Saturday, May 4, 2013

CF Awareness Month Blog #4 - Illness & Admissions

Thankfully, this is something I don't have much experience with. Throughout my whole life, I've been relatively healthy for someone with Cystic Fibrosis. For the past 6-7 years, I've done a much better job taking care of myself and being proactive about my disease which I think has really helped keep me healthier, too. I've never been in the hospital since my surgery as a newborn. I am absolutely terrified for the day to come when my doctor tells me that my infections can no longer be controlled by oral antibiotics and that I have to start IV antibiotics.

Right now anytime that I catch a cold or develop some type of infection, I usually go on a two week round of oral antibiotics, typically Cipro. (I also alternate each month taking an inhaled/nebulized antibiotic TOBI - done every other month so I don't build up a resistance) And each time I go to my CF clinic appointments, I have to give a sputum (mucus) sample so they can test it in the lab to make sure my mucus still susceptible to Cirpo and a couple different oral antibiotics. Over time, a CF patient's body can build up a resistance to antibiotics, then you no longer have them as a choice when you get sick. Once you're body has built a resistance to all oral antibiotics, the only other choice is to receive them through IVs.

As of my last appointment, my mucus is still susceptible to all oral antibiotics...thank goodness!

2 comments:

  1. It is wonderful you never had to go on IVs. It is interesting because my sputum is sensitive to all antibiotics as well, but my doctor still likes me to get IVs every once in a while to really clean everything out well. I usually respond very well to Cipro and Bactrim so it stinks when I have to get IVs because the orals seem to work just as well for me. Oh well.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It's interesting to learn how different CF specialist treat CF patients. I wonder why s/he wants you to do IVs. My doctor has always made it seem like those are a last resort...hmmm

      Delete