Chest infection type problem - maybe?

[Batty]

Hello people.  I picked up some kind of chest infection thing a few weeks ago.  No cough or phlem, just low shooting pains in the chest area mostly the left lung, or what feels like lung anyway, and also shooting up my neck a little, general tightness in the chest just a little.  Its not a bad pain, like 2 out of 10 type level.  Its not indegestion - i have had that on and off for years and its not that type of feeling.  Its also on the wrong side of the chest to be a heart thing.  I went to the hospital 2 weeks ago and they took an x ray.  My left lung looked hazy and foggy, kinda like a white haze, way more so than the right lung.  She said its some kind of chest infection, not quite pneumonia level but possibly the very early stages of it.  She gave me a course of Amoxycylin 750's.  A week later I go back and the same doc isnt there.  I get another xray and see a different doc who compared last weeks x ray with this weeks x ray.  They both looked exactly the same - but she said there is no problem, cant see anything serious.  She just advised me to stop smoking, which I am trying to do, and sent me on my way with no treatment.

 

Why would one doctor say there is nothing serious, but i do have some kind of infection hence the white hazy stuff in one lung, and then another doc the following week say all is fine, when both x rays are the same and my symptoms havent changed?  Two docs, two wildly different prognoses?

 

is it worth going to a different hospital or should I just ride this out and hope it gets better?  Im sick of the places to be honest would rather just ride it out and hope it goes away its probably just some sort of stubborn chest infection right?  

 

Many thanks

 

Batty

 

 

[Khaeng Mak]

Go to the pharmarcy and buy to cards of Amoxicillin. 20 capsules all up @500mg per capsule. Proper price is 50thb per card. 

 

Take a capsule morning and night for 10 days.

 

Report back if you still have the problem.

[uhuh]

He had a course of Amoxicillin already, so this is not going to help.

 

What kind of hospital did you go?  District hospital? 

Where the doctors specialized in lung diseases?

You have already tried "to ride it out" for a week now. If it's not much better now it's the time to go to a bigger hospital and see a specialist.

[faraday]

If you have a good Pharmacist, whose opinion you value, go & get some advice from them.

[xylophone]

2 hours ago, Batty said:

She said its some kind of chest infection, not quite pneumonia level but possibly the very early stages of it.  She gave me a course of Amoxycylin 750's. 

I have just spent five days in hospital with pneumonia, sinusitis and pharyngitis and I have to tell you it was no laughing matter.

 

Even though I am now out, I have been prescribed another two weeks of Augmentin 1000mg (which is amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid) two tablets in the morning and two tablets at night after meals, and during my five days stay I was also treated with Zithromax and another IV antibiotic, Maxiprim so I have been through a spectrum of antibiotics and to all intents and purposes apart from the Maxiprim, the Augmentin is usually the first line of treatment against respiratory tract infections and pneumonia.

 

Don't let it take hold, because it seems that when this infection becomes "deep-seated" it is a bugger to get rid of, as I found out and I'm still not completely clear of it.

 

For the record, my symptoms sounded very much like yours and I never really had a cough until after the pneumonia took hold.

[Batty]

1 hour ago, uhuh said:

He had a course of Amoxicillin already, so this is not going to help.

 

What kind of hospital did you go?  District hospital? 

Where the doctors specialized in lung diseases?

You have already tried "to ride it out" for a week now. If it's not much better now it's the time to go to a bigger hospital and see a specialist.

Just a local private hospital in Udon Thani.  Its not a huge place, and probably not at the better end of the scale of private hospitals to be totaly honest.  Pretty much just general docs, no specialists that I know of.

[Batty]

1 hour ago, faraday said:

If you have a good Pharmacist, whose opinion you value, go & get some advice from them.

Yah I did try that to be honest.  She just shook her head and said 'not a chest infection, no cough'.  I asked her what she thought it might be and she had no idea.

[Batty]

47 minutes ago, xylophone said:

I have just spent five days in hospital with pneumonia, sinusitis and pharyngitis and I have to tell you it was no laughing matter.

 

Even though I am now out, I have been prescribed another two weeks of Augmentin 1000mg (which is amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid) two tablets in the morning and two tablets at night after meals, and during my five days stay I was also treated with Zithromax and another IV antibiotic, Maxiprim so I have been through a spectrum of antibiotics and to all intents and purposes apart from the Maxiprim, the Augmentin is usually the first line of treatment against respiratory tract infections and pneumonia.

 

Don't let it take hold, because it seems that when this infection becomes "deep-seated" it is a bugger to get rid of, as I found out and I'm still not completely clear of it.

 

For the record, my symptoms sounded very much like yours and I never really had a cough until after the pneumonia took hold.

Christ, thats a worry.  Im glad to hear you are out of hospital and improving, and wish you a speedy full recovery - but that is a worry you saying the symptoms started just like mine.

 

I appreciate you are not a doctor so im sorry to ask, but in your opinion should I take another course of the antibiotics or go find a specialist somewhere?  I was taking the same pills for one week - 750mg amoxy and together with some kind of acid, it must be the same.  I took them for 7 days.  I could go and buy some more, together with zitromax see if it improves over the next few days and if not, go find a specialist?

[Batty]

1 hour ago, xylophone said:

I have just spent five days in hospital with pneumonia, sinusitis and pharyngitis and I have to tell you it was no laughing matter.

 

Even though I am now out, I have been prescribed another two weeks of Augmentin 1000mg (which is amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid) two tablets in the morning and two tablets at night after meals, and during my five days stay I was also treated with Zithromax and another IV antibiotic, Maxiprim so I have been through a spectrum of antibiotics and to all intents and purposes apart from the Maxiprim, the Augmentin is usually the first line of treatment against respiratory tract infections and pneumonia.

 

Don't let it take hold, because it seems that when this infection becomes "deep-seated" it is a bugger to get rid of, as I found out and I'm still not completely clear of it.

 

For the record, my symptoms sounded very much like yours and I never really had a cough until after the pneumonia took hold.

Can I just ask, you said you had been taking 1000mg two times in the morning and two times at night.  Does this mean you were taking 4000mg a day?  Or do you mean 4 x 250mg pills in total over the day?

[xylophone]

21 minutes ago, Batty said:

Christ, thats a worry.  Im glad to hear you are out of hospital and improving, and wish you a speedy full recovery - but that is a worry you saying the symptoms started just like mine.

 

I appreciate you are not a doctor so im sorry to ask, but in your opinion should I take another course of the antibiotics or go find a specialist somewhere?  I was taking the same pills for one week - 750mg amoxy and together with some kind of acid, it must be the same.  I took them for 7 days.  I could go and buy some more, together with zitromax see if it improves over the next few days and if not, go find a specialist?

More to the point, do you have a fever/temperature?

 

The Augmentin (amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid) has a wider spectrum than plain amoxicillin so that does help and as I said, this appears to be the first line recommendation for respiratory infections like this.

 

Personally, I would not add the Zithromax to the mix because it could well be unnecessary and it is a great antibiotic which has shown some good activity for some respiratory infections, however I think you'll find that the Augmentin is probably considered the gold standard, and is particularly effective when taken for two weeks, rather than just seven days.

 

Again, the dosage matters (a total of 1000 mg) and also the fact that mine are Augmentin SR (slow-release) by GSK, so if you have taken some for seven days, try and sustain that for another seven days with the tablets that I have mentioned. If it does progress to pneumonia, then you will very soon know because as you will feel quite ill (temperature, raspy cough, rattling chest and perhaps difficulty breathing).

 

I doubt that a specialist will give you any different antibiotics, so as you've already taken one week's worth of what appears to be Augmentin, then continue that for another week.

 

As you said, I'm not a doctor, so if you feel like going to see one, then you should certainly do so.

 

PS. My dosage is 2 x 1000mg tablets after breakfast and 2 x 1000mg tablets after dinner, so 4 x 1000mg per day in total.

Edited March 31, 2019 by xylophone

[Sheryl]

Do not self medicate with more antibiotics.

 

See a pulmonary specialist at either Udon Thani government hospital (use after hours clinic) or KKU University hospital (Srinagagrind and ditto - after hours clinic)

 

A simple blood count (CBC) will help determine if this is a bacterial infections

 

Bring Xray films with you

[faraday]

Please keep us informed when you go to see the Pulmonary Doc.

 

Get better soon na?

 

[Khaeng Mak]

10 hours ago, xylophone said:

I have just spent five days in hospital with pneumonia, sinusitis and pharyngitis and I have to tell you it was no laughing matter.

 

Even though I am now out, I have been prescribed another two weeks of Augmentin 1000mg (which is amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid) two tablets in the morning and two tablets at night after meals, and during my five days stay I was also treated with Zithromax and another IV antibiotic, Maxiprim so I have been through a spectrum of antibiotics and to all intents and purposes apart from the Maxiprim, the Augmentin is usually the first line of treatment against respiratory tract infections and pneumonia.

 

Don't let it take hold, because it seems that when this infection becomes "deep-seated" it is a bugger to get rid of, as I found out and I'm still not completely clear of it.

 

For the record, my symptoms sounded very much like yours and I never really had a cough until after the pneumonia took hold.

That's exactly why I suggested he have another course of amoxicillin.

[uhuh]

I repeat after Sheryl: do not self-medicate with more antibiotics.

Have a chest doctor look at the xrays, get a clinical examination and if needed blood tests. 

There are several good hospitals in Udon, best are the government hospital,  Aek Udon and Bangkok Hospital. Wattana hospital is also ok.

Dr Aram (internal medicine) at Aek Udon is good. 

If Khonkaen is more convenient,  go to the hospital that Sheryl mentioned.  Best hospital in Isan.

Edited March 31, 2019 by uhuh

[Batty]

23 hours ago, xylophone said:

More to the point, do you have a fever/temperature?

 

The Augmentin (amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid) has a wider spectrum than plain amoxicillin so that does help and as I said, this appears to be the first line recommendation for respiratory infections like this.

 

Personally, I would not add the Zithromax to the mix because it could well be unnecessary and it is a great antibiotic which has shown some good activity for some respiratory infections, however I think you'll find that the Augmentin is probably considered the gold standard, and is particularly effective when taken for two weeks, rather than just seven days.

 

Again, the dosage matters (a total of 1000 mg) and also the fact that mine are Augmentin SR (slow-release) by GSK, so if you have taken some for seven days, try and sustain that for another seven days with the tablets that I have mentioned. If it does progress to pneumonia, then you will very soon know because as you will feel quite ill (temperature, raspy cough, rattling chest and perhaps difficulty breathing).

 

I doubt that a specialist will give you any different antibiotics, so as you've already taken one week's worth of what appears to be Augmentin, then continue that for another week.

 

As you said, I'm not a doctor, so if you feel like going to see one, then you should certainly do so.

 

PS. My dosage is 2 x 1000mg tablets after breakfast and 2 x 1000mg tablets after dinner, so 4 x 1000mg per day in total.

Ok, appreciate it thanks.  I have no fever at all, normal BP etc.

[faraday]

To be on the safe side, I would do as Sheryl suggests & see a Pulmonary Doc.

 

I had a chest infection around 4 weeks ago; talked with a Pharmacist in Udon who is very knowledgeable. I had Antibiotics for 3 weeks, & although the discoloured phlegm went, I still produced a lot of mucous. Went back to see him & got some Bronchodilator tablets which have helped enormously. Am almost 'back to normal' now.

 

I'm also a smoker.

 

 

[dddave]

On 3/31/2019 at 11:48 AM, xylophone said:

I have just spent five days in hospital with pneumonia, sinusitis and pharyngitis and I have to tell you it was no laughing matter.

 

Even though I am now out, I have been prescribed another two weeks of Augmentin 1000mg (which is amoxicillin plus clavulanic acid) two tablets in the morning and two tablets at night after meals, and during my five days stay I was also treated with Zithromax and another IV antibiotic, Maxiprim so I have been through a spectrum of antibiotics and to all intents and purposes apart from the Maxiprim, the Augmentin is usually the first line of treatment against respiratory tract infections and pneumonia.

 

Don't let it take hold, because it seems that when this infection becomes "deep-seated" it is a bugger to get rid of, as I found out and I'm still not completely clear of it.

 

For the record, my symptoms sounded very much like yours and I never really had a cough until after the pneumonia took hold.

For the record:  Brand name Squib Augmentin is very expensive.  There are several local versions that do an equally good job for 15% of the price.  AMK, Amoksiklav, and Cavumox are 3 I know of and have used successfully. There are others as well.

Edited April 1, 2019 by dddave