Chest Infections

[daveR]

Hi,
I have had a chest infection for a while now. Started off as just a cough, then tightness in the chest and shortage of breath. X-ray showed a lung infection in both Lungs and they never told me the blood test results. The Dr, not my usual HIV Dr, has opted for a bacterial pneumonia infection. So far I have had 4 x Avelox 400 mg intravenous treatments with daily oral antibiotics clarithromycin for an additional 3 days. 7 days of treatment. X-ray getting worse, cough getting worse. Since being positive and on meds I have had 2 cases of acute Bronchitis and now this. My CD 4 count since starting treatment has always been normal, 40-42%.

So far after the initial antibiotics they have given me another 7 days supply and then want to repeat the X-ray a week after I finish the course

I have done my "internet research" with our good friend who knows everything, Google, and I am still confused as a lot of the information refers to pre ART days. Does anybody have experience of this, are we as a group more susceptible to Lung issues even if we have good numbers? I was lucky to be diagnosed with a CD4 count 0f 330 at 30% so my immune system was reasonable before I started ART.


Thanks
Dave

[Jim Allen]

Hiya.

Sorry to hear that you are unwell and hope you feel better soon.

I'm on my phone now, so I'll edit and add links to my post later as a reference in short, post-HAART era rates of pneumonia dropped significantly under the population living with HIV. However, we still are in a higher risk group. Also, CD4 doesn't measure overall health or capture all the damage done to the rest of the body before treatment started.

I'm convinced that my CD4s are lazy little fuckers.  Anyhow, I hope you feel better soon.

[daveR]

Thanks for that confirmation Jim.

The Google stuff I found was either old or just to technical to give me the basic yes or no style answer I was looking for. I don't pretend to be a medical expert or lab technician, I prefer the simple straight forward explanations.

I shall just persist with the antibiotics.

[leatherman]

Ugh. sorry to hear about the pneumonia.

I was hospitalized twice with it (and nearly a third time) and it sucks. The recovery can suck too because no one likes to be "half sick" for an extended amount of time.

PLWH have a higher risk of pneumonia even with good numbers, although it's more likely with not-so-good numbers. The biggest change from the 80s-90s to now, is back then we were more likely to have PCP (an AIDS related pneumonia) while now (with more people tested early and/or in treatment) it's more likely to be "regular" pneumonia. Of course, age and/or being in the hospital with another condition, exhaustion, stress, poor nutrition, etc. can up the odds a little more too.

I shall just persist with the antibiotics.

that's all you can do, whether your numbers are good or bad; or whether you're HIV+ or HIV-.

Hope you get to feeling better soon!

[Jim Allen]

Thanks for that confirmation Jim.

The Google stuff I found was either old or just to technical to give me the basic yes or no style answer I was looking for. I don't pretend to be a medical expert or lab technician, I prefer the simple straight forward explanations.

I shall just persist with the antibiotics.

You're welcome.

Do hope you feel better soon, and ill add the references tomorrow to my post. It's late here, and I should already be in bed.

[daveR]

Thanks for the insight Leatherman.

I shall have to adjust my approach to health care. I have never been one for running to a Dr at the first sign of a cough. In fact this round of chest discomfort started about two weeks before I went to the hospital. I use to let the body handle these things itself. Obviously now it needs a bit more assistance from medical science.

If I had received medical attention a bit sooner I could have probably nipped this in the bud.

Dave

[leatherman]

Obviously now it needs a bit more assistance from medical science.

aye, there's the rub. Once a person gets HIV suppressed and their immune system has recovered, almost all the health problems they might have will either be based on genetics, age, or something in the environment. HIV doesn't cause sickness; HIV just harms your immune system giving other diseases a chance to make you sick. Once HIV is suppressed, HIV has very little to do with your health. (Although, it might make you a little bit more susceptible to getting sick in some situations like pneumonia and cancer)

brushing off a cough until sick enough to end up in a hospital with pneumonia is exactly how most people end up in the hospital with pneumonia. Congratulations, you're just an average "joe". Look at it this way though, you're right about adjusting your approach to health care. You've learned some of the warning signs now and will be able to get medical attention quicker if you ever get sick like this again.

Hope you're breathing well today and not too tired!

[Tonny2]

         ojo.            Hi there!!… hoping you get better soon…positive energy on your way…hugs

[harleymc]

get better soon