Sorry this is gross

T

TonyaH

Guest
Hello everyone,

Andrew has been fighting a little staph infection lately. A three week round of bactrim didn't do the trick and he started producing some icky colored mucus. After PFTs that found his FEV1 still very high, 118, and a culture showing that his staph level only went up a little, from 2 to a 2+, the doctor put him on a three week round of clindamycin and 10 days of prednisone because she said his cough sounded more croupy. She did not think IVS were necessary and I was happy with that.

This is the problem I'm having. Andrew has never really coughed up anything with much color or "blobbiness". It's always been clear, kind of sticky, mucus. He started HTS just a few weeks before I started to see the yellow, globby gunk. In fact, he coughed up green stuff for a while, too. When we went in for the culture and PFTs, after the bactrim, he was able to give a sputum culture, but it didn't seem like a good one to me. It did not produce the stuff I was getting from him at home. So how do I know they were able to test him for everything that is growing in his lungs?

I raise this question because now, since yesterday, the cough has returned, and so has the yellow globby mucus. He is only about a week and a half into his clindamycin and I thought it was working because his mucus was back to clear after his twice daily nebs and HTS, once with pulmozyme. But, it's kind of like, here we go again! And quantity of mucus is something I am confused about, too. Usually the first two good coughs after airway clearance get the colored stuff out . After that, it is clear again. Is that a minute amount that I should not worry about? If it were a problem would he be coughing that junk up for 20 minutes?

Am I too concerned? Is this normal for CF lungs? Or should I wonder if clindamycin is not the right med either? He is feeling fine, swimming, golfing, playing, appetite is not what it usually is, but he is eating. Would you guys just watch and let him finish his clindamycin? Or would you call the clinic? I'm afraid they are going to think I'm a basketcase mom, and I'm not. I just want to make smart decisions for Andrew.

You know when you just have that feeling like there's more going on?
 
T

TonyaH

Guest
Hello everyone,

Andrew has been fighting a little staph infection lately. A three week round of bactrim didn't do the trick and he started producing some icky colored mucus. After PFTs that found his FEV1 still very high, 118, and a culture showing that his staph level only went up a little, from 2 to a 2+, the doctor put him on a three week round of clindamycin and 10 days of prednisone because she said his cough sounded more croupy. She did not think IVS were necessary and I was happy with that.

This is the problem I'm having. Andrew has never really coughed up anything with much color or "blobbiness". It's always been clear, kind of sticky, mucus. He started HTS just a few weeks before I started to see the yellow, globby gunk. In fact, he coughed up green stuff for a while, too. When we went in for the culture and PFTs, after the bactrim, he was able to give a sputum culture, but it didn't seem like a good one to me. It did not produce the stuff I was getting from him at home. So how do I know they were able to test him for everything that is growing in his lungs?

I raise this question because now, since yesterday, the cough has returned, and so has the yellow globby mucus. He is only about a week and a half into his clindamycin and I thought it was working because his mucus was back to clear after his twice daily nebs and HTS, once with pulmozyme. But, it's kind of like, here we go again! And quantity of mucus is something I am confused about, too. Usually the first two good coughs after airway clearance get the colored stuff out . After that, it is clear again. Is that a minute amount that I should not worry about? If it were a problem would he be coughing that junk up for 20 minutes?

Am I too concerned? Is this normal for CF lungs? Or should I wonder if clindamycin is not the right med either? He is feeling fine, swimming, golfing, playing, appetite is not what it usually is, but he is eating. Would you guys just watch and let him finish his clindamycin? Or would you call the clinic? I'm afraid they are going to think I'm a basketcase mom, and I'm not. I just want to make smart decisions for Andrew.

You know when you just have that feeling like there's more going on?
 
T

TonyaH

Guest
Hello everyone,

Andrew has been fighting a little staph infection lately. A three week round of bactrim didn't do the trick and he started producing some icky colored mucus. After PFTs that found his FEV1 still very high, 118, and a culture showing that his staph level only went up a little, from 2 to a 2+, the doctor put him on a three week round of clindamycin and 10 days of prednisone because she said his cough sounded more croupy. She did not think IVS were necessary and I was happy with that.

This is the problem I'm having. Andrew has never really coughed up anything with much color or "blobbiness". It's always been clear, kind of sticky, mucus. He started HTS just a few weeks before I started to see the yellow, globby gunk. In fact, he coughed up green stuff for a while, too. When we went in for the culture and PFTs, after the bactrim, he was able to give a sputum culture, but it didn't seem like a good one to me. It did not produce the stuff I was getting from him at home. So how do I know they were able to test him for everything that is growing in his lungs?

I raise this question because now, since yesterday, the cough has returned, and so has the yellow globby mucus. He is only about a week and a half into his clindamycin and I thought it was working because his mucus was back to clear after his twice daily nebs and HTS, once with pulmozyme. But, it's kind of like, here we go again! And quantity of mucus is something I am confused about, too. Usually the first two good coughs after airway clearance get the colored stuff out . After that, it is clear again. Is that a minute amount that I should not worry about? If it were a problem would he be coughing that junk up for 20 minutes?

Am I too concerned? Is this normal for CF lungs? Or should I wonder if clindamycin is not the right med either? He is feeling fine, swimming, golfing, playing, appetite is not what it usually is, but he is eating. Would you guys just watch and let him finish his clindamycin? Or would you call the clinic? I'm afraid they are going to think I'm a basketcase mom, and I'm not. I just want to make smart decisions for Andrew.

You know when you just have that feeling like there's more going on?
 
T

TonyaH

Guest
Hello everyone,

Andrew has been fighting a little staph infection lately. A three week round of bactrim didn't do the trick and he started producing some icky colored mucus. After PFTs that found his FEV1 still very high, 118, and a culture showing that his staph level only went up a little, from 2 to a 2+, the doctor put him on a three week round of clindamycin and 10 days of prednisone because she said his cough sounded more croupy. She did not think IVS were necessary and I was happy with that.

This is the problem I'm having. Andrew has never really coughed up anything with much color or "blobbiness". It's always been clear, kind of sticky, mucus. He started HTS just a few weeks before I started to see the yellow, globby gunk. In fact, he coughed up green stuff for a while, too. When we went in for the culture and PFTs, after the bactrim, he was able to give a sputum culture, but it didn't seem like a good one to me. It did not produce the stuff I was getting from him at home. So how do I know they were able to test him for everything that is growing in his lungs?

I raise this question because now, since yesterday, the cough has returned, and so has the yellow globby mucus. He is only about a week and a half into his clindamycin and I thought it was working because his mucus was back to clear after his twice daily nebs and HTS, once with pulmozyme. But, it's kind of like, here we go again! And quantity of mucus is something I am confused about, too. Usually the first two good coughs after airway clearance get the colored stuff out . After that, it is clear again. Is that a minute amount that I should not worry about? If it were a problem would he be coughing that junk up for 20 minutes?

Am I too concerned? Is this normal for CF lungs? Or should I wonder if clindamycin is not the right med either? He is feeling fine, swimming, golfing, playing, appetite is not what it usually is, but he is eating. Would you guys just watch and let him finish his clindamycin? Or would you call the clinic? I'm afraid they are going to think I'm a basketcase mom, and I'm not. I just want to make smart decisions for Andrew.

You know when you just have that feeling like there's more going on?
 
T

TonyaH

Guest
Hello everyone,

Andrew has been fighting a little staph infection lately. A three week round of bactrim didn't do the trick and he started producing some icky colored mucus. After PFTs that found his FEV1 still very high, 118, and a culture showing that his staph level only went up a little, from 2 to a 2+, the doctor put him on a three week round of clindamycin and 10 days of prednisone because she said his cough sounded more croupy. She did not think IVS were necessary and I was happy with that.

This is the problem I'm having. Andrew has never really coughed up anything with much color or "blobbiness". It's always been clear, kind of sticky, mucus. He started HTS just a few weeks before I started to see the yellow, globby gunk. In fact, he coughed up green stuff for a while, too. When we went in for the culture and PFTs, after the bactrim, he was able to give a sputum culture, but it didn't seem like a good one to me. It did not produce the stuff I was getting from him at home. So how do I know they were able to test him for everything that is growing in his lungs?

I raise this question because now, since yesterday, the cough has returned, and so has the yellow globby mucus. He is only about a week and a half into his clindamycin and I thought it was working because his mucus was back to clear after his twice daily nebs and HTS, once with pulmozyme. But, it's kind of like, here we go again! And quantity of mucus is something I am confused about, too. Usually the first two good coughs after airway clearance get the colored stuff out . After that, it is clear again. Is that a minute amount that I should not worry about? If it were a problem would he be coughing that junk up for 20 minutes?

Am I too concerned? Is this normal for CF lungs? Or should I wonder if clindamycin is not the right med either? He is feeling fine, swimming, golfing, playing, appetite is not what it usually is, but he is eating. Would you guys just watch and let him finish his clindamycin? Or would you call the clinic? I'm afraid they are going to think I'm a basketcase mom, and I'm not. I just want to make smart decisions for Andrew.

You know when you just have that feeling like there's more going on?
 
A

Alyssa

New member
sputum cultures can vary depending on where that particular sample was coughed up from. Some people have experienced certain bugs from only one part of the lung or one particular lobe. So what you are describing is within the realm of possibility.

My first thought as I read through your post is, with just starting the saline, maybe you are just starting to get up old infected junk that didn't want to move out before the use of saline.

I don't think you are too concerned, even though it's a small amount, it's still happening and still out of the ordinary for him so that is still a signal to you that something is different right now.

How far from clinic are you? When we lived only 20-25 minutes from our clinic we were always allowed to "collect" a sputum sample at home and then we could run it into the lab at any time that was convenient for us. We did this because getting a good sputum sample out of my kids at clinic has never happened - but we could "catch" them at home if an infection was brewing. You have to have a clean sample cup handy. I always picked up extra from the clinic - but they are nothing special - you could get any sealed sampled cup from any doctor's office and use that if it's easier to get your hands on one from say your PCP's office or something like that.

I would call them and describe what you see - ask them if they feel it's possible he is bringing up this more colored stuff from a different part of the lungs when he is at home and could you bring in a sample of it to culture.

~~~~
I just went back and re-read your post. Maybe I misunderstood what has happened..... you feel the 2nd culture (after the 3 weeks of bactrim) might not have shown everything growing, but yet it did still show the same staph as before the bactrim right?

If that is the case they may say to you - stick out the full round and see what happens because seeing the different color mucus would not be all that out of the ordinary, especially if the Bactrim had not worked -- they may be thinking, "Ok, wrong drug, same symptoms, same sputum results - try different drugs" which they are doing.

When did he start the Clindamycin? You probably should give that a good solid 7-10 days to see if he quits coughing up the colored mucus.
 
A

Alyssa

New member
sputum cultures can vary depending on where that particular sample was coughed up from. Some people have experienced certain bugs from only one part of the lung or one particular lobe. So what you are describing is within the realm of possibility.

My first thought as I read through your post is, with just starting the saline, maybe you are just starting to get up old infected junk that didn't want to move out before the use of saline.

I don't think you are too concerned, even though it's a small amount, it's still happening and still out of the ordinary for him so that is still a signal to you that something is different right now.

How far from clinic are you? When we lived only 20-25 minutes from our clinic we were always allowed to "collect" a sputum sample at home and then we could run it into the lab at any time that was convenient for us. We did this because getting a good sputum sample out of my kids at clinic has never happened - but we could "catch" them at home if an infection was brewing. You have to have a clean sample cup handy. I always picked up extra from the clinic - but they are nothing special - you could get any sealed sampled cup from any doctor's office and use that if it's easier to get your hands on one from say your PCP's office or something like that.

I would call them and describe what you see - ask them if they feel it's possible he is bringing up this more colored stuff from a different part of the lungs when he is at home and could you bring in a sample of it to culture.

~~~~
I just went back and re-read your post. Maybe I misunderstood what has happened..... you feel the 2nd culture (after the 3 weeks of bactrim) might not have shown everything growing, but yet it did still show the same staph as before the bactrim right?

If that is the case they may say to you - stick out the full round and see what happens because seeing the different color mucus would not be all that out of the ordinary, especially if the Bactrim had not worked -- they may be thinking, "Ok, wrong drug, same symptoms, same sputum results - try different drugs" which they are doing.

When did he start the Clindamycin? You probably should give that a good solid 7-10 days to see if he quits coughing up the colored mucus.
 
A

Alyssa

New member
sputum cultures can vary depending on where that particular sample was coughed up from. Some people have experienced certain bugs from only one part of the lung or one particular lobe. So what you are describing is within the realm of possibility.

My first thought as I read through your post is, with just starting the saline, maybe you are just starting to get up old infected junk that didn't want to move out before the use of saline.

I don't think you are too concerned, even though it's a small amount, it's still happening and still out of the ordinary for him so that is still a signal to you that something is different right now.

How far from clinic are you? When we lived only 20-25 minutes from our clinic we were always allowed to "collect" a sputum sample at home and then we could run it into the lab at any time that was convenient for us. We did this because getting a good sputum sample out of my kids at clinic has never happened - but we could "catch" them at home if an infection was brewing. You have to have a clean sample cup handy. I always picked up extra from the clinic - but they are nothing special - you could get any sealed sampled cup from any doctor's office and use that if it's easier to get your hands on one from say your PCP's office or something like that.

I would call them and describe what you see - ask them if they feel it's possible he is bringing up this more colored stuff from a different part of the lungs when he is at home and could you bring in a sample of it to culture.

~~~~
I just went back and re-read your post. Maybe I misunderstood what has happened..... you feel the 2nd culture (after the 3 weeks of bactrim) might not have shown everything growing, but yet it did still show the same staph as before the bactrim right?

If that is the case they may say to you - stick out the full round and see what happens because seeing the different color mucus would not be all that out of the ordinary, especially if the Bactrim had not worked -- they may be thinking, "Ok, wrong drug, same symptoms, same sputum results - try different drugs" which they are doing.

When did he start the Clindamycin? You probably should give that a good solid 7-10 days to see if he quits coughing up the colored mucus.
 
A

Alyssa

New member
sputum cultures can vary depending on where that particular sample was coughed up from. Some people have experienced certain bugs from only one part of the lung or one particular lobe. So what you are describing is within the realm of possibility.

My first thought as I read through your post is, with just starting the saline, maybe you are just starting to get up old infected junk that didn't want to move out before the use of saline.

I don't think you are too concerned, even though it's a small amount, it's still happening and still out of the ordinary for him so that is still a signal to you that something is different right now.

How far from clinic are you? When we lived only 20-25 minutes from our clinic we were always allowed to "collect" a sputum sample at home and then we could run it into the lab at any time that was convenient for us. We did this because getting a good sputum sample out of my kids at clinic has never happened - but we could "catch" them at home if an infection was brewing. You have to have a clean sample cup handy. I always picked up extra from the clinic - but they are nothing special - you could get any sealed sampled cup from any doctor's office and use that if it's easier to get your hands on one from say your PCP's office or something like that.

I would call them and describe what you see - ask them if they feel it's possible he is bringing up this more colored stuff from a different part of the lungs when he is at home and could you bring in a sample of it to culture.

~~~~
I just went back and re-read your post. Maybe I misunderstood what has happened..... you feel the 2nd culture (after the 3 weeks of bactrim) might not have shown everything growing, but yet it did still show the same staph as before the bactrim right?

If that is the case they may say to you - stick out the full round and see what happens because seeing the different color mucus would not be all that out of the ordinary, especially if the Bactrim had not worked -- they may be thinking, "Ok, wrong drug, same symptoms, same sputum results - try different drugs" which they are doing.

When did he start the Clindamycin? You probably should give that a good solid 7-10 days to see if he quits coughing up the colored mucus.
 
A

Alyssa

New member
sputum cultures can vary depending on where that particular sample was coughed up from. Some people have experienced certain bugs from only one part of the lung or one particular lobe. So what you are describing is within the realm of possibility.

My first thought as I read through your post is, with just starting the saline, maybe you are just starting to get up old infected junk that didn't want to move out before the use of saline.

I don't think you are too concerned, even though it's a small amount, it's still happening and still out of the ordinary for him so that is still a signal to you that something is different right now.

How far from clinic are you? When we lived only 20-25 minutes from our clinic we were always allowed to "collect" a sputum sample at home and then we could run it into the lab at any time that was convenient for us. We did this because getting a good sputum sample out of my kids at clinic has never happened - but we could "catch" them at home if an infection was brewing. You have to have a clean sample cup handy. I always picked up extra from the clinic - but they are nothing special - you could get any sealed sampled cup from any doctor's office and use that if it's easier to get your hands on one from say your PCP's office or something like that.

I would call them and describe what you see - ask them if they feel it's possible he is bringing up this more colored stuff from a different part of the lungs when he is at home and could you bring in a sample of it to culture.

~~~~
I just went back and re-read your post. Maybe I misunderstood what has happened..... you feel the 2nd culture (after the 3 weeks of bactrim) might not have shown everything growing, but yet it did still show the same staph as before the bactrim right?

If that is the case they may say to you - stick out the full round and see what happens because seeing the different color mucus would not be all that out of the ordinary, especially if the Bactrim had not worked -- they may be thinking, "Ok, wrong drug, same symptoms, same sputum results - try different drugs" which they are doing.

When did he start the Clindamycin? You probably should give that a good solid 7-10 days to see if he quits coughing up the colored mucus.
 
O

OperaMama

New member
YOU are the most important member of the care team, so the likelihood of your CF people thinking you're a pain is slim. You are his advocate and protector, so any questions you have must be answered and explained until they make sense to you on a cellular level. If that means calling the docs once or twice a day, so be it! But I don't know anything about luings and drugs yet... my 5 y/o is still in the pancreatic-only phase.
 
O

OperaMama

New member
YOU are the most important member of the care team, so the likelihood of your CF people thinking you're a pain is slim. You are his advocate and protector, so any questions you have must be answered and explained until they make sense to you on a cellular level. If that means calling the docs once or twice a day, so be it! But I don't know anything about luings and drugs yet... my 5 y/o is still in the pancreatic-only phase.
 
O

OperaMama

New member
YOU are the most important member of the care team, so the likelihood of your CF people thinking you're a pain is slim. You are his advocate and protector, so any questions you have must be answered and explained until they make sense to you on a cellular level. If that means calling the docs once or twice a day, so be it! But I don't know anything about luings and drugs yet... my 5 y/o is still in the pancreatic-only phase.
 
O

OperaMama

New member
YOU are the most important member of the care team, so the likelihood of your CF people thinking you're a pain is slim. You are his advocate and protector, so any questions you have must be answered and explained until they make sense to you on a cellular level. If that means calling the docs once or twice a day, so be it! But I don't know anything about luings and drugs yet... my 5 y/o is still in the pancreatic-only phase.
 
O

OperaMama

New member
YOU are the most important member of the care team, so the likelihood of your CF people thinking you're a pain is slim. You are his advocate and protector, so any questions you have must be answered and explained until they make sense to you on a cellular level. If that means calling the docs once or twice a day, so be it! But I don't know anything about luings and drugs yet... my 5 y/o is still in the pancreatic-only phase.
 
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