Why asthma free after lung infection?

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Roy Tony - 09 Feb 2005 01:50 GMT

Has anyone experience this? I have asthma. And it seems *after*
every time I get a lung infection (and it clears up), I go asthma free
for a long while.

Around Dec 26 last year, I got such an infection that lasted about a
week. When it cleared up I went asthma-free until just last week. Wow, no
asthma for about 35 days! And no need to use *any* puffers! I always had
to use Flovent daily otherwise I'd get an attack in just two days. But
now, nothing. The asthma free experience brought back memories of the good
old days when I didn't suffer from shortest of breath or have to get out
the puffers to stop an attack or prevent one!
Alas, last week a co-worker came in with a cold and coughed around me all
day. The next day I caught something similar that caused a small attack.
The cold is now gone but not the asthma which has returned to it's regular
schedule. So now I'm back using Flovent again.
But I'll never forget what freedom from asthma was like.

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Tony
t2k@vcn.bc.ca
ttony_at@yahoo.com

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NorthShoreCEO - 09 Feb 2005 02:09 GMT

Were you taking antibiotics to clear up the lung infection?

> Has anyone experience this? I have asthma. And it seems *after*
> every time I get a lung infection (and it clears up), I go
[quoted text clipped - 22 lines]
> schedule. So now I'm back using Flovent again.
> But I'll never forget what freedom from asthma was like.

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Roy Tony - 14 Feb 2005 03:09 GMT

> Were you taking antibiotics to clear up the lung infection?

This time yes. (Biaxin Clarithromycin 500mg, S1ngulair 10mg and Cotridin
Syrup). But, there have been several times in the past when I didn't take
anything and experienced a pause in asthma attacks.

I stopped taking the medication Jan 2th. Was the medication still
lurking in my body preventing attacks for 35 days? Funny that it took a
cold to trigger it. Now I'll how long I would have been free if I had not
caught something.

>> Has anyone experience this? I have asthma. And it seems *after*
>> every time I get a lung infection (and it clears up), I go
[quoted text clipped - 14 lines]
>> regular schedule. So now I'm back using Flovent again.
>> But I'll never forget what freedom from asthma was like.

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Tony
t2k@vcn.bc.ca
ttony_at@yahoo.com

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NorthShoreCEO - 14 Feb 2005 12:01 GMT

Clarithromycin/Biaxin IS one of the antibiotics that clears up
mycoplasma or c. pneumoniae, but generally you need a much longer
dose than Azithromycin to eradicate it. The fact that you find
relief with this specific antibiotic for a short period of time
does speak to the possibility that your asthma is caused by -or
may be worsened by - bacteria that you still have in your system.

A good starting point might be to ask your doctor to do some
blood tests to check the titers for mycoplasma and c. pneumoniae
just to see if they indicate you once had either. These serology
tests aren't the most accurate, but the only pcr (polymerase
chain reaction) test (dna testing) that is REALLY accurate, is a
bronchoscopy, an invasive test where they remove some of the lung
tissue to test for the bacteria there. Short of that, the blood
test is the way to go.

It couldn't hurt to have this information, although negative
results don't automatically rule out a connection between asthma
and bacteria. I've heard of a few cases, particularly those
where asthma begins when you're an adult, where the serology
tests were negative but the doctor treated them with antibiotics
anyway for a longer than usual period, and their asthma was
resolved. One woman was a marathon runner with records for
running all over the globe, so she made the trip to Ohio to be
treated, actually, and last I heard, had run her personal best in
Scotland. She was lucky to have a doctor willing to treat her,
and one who listened to her history of adult onset asthma, rather
than just looking at numbers from a test. If you pursue this, I
hope you'll be as fortunate.

>> Were you taking antibiotics to clear up the lung infection?
>
[quoted text clipped - 40 lines]
>>> regular schedule. So now I'm back using Flovent again.
>>> But I'll never forget what freedom from asthma was like.

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Roy Tony - 14 Feb 2005 03:25 GMT

> Were you taking antibiotics to clear up the lung infection?

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Tony
t2k(AT)vcn.bc.ca
ttony_at(AT)yahoo.com

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Joe - 17 Feb 2005 04:21 GMT

have you guys tried UV airpurifier. your asthma could be triggered by what
is in your house. ultra violet airpurifier destroys every micro-organisms
that pass thru the air ducts. a lot of people had asthma relief by
installing this units in their A/C system. So basically UV airpurifier is
the Lysol , the disinfectant of the air you breath....if you have an Ozone
Generator....please by all means turn it off right now....if anyone wants to
purchase a UV air or wants any scientific and government proof about this
please let me know. or visit this eBay store www.ebayelk.com

I have asthma too. and some of it was triggered by VOC at home (volatile
organic compound) produced by plants, carpet...the works.....UV seems to
work for me I am waiting for spring to see how bad my asthma attacks are
going to be with this unit on.

>> Were you taking antibiotics to clear up the lung infection?
>
[quoted text clipped - 25 lines]
>>> regular schedule. So now I'm back using Flovent again.
>>> But I'll never forget what freedom from asthma was like.

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BronchoBilly - 09 Feb 2005 11:17 GMT

Some recent studies have found that some asthma has a large infectious
component, usually mycoplasma/chlamydia pneumoniae, treated by a long round
(can be as long as 6 months) of an antibiotic. Maybe you should talk to your
doctor/pulmonologist about a bronchoscopy/biopsy to check out this
possibility. I suppose that it's possible that this "clearing up" of your
intermittent clinical lung infections gives you some measure of relief for a
time, but that you go back to the underlying infection after a while.

Just a theory.

> Has anyone experience this? I have asthma. And it seems *after*
> every time I get a lung infection (and it clears up), I go asthma free
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> schedule. So now I'm back using Flovent again.
> But I'll never forget what freedom from asthma was like.

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NorthShoreCEO - 09 Feb 2005 11:37 GMT

Actually, they're not recent studies, and go back nearly twenty
years. The reason I asked is because 'periods of remission' are
often
seen following a round or two or three of an antibiotic, but
because it may not have been the right antibiotic taken for the
correct period of time, the asthma will return.

If asthma improves or seems to go into remission for a period
after an antibiotic, I would highly suspect that the asthma is
either caused by or made worse by mycoplasma or c. pneumoniae,
and would gather research to take to my doctor.

I just typed up a document for someone yesterday that explains
this and points to several studies published in medical journals
that point to this. I'm busy, but if anyone needs more
information, I'll be checking back, or they can email me. I've
researched this for two years, and while my asthma was totally
eradicated 18 months ago after having it for 33 years, (and my
sons 14 months ago), I still try to help out with this from time
to time.

> Some recent studies have found that some asthma has a large
> infectious component, usually mycoplasma/chlamydia pneumoniae,
[quoted text clipped - 35 lines]
>> schedule. So now I'm back using Flovent again.
>> But I'll never forget what freedom from asthma was like.

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Roy Tony - 14 Feb 2005 03:19 GMT

Interesting, thanks.

> Actually, they're not recent studies, and go back nearly twenty
> years. The reason I asked is because 'periods of remission' are
> often seen following a round or two or three of an antibiotic, but
> because it may not have been the right antibiotic taken for the
> correct period of time, the asthma will return.

> If asthma improves or seems to go into remission for a period
> after an antibiotic, I would highly suspect that the asthma is
> either caused by or made worse by mycoplasma or c. pneumoniae,
> and would gather research to take to my doctor.

> I just typed up a document for someone yesterday that explains
> this and points to several studies published in medical journals
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
> sons 14 months ago), I still try to help out with this from time
> to time.

>> Some recent studies have found that some asthma has a large
>> infectious component, usually mycoplasma/chlamydia pneumoniae,
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>>
>> Just a theory.

>>> Has anyone experience this? I have asthma. And it seems *after*
>>> every time I get a lung infection (and it clears up), I go asthma free
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
>>> regular schedule. So now I'm back using Flovent again.
>>> But I'll never forget what freedom from asthma was like.

Signature

Tony
t2k@vcn.bc.ca
ttony_at@yahoo.com

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gumbo - 12 Feb 2005 16:07 GMT

> Has anyone experience this? I have asthma. And it seems *after*
> every time I get a lung infection (and it clears up), I go asthma free
> for a long while.

Sadly this is the exact opposite to my experience. I find any form of
lung infection makes the asthma worse, sometimes considerably so,
regardless of whether I'm given antibiotics for the infection. Usually
the worse the infection, the worse the asthma gets.

- gumbo

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Roy Tony - 14 Feb 2005 03:14 GMT

>> Has anyone experience this? I have asthma. And it seems *after*
>> every time I get a lung infection (and it clears up), I go asthma free
>> for a long while.

> Sadly this is the exact opposite to my experience. I find any form of
> lung infection makes the asthma worse, sometimes considerably so,
> regardless of whether I'm given antibiotics for the infection.

Mine too. It gets so bad I end up in the hospital. What I meant was that
after an infection I often become asthma free for as much as two weeks.

> Usually the worse the infection, the worse the asthma gets.
> - gumbo

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Tony
t2k@vcn.bc.ca
ttony_at@yahoo.com

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Mike Schell - 21 Feb 2005 19:49 GMT

Something like this has happened to me as well. My breathing always gets
worse when a lung infection comes on, but lately, I've noticed that as
the infection starts to clear, my asthma isn't there. And I have had a
pretty chronic asthma problem lately. As this latest infection cleared,
I felt asthma free for 5 or 6 days. I had not taken Flovent in a couple
of weeks at that point. I do not take antibiotics. I did down a ton of
oregano oil, goldenseal and other supplements while I was sick. I wonder
if naturally occurring antibiotics, produced by my own body to fight off
my infection, could also be helping with the asthma?

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