hairspray.
 
 Many people have no symptoms of asthma. NONE. PFT's before and after bronchodilators MAY reveal asthma. But not always. Lets say Olive trees made your airways narrow, but the Olive tree isn't in the lab where you are being tested -- no airway narrowing. Still may have asthma. But if the test shows asthma, this is great. It means you have room for improvement.
 
 Once my asthma was better controlled, my sinuses were treated for inflammation, my chronic cough went away. I only cough if I'm really laughing hard. I cough up a small amount of green mucus every day. After H.S. and the Flutter. When I have an excerbation, I can cough up a lot. And my asthma is out of control.
 
 You may very well have an infection. Do you know what your white count is? You can have both infection and inflammation. Now this is an important point-- Inflammation without infection can also be responsible for PFT's sliding. I once went off Advair. My peak flow dropped 25%. From inflammation. Went back on. PFT's shot up. Inflammation causing asthma.
 
 Sonia, if you want to control the inflammation part of this disease, at some point you might have to change your environment plus some of the other things I have mentioned in other posts.
 If my life changed so drastically as others have too on this site, why can't others improve too? We are not so special. I have cultured PA most of my life, plus at times: staph, MRSA, MAC. I have bronchiectasis too.
 
 No promises. Just possibilities.

jdubbs · Nov 8, 2008

Hi Ladybug -

It sounds like you are panicking. Panic sucks, I know it well. It sounds like you're improving, however. Who knows why it's taking longer this time around. Just hang on and when they let you go, aggressively do all your treatments.

Just hang in there.

jdubbs · Nov 8, 2008

Hi Ladybug -

It sounds like you are panicking. Panic sucks, I know it well. It sounds like you're improving, however. Who knows why it's taking longer this time around. Just hang on and when they let you go, aggressively do all your treatments.

Just hang in there.

jdubbs · Nov 8, 2008

Hi Ladybug -

It sounds like you are panicking. Panic sucks, I know it well. It sounds like you're improving, however. Who knows why it's taking longer this time around. Just hang on and when they let you go, aggressively do all your treatments.

Just hang in there.

jdubbs · Nov 8, 2008

Hi Ladybug -

It sounds like you are panicking. Panic sucks, I know it well. It sounds like you're improving, however. Who knows why it's taking longer this time around. Just hang on and when they let you go, aggressively do all your treatments.

Just hang in there.

jdubbs · Nov 8, 2008

Hi Ladybug -
 
 It sounds like you are panicking. Panic sucks, I know it well. It sounds like you're improving, however. Who knows why it's taking longer this time around. Just hang on and when they let you go, aggressively do all your treatments.
 
 Just hang in there.

jdubbs · Nov 8, 2008

Nightwriter -

As part of keeping inflammation as low as possible, do you take ibuprofen? Just curious.

jdubbs · Nov 8, 2008

Nightwriter -

As part of keeping inflammation as low as possible, do you take ibuprofen? Just curious.

jdubbs · Nov 8, 2008

Nightwriter -

As part of keeping inflammation as low as possible, do you take ibuprofen? Just curious.

jdubbs · Nov 8, 2008

Nightwriter -

As part of keeping inflammation as low as possible, do you take ibuprofen? Just curious.

jdubbs · Nov 8, 2008

Nightwriter -
 
 As part of keeping inflammation as low as possible, do you take ibuprofen? Just curious.

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