When to get IVs

C

CFkitty

New member
Three weeks, productive cough and increased sputum, mild chest pain, four different antibiotics with no change, chest CT scan showing diffuse inflammation, PFTs (FVC and FEV1) down 15%.

Waiting to hear from doc what he wants to do. Last two PICCs gave me blood clots. Problem is, I am not SUPER sick but I have not improved despite 4 diff antibiotics, and CT scan shows "interesting" spots of inflammation (different from my recent and/or previous P.A. filled xrays/scans).

He wanted me to see ENT first to see if THAT CT scan showed anything, which it did, four months post-op. Clinical exam showed inflammation and infection up there.

So, medium sick with no improvement. If given the choice, would you get IVs? (Don't know what he will recommend). Nothing new showing up on CF sputum culture, but he is 100% sure it's infection. Just can't get to it to culture it.

Usually, it's obvious which way to go, but with an unknown pathogen, it's not so easy.
 
C

CFkitty

New member
Three weeks, productive cough and increased sputum, mild chest pain, four different antibiotics with no change, chest CT scan showing diffuse inflammation, PFTs (FVC and FEV1) down 15%.

Waiting to hear from doc what he wants to do. Last two PICCs gave me blood clots. Problem is, I am not SUPER sick but I have not improved despite 4 diff antibiotics, and CT scan shows "interesting" spots of inflammation (different from my recent and/or previous P.A. filled xrays/scans).

He wanted me to see ENT first to see if THAT CT scan showed anything, which it did, four months post-op. Clinical exam showed inflammation and infection up there.

So, medium sick with no improvement. If given the choice, would you get IVs? (Don't know what he will recommend). Nothing new showing up on CF sputum culture, but he is 100% sure it's infection. Just can't get to it to culture it.

Usually, it's obvious which way to go, but with an unknown pathogen, it's not so easy.
 
C

CFkitty

New member
Three weeks, productive cough and increased sputum, mild chest pain, four different antibiotics with no change, chest CT scan showing diffuse inflammation, PFTs (FVC and FEV1) down 15%.

Waiting to hear from doc what he wants to do. Last two PICCs gave me blood clots. Problem is, I am not SUPER sick but I have not improved despite 4 diff antibiotics, and CT scan shows "interesting" spots of inflammation (different from my recent and/or previous P.A. filled xrays/scans).

He wanted me to see ENT first to see if THAT CT scan showed anything, which it did, four months post-op. Clinical exam showed inflammation and infection up there.

So, medium sick with no improvement. If given the choice, would you get IVs? (Don't know what he will recommend). Nothing new showing up on CF sputum culture, but he is 100% sure it's infection. Just can't get to it to culture it.

Usually, it's obvious which way to go, but with an unknown pathogen, it's not so easy.
 
C

CFkitty

New member
Three weeks, productive cough and increased sputum, mild chest pain, four different antibiotics with no change, chest CT scan showing diffuse inflammation, PFTs (FVC and FEV1) down 15%.

Waiting to hear from doc what he wants to do. Last two PICCs gave me blood clots. Problem is, I am not SUPER sick but I have not improved despite 4 diff antibiotics, and CT scan shows "interesting" spots of inflammation (different from my recent and/or previous P.A. filled xrays/scans).

He wanted me to see ENT first to see if THAT CT scan showed anything, which it did, four months post-op. Clinical exam showed inflammation and infection up there.

So, medium sick with no improvement. If given the choice, would you get IVs? (Don't know what he will recommend). Nothing new showing up on CF sputum culture, but he is 100% sure it's infection. Just can't get to it to culture it.

Usually, it's obvious which way to go, but with an unknown pathogen, it's not so easy.
 
C

CFkitty

New member
Three weeks, productive cough and increased sputum, mild chest pain, four different antibiotics with no change, chest CT scan showing diffuse inflammation, PFTs (FVC and FEV1) down 15%.
<br />
<br />Waiting to hear from doc what he wants to do. Last two PICCs gave me blood clots. Problem is, I am not SUPER sick but I have not improved despite 4 diff antibiotics, and CT scan shows "interesting" spots of inflammation (different from my recent and/or previous P.A. filled xrays/scans).
<br />
<br />He wanted me to see ENT first to see if THAT CT scan showed anything, which it did, four months post-op. Clinical exam showed inflammation and infection up there.
<br />
<br />So, medium sick with no improvement. If given the choice, would you get IVs? (Don't know what he will recommend). Nothing new showing up on CF sputum culture, but he is 100% sure it's infection. Just can't get to it to culture it.
<br />
<br />Usually, it's obvious which way to go, but with an unknown pathogen, it's not so easy.
 
M

MiddleAgedLady

Guest
If my PFTs dropped 15%, you BET I would be asking for IVs! Some clinics seem to be more aggressive than others ... but you sure don't want to lose ground that you can't gain back. That's my two cents' worth! Feel better soon!

Joan
 
M

MiddleAgedLady

Guest
If my PFTs dropped 15%, you BET I would be asking for IVs! Some clinics seem to be more aggressive than others ... but you sure don't want to lose ground that you can't gain back. That's my two cents' worth! Feel better soon!

Joan
 
M

MiddleAgedLady

Guest
If my PFTs dropped 15%, you BET I would be asking for IVs! Some clinics seem to be more aggressive than others ... but you sure don't want to lose ground that you can't gain back. That's my two cents' worth! Feel better soon!

Joan
 
M

MiddleAgedLady

Guest
If my PFTs dropped 15%, you BET I would be asking for IVs! Some clinics seem to be more aggressive than others ... but you sure don't want to lose ground that you can't gain back. That's my two cents' worth! Feel better soon!

Joan
 
M

MiddleAgedLady

Guest
If my PFTs dropped 15%, you BET I would be asking for IVs! Some clinics seem to be more aggressive than others ... but you sure don't want to lose ground that you can't gain back. That's my two cents' worth! Feel better soon!
<br />
<br />Joan
 
T

tesorotiffa

New member
I pretty much went through this same thing for the majority of 2009! I had been on set of ivs after set of ivs, had a bronch done and wasn't growing anything new so atleast we knew the culprits, but for some reason the meds wouldn't "kill" them for more than 2 weeks at a time. When all of that happens, I'm usually shipped off to sinus surgery for a clean out. Although I had two last year, I cannot say definitively that it was the magic tool in getting me better, but it's pretty much the only thing my doc tried. Also the last time I was hospitalized in November, I was put on Prednisone, and I got better alot quicker!
 
T

tesorotiffa

New member
I pretty much went through this same thing for the majority of 2009! I had been on set of ivs after set of ivs, had a bronch done and wasn't growing anything new so atleast we knew the culprits, but for some reason the meds wouldn't "kill" them for more than 2 weeks at a time. When all of that happens, I'm usually shipped off to sinus surgery for a clean out. Although I had two last year, I cannot say definitively that it was the magic tool in getting me better, but it's pretty much the only thing my doc tried. Also the last time I was hospitalized in November, I was put on Prednisone, and I got better alot quicker!
 
T

tesorotiffa

New member
I pretty much went through this same thing for the majority of 2009! I had been on set of ivs after set of ivs, had a bronch done and wasn't growing anything new so atleast we knew the culprits, but for some reason the meds wouldn't "kill" them for more than 2 weeks at a time. When all of that happens, I'm usually shipped off to sinus surgery for a clean out. Although I had two last year, I cannot say definitively that it was the magic tool in getting me better, but it's pretty much the only thing my doc tried. Also the last time I was hospitalized in November, I was put on Prednisone, and I got better alot quicker!
 
T

tesorotiffa

New member
I pretty much went through this same thing for the majority of 2009! I had been on set of ivs after set of ivs, had a bronch done and wasn't growing anything new so atleast we knew the culprits, but for some reason the meds wouldn't "kill" them for more than 2 weeks at a time. When all of that happens, I'm usually shipped off to sinus surgery for a clean out. Although I had two last year, I cannot say definitively that it was the magic tool in getting me better, but it's pretty much the only thing my doc tried. Also the last time I was hospitalized in November, I was put on Prednisone, and I got better alot quicker!
 
T

tesorotiffa

New member
I pretty much went through this same thing for the majority of 2009! I had been on set of ivs after set of ivs, had a bronch done and wasn't growing anything new so atleast we knew the culprits, but for some reason the meds wouldn't "kill" them for more than 2 weeks at a time. When all of that happens, I'm usually shipped off to sinus surgery for a clean out. Although I had two last year, I cannot say definitively that it was the magic tool in getting me better, but it's pretty much the only thing my doc tried. Also the last time I was hospitalized in November, I was put on Prednisone, and I got better alot quicker!
 
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