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Is your immune system compromised? How do you treat frequent infections?
Many of us with chronic conditions are immune system compromised. This means that we have a harder time fighting off infections than the average person, often leading us to be on antibiotics more frequently than we would like to. Last week, I was admitted into the hospital for a day for IV antibiotics just as a precaution against an infection caused by my j tube (feeding tube into the intestines). I stopped the antibiotics after that because I was vomiting large amounts but was surprised this morning to find out that I have a current Staph infection and also they found e-coli bacteria around the site too.
I am seeing my primary care doctor and have called my GI office regarding what they want their plan to be for antibiotics and treatment for this since I am still having swelling, redness, vomiting, and just over all not feeling my best because of discomfort inside my stomach.
Have you ever had a staph infection or e-coli bacteria? Do you get frequent infections? Is there anything that you or your doctors do to try to prevent serious infections like this?
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9 Replies
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Sorry to hear about your infection. The good news is you will get through it one more time. We take our time like the turtle, we walk slowly but surely. I try to stay away from anyone who has flu or is coughing. My white blood cell count is low and keep dropping so I do the bed I can to manage.
May you feel better soon.-
Thank you so much. I hope I get rid of this quickly so it can just be all behind me and cleared up. Slowly but surely is the motto! I have had trouble with my white blood cell counts being low too. It is currently on the higher end for me so I am sure that has to do with the infections that I have going on. That’s definitely smart of you to stay away from people who have infections or colds and especially upper respiratory viruses going on.
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You will get rid of it quickly. What did they give you to help bringing it high? The pulmonologist is sending me to see a hematologist.
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They didn’t give me anything, I think it is just increased because my body is trying to fight off an infection. Usually my white cell count along with my red blood cell count can be pretty low. Are your red blood cell counts also low?
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Yes, they are low but the number for the white cells is scary;2.5
They think it could be the lupus medication that keeps dropping it but they are not sure. Hoping for the best. Since I’ve been diagnosed with PAH, I take everything one day at a time.-
I’m hoping for the best for you too! Hopefully you can see a specialist in this and they can give you more insight into why this is happening and what to do about it.I hate just tossing symptoms up to my chronic conditions unless I know for sure that there is nothing else that can be done. You’re right that we do have to just take one day as it comes. We can’t live too far into the future or think too much about the past or it will drive us crazy!
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I have been diagnosed with hypogammaglobulinemia, which means my Antibodies are not effective in treating “bugs” and I therefore have constant sinus infections, pink eye, skin infections, bladder infections, was septic twice, pneumonia second nature to me and I had some very obscure bacterial infections. After four years, this past October my insurances finally approved IViG infusions for me. The expense is crazy, about 28,000 dollars a month! I go into the hospital outpatient for 2 continuous days; 5 hours each day for IV gammaglobulin infusions. I’ve had three months of treatments and my chronic sinus infection has stopped. I’m hoping to see less infections as the infusions continue.
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@andrew my son frequently needs IVIG infusions due to post transplant struggles with his IGG levels. He is VERY sensitive to the infusions. They have to go at a slow rate which means being admitted so they can run the infusion over 22 hours.They do really help him though. I don’t want to jinx him by saying this but his levels have finally stabilized and he hasn’t needed infusions for several months. The cost is outrageous! Thank God for insurance!
I’m not familiar with hypogammaglobulinemia. I’m going to make it a topic for tomorrow and ask if anyone else struggles with this and PH.
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@colleensteele I am also very sensitive to infusions. They always have to go at a slow rate. I tend to have a lot of problems with IV infiltrating or blowing, especially if they aren’t going at a slow rate. This happens with stronger medications too like benadryl. The veins being small in my body make it easier for them to blow too. Does he ever have trouble with IV infiltrate?
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