I have had a couple of bad bouts of bronchitis over the years, and honestly, it was six weeks before I felt 100% again. :-(

Give yourself enough time to recover and let the meds do their work.

I assume you are not diabetic. I mention it because the steroids can mess with your blood sugar levels, too, which can affect how you feel.

Many times, and its miserable. If you aren't noticing improvement after 3 days on antibiotics, you should call the Dr's office. Maybe what you are on isn't working for you and you need something different.

Recently two of my friends' daughter's have had to try multiple antibiotics to clear up URI and strep.

DD gets is a lot, and this last round she had a touch of pneumonia. She had been on strong antibiotics and using her prednisone/nebulizer, but it took her over a week after ending the antibiotics before she could get up off the sofa without feeling it was huge effort.

She's still weak, and not 100%, but this last bout I insisted she sit around and rest. We went to a store and I made her use the power cart instead of walking around, and she wore her dust mask. She was diagnosed two and a half weeks ago, and is just now feeling she can work a full shift (she's a cashier at a health food store and full time college student).

It does take a LONG time to get back to 100%. Currently DH has it, and he's down on the sofa. He's not been taking his antibiotics like he's supposed to, so I've mandated him to sit and drink fluids, use his inhaler and REST.

Good grief, I didn't realize it could get that bad! lol.

I'm only on day 2 of antibiotics and a friend told me today that her doctor said we need to sit up and move as much as possible.

I notice as soon as I lay down, I get into a horrible coughing fit for 10 min., then it goes away and I'm resting great.

When I sit up, the same thing happens. It's the stuff moving around in the lungs and is why we need to sit up supposedly.

Boy, I'll never let it go this far again without going to a doctor! I go back for a checkup on Wednesday.

Les, I do have diabetes 2, and the doctor said it would interfere with my glucose.

The prednisone is making me hungry so I had a great turkey sandwich. :)

Pesky, hand deliver your dh the meds so he'll take them!

First time in my adult life I got the flu Jan 15, fever, chills, felt terrible, then better--worked out, caught upper respiratory infection and didn't realize it. After three weeks of feeling terrible and no energy went to Dr. got meds, then got out and about a little and caught another infection and second round of antibiotics and steroids.
No pneumonia, though.

I no longer feel sick, but stamina is not back and the bronchial tubes are still clogged, coughing is horrible.

I had no idea that my otherwise healthy body could not fight off these infections and that bronchitis could make you so sick, for so long. Apparently bronchitis is a nasty little visitor that does not want to leave!

Oakley, no I haven't had bronchitis, but this and last year had terrible sinus infections. This year's was particularly grisly. Had a temp of 102.5, lots of post-nasal drip (disgusting) no appetite, stomach upsets, and terrible, violent coughing episodes that were the worst at night. Each incident occured in February. Each time the doc said I was on the verge of bronchitis and each time I took antibiotics to good effect. Guess February/March is a tough time on our respiratory system?

Drink lots of liquids (herbal teas are good. Oh, and ginger ale was my salvation last month!) Stay in touch with your doc's office. Let them know by Monday if you are not feeling better. By then the antibiotics should have kicked in, I think. Take care!

Wht is prednisone prescribed for bronchitis?

I used to get bronchitis and other respiratory illnesses, but as I have aged, I seem to get fewer of them.

I believe the prednisone is prescribed to help control the inflammation that is a part of bronchitis.

I used to get it about 2, sometimes 3x per year, always following a bad cold. I was told once you get it, you're prone to it and it can get worse in subsequent bouts. I used to get a Rx for Humibid (which is now OTC Mucinex). It feels like it puts moisture in your lungs and helps make the cough productive. Gotta get that gunk out.

I'm not medically qualified to verify this, but my M.D. gave me antibiotics & I questioned why, as I had read they were not effective against bronchitis. He said because often times post-nasal drip and/or sinus issues occur or contribute, is tied into the lungs, so antibiotics help with that part. (Also, antibiotics just wipe me out, and make me feel weak.)

Do get plenty of fluids as suggested, and you might feel better sleeping with your chest and head elevated. (If my either of my parents was in the hospital for extended stays, the night nurses elevated their beds a bit to help ward off pneumonia. You just have to find that spot between lying flat & sitting up where it doesn't cause a bunch of coughing spasms.

I will say, and have mentioned before, I began getting pneumonia shots about 12 years ago. They last 5-7 yrs, IIRC. I couldn't believe it, for 10 years not only had I not had a bad cold (only a few mild ones), I didn't have a single bout of bronchitis. When I mentioned it to my M.D. he said it's possible, as pneumonia shots combat similar germ family (I can't think of the name, something 'coccal' maybe?) I did get a bad cold that went straight into 5 weeks of bronchitis summer before last. So weak it was unreal, but I had been running myself ragged, taking care of my mom, she was getting worse, I wasn't eating well, etc. I've not even had a cold since then, tho. If you get it that badly, I'd really encourage you to get a pneumonia shot now and stay with the recommended shot schedule.

"...you might feel better sleeping with your chest and head elevated...You just have to find that spot between lying flat & sitting up where it doesn't cause a bunch of coughing spasms." Excellent advice, Moonshadow! I caught on to that too! Surprising how such a small thing can really make a difference.

I took Mucinex D too. Yes it does sure help the cough to be more "productive" and "get the gunk out!"

Oakely, I can imagine how miserable you must feel! Hoping you feel better ASAP!

Moon, I had a pneumonia shot in '04 and this is the sickest I've been since my shot. I think I'm going to start getting the shot again.

I usually sleep a bit propped up anyway, so are you saying if I sleep flat I'm more prone to pneumonia? I have asthma so that's why I can't sleep flat. Mostly on my side.

No, I don't want to tell you you're more prone to pneumonia. I think it had something to do with preventing fluid from settling in lungs (for prolonged hospital stays in parents). Since you've already got congestion, the elevation will help with that (should anyway).

Yes, you're 6 years out from your last shot, my MD gave me another within that window. I'm curious, did you feel like it made a difference?

I've had it twice and it's not any fun.

I hope you get feeling better soon! The coughing and gunk is miserable. I've heard mucinex is good but I haven't tried it myself.

Moon, I do think having the shot made a difference. I was in the hospital having my hysterectomy and the nurses kept asking me if I wanted a shot, and finally I said yes just to get them off my back! lol

I haven't had any serious bouts of anything until now so I do think it helped.

I always get my flu shot though, I'm good at that.

I did something really stupid last night. I just HAD to take a picture of the Super Moon, so I got my big zoom lens out and stayed outside for about 10 min. in windy, damp air (it was about 60), came in and coughed my head off.

I had a bout of energy and now I'm paying. lol

Shee, Mucinex is excellent! I was using that until the doctor gave me some cough syrup and said not to take the mucinex with it because they both did the same.

Mucinex breaks up the congestion better than anything else, IMO. It was prescription until a couple of years ago. I always take 2 pills at a time, every 12 hours, with a full glass of water.

I bought some Mucinex this winter and it really helped a lot when I had a sinus infection. Got DH to take his antibiotics and he's taking the Mucinex, too, and he's feeling a LOT better.

Oakley, TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF!

Another one suffering here! Been LOTS of people around DFW with this one .... must be in the air!

HORRIBLE clogged nose -- the worst in my life!!! And an ugly cough -- those "raspy" ones ....

I finally went to the doctor (and we have no health insurance so it was unusual for me to go) on Wednesday after not sleeping for two nights .... my nose was so clogged ... it felt like it was full of glue!

Yep -- taking Mucinex and a steroid-type thing from the doc.

Still hacking -- and the nose is better. But still no taste .... :(

Been a full week now -- hoping for improvement this week!

Jan at Rosemary Cottage

I had bronchitis every October for the last five years in a row up until this past October. My bronchitis is brought on by seasonal allergies (not sure what kind) so my doc told me to start taking Singulair in September. I followed his advice, and what do you know, I didn't get bronchitis. So that might be something to consider if you know you are coming into your bronchitis season.

Kelly - are you by chance allergic to mold? I don't think I've ever had bronchitis, but I had sinus infections two years in a row. Knock on wood, but I am one who rarely has even a cold. Do take flu shots but dont' think I'm old enough for the pneumonia vaccine yet. Never had pneumonia either tho. My mold allergy got so bad though that I was tested several times for asthma. I don't have it but I was having times of wheezing. After antibiotics and several go rounds with predisone, my ENT said that I had to get my allergies under control. They also put me on singular which is used frequently with mold allergies (which apparently affects bronchial tubes). An inhaled cortinsone, an antihistime, an inhaled antihistimine and singular. I am happy to report that I am now on maintanance allergy shots and am taking meds only as needed (not often). My ENT and allergist love mucinex - it has been around for years in Robitusin. It thins mucus, making it easier to get it out. I'd really suggest to anyone having recurring bouts of bronchitis, sinus infections, etc. to see an allergist. It's made all the difference in the world for me. I'm a person who hates taking meds and especially antibiotics. Predisone has some very nasty side effects - you don't want to be taking it long term or often unless absolutely necessary.
tina

tina, I did the whole allergy shots treatment about 20 years ago, for about 5 years. It did help, but then I ended up needing sinus surgery. Started with a raging sinus infection that wouldn't quit, I was on antibiotics almost 3 months straight, a week or two break in between. Told the ENT forget this, let's just fix it. Huge improvement, still to this day. Nasal polyps were the culprit. Agree, allergies can trigger other issues, it all involves the same body parts ;)

For anyone having trouble with an uber stuffed up nose, those Breathe Right strips help a lot. The flesh colored ones are better than the clear, which are stiff & plastic-like. If not mistaken they make some now with Vick's in them for using with a cold, etc. I used to use Vick's Nasal Mist spray, but had to quit using too many days in a row, I'd get a boomerang effect and be even more stuffed up. So it's 3 days max, then I stop for a few.

oakley, glad to hear you felt improvement after pneumonia shot. (When I first started noticing the change, I thought it was a strange fluke the way it effected me. Or it was the undiscovered cure to the common cold and right under their noses the whole time, lol.)

Tina, you don't have to be old to get a pneumonia shot. Just like the flu shot it's recommended for those of us who have secondary problems like asthma and diabetes. I have both so that's why I got the pneumonia shot.

Question...and this is gross so don't read if you don't wanna..it's about mucus. lol.

I go back to the doctor tomorrow (I saw someone else last week, my dr. was on vacation) and the mucus is still yellow. Shouldn't it be clearer by now because of the antibiotics I'm on? And this antibiotic (oxy tabs) are a different antibiotic he's prescribed for me in the past.

I still feel like a newborn kitten, but not as weak as I was. I'm wondering if I have pneumonia now, but since I am on an antibiotic it's not too serious to go to the hospital? No fever still.

I've had pneumonia before and this feels the exact same way.

Here most doctors do not recommend the pneumonia shot until age 50. I'm not sure if insurance will cover it before then. I didn't say you have to be old. It's kind of like the shingles vaccine and the age limit (which may be set by insurance companies and not doctors). I am in good health so I would think that a doctor would not recommend it for me at my age.

I would wait and see what the doctor says tomorrow. Another thing is you may not feel good until you are off prednisone. Hopefully you taper down off them or you will feel awful stopping cold turkey.

tina

Oakley: I came across this info while researching bronchitis. I was diagnosed Monday,and I have been severely weak and faint since Tuesday. I understand when you say you can just be laying there and feel like fainting! I went to the er last night,turns out it was just the bronchitis and dehydration. Still feeling under the weather now but hopefully well soon! I didn't know that bronchitis caused such weakness. Hope you feel better soon!

From my college years until my 40s I got pneumonia and or bronchitis several times a winter. It was beyond frustrating. Once I had bronchitis so bad Doc wanted to hospitalize me. Drove me crazy how I could wake feeling rather fine and within a few hours be totally zapped of energy--I was in my EARLY 20s!!! What ever the antibiotic was it was so strong in made me nauseous. I refused to take it at one point. That is when I discovered generic drugs!!!

Years later, after doing extensive tests to see if I had damaged my lungs the pneumonia shot stopped all that. I went for YEARS with out even a cold. They told me they had no idea how long it would last as they usually give it to 65 yr olds. I will be 57 next month and last check up Doc said I will probably get another in the next five years. I can't say I remember the recovery but I know I do not miss the cough or the tired!!!

Gosh, I barely remember doing this topic! Clay, the key to getting better, just like pneumonia, is to lay around and drink liquids. I remember it took me about 6 weeks to get my strength back, probably because I still did most of the chores, etc. And strong cough medicine with hydrocodone. I liked that part. lol.

Arcy, I had a pneumonia shot at 50 since I had a bad case years before. I discovered why I was getting bronchitis, it was being around my grandchildren when they got colds. Every cold I got turned into B. Now I stay away from them when they're sick and I haven't had B. in two years. And of course I probably just jinxed myself. :)

I find pineapple juice is very good in helping break up congestion. Wishing you a speedy recovery.

Be careful! i used to get bronchitis every year. About 30 years ago, i had a bad bout and went back to work too soon. it came back, even worse. Again, i didn't rest enough. i wound up with asthma, which is no fun at all. it is not curable and is chronic. it can be well controlled, but i've needed to change inhalers a couple of times to keep it controlled. it has changed my life, and not for the better.