Tag Archives: IVs

21 days of IVs done

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I did 2 weeks of IV Zosyn and was still not back to baseline. My lung functions had dropped from 35% at the beginning go IVs to 31% at the 2 week mark. We decided to do another week hoping to get over the hump. IV Zosyn is a bit daunting at every 6 hours but I manage. It wears me out to say the least. I sleep at every chance I get. I am able to “bump” my doses an hour either way which helps me get a little more sleep at one time. I’ve mastered it over the last few decades. At the end of 21 days/3 weeks my lung functions hadn’t come back up to where they were when I started IVs. I was at 32% at the end of IVs. With all that said, I am feeling better for the most part. I am however coughing a little more and coughing more up. I say better out than in! So it’s a good thing.

We had talked about putting me inpatient for IV colistin which was the one that messes with my kidneys and sent me into acute kidney failure a few years ago. That being said that is the reason they want me in the hospital for it because they would want labs everyday and be at the ready for extra IV fluids if needed. We decided against that for now. I may have to revisit that in the future when I get sick the next time (have a CF exacerbation). Yes, I say WHEN because it’s inevitable…it’s life with CF. I have another chest x-ray on February 16th to see if the pneumonia is gone. Hoping it is. If it’s not we will have to revisit IVs again I’m sure.

I barely made it through January emotionally speaking. This year my mom’s passing anniversary was harder for some reason. I found myself in bed more. Being sick on top of it didn’t not help either. I hope I’m coming out the other side of it now. My birthday is Monday which I always celebrate gladly unlike others. haha. I love getting older! Every birthday is a great milestone in my life. Especially since I am now past the “life expectancy” for CFers. I am always happy I made it another year. I might post on my birthday, I might not. Just depends on how nostalgic I am feeling…haha.

Until next time…

IVs for the new year

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February 2020 was the last time I was on IVs. I would like to think it is Trikafta making the difference. I usually do IVs every 3-5 months so that’s a plus of Trikafta. It makes me attempt to take the bad (weight gain) with the good. Oh I did my lung functions with my home spirometer. My best fev1 was 35%. So basically holding steady which is good. They had dropped a little over the last few weeks but managed to be back to my baseline today of course. Haha

With that said I have been fighting something for a few weeks. I’ve had an increased cough, coughing more stuff up (which is less since Trikafta), more short of breath, been using my oxygen at night to help, wheezy and fatigue. I made the call for IVs. I have a telemed appointment on Thursday with my CF clinic. So I called to see if they wanted to see me or would prescribe IVs without. Thanks to Covid I was about to get things going without being seen but still have me appointment on Thursday to check in. My port is accessed, labs are drawn and a chest X-ray is done. Busy day at the hospital. Now I wait for the home health to deliver my IV supplies. I will be on Zosyn every 6 hours for 2 weeks. Here’s to no sleep!

Mentally I’ve been in a funk. We are coming up on the anniversary of my moms passing, Jan 19. It’s always a tough time reliving it. We are coming up on 5 years. So my depression has been creeping up. I’m trying my best. Yes I’m still seeing a counselor and taking my antidepressants but that’s not a cure all. There are still bad days. I take what I get.

Until next time…

IV antibiotic time

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I have been sick since my birthday, so 2 weeks now.  I tried oral antibiotics which didn’t help.  I threw in the towel and called my nurse to get IVs started.  I had a “sick visit” today since they wanted to see me and get lung functions done.  My FEV1 was down a bit to .91L/33% (last time was 36%).  I’m having more shortness of breath, fatigue and cough.  It’s been a long 2 weeks of being sick and not feeling good.  After seeing the doctor I went to the infusion lab and got my port accessed and had labs drawn.  Now I’m just waiting for meds to be delivered so I can get started.  I’ll be on IV Zosyn every 6 hours for 2 weeks.  Hopefully 2 weeks is all I need.  I think that’s all.

Until next time…

Clinic day/follow up from hospital

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Today was CF clinic day.  It was my normal 3 month check up that turned into a hospital/IV follow up.  It seems to happen that way most of the time.  I have dropped the prednisone weight I gained which I’m happy about because 5 pounds in one week was a bit much…haha.  No worries, I am not losing weight per se, I just had gained weight from being on high doses of prednisone.  I am just fine in the weight department. Continue reading →

Still not feeling well

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Today I had a check up since I’m not feeling better after 6 days of IV antibiotics.  My lung function was down again to .88L/31% FEV1.  I started a prednisone taper on Tuesday, starting at 60mg for 3 days, 40mg for 3 days, 20mg for 3 days then 10mg for 3 days.  I was hoping that the taper would help with the wheezing and chest tightness, so far it’s a no go.  We decided that if I am not better over the weekend I am to call my nurse to be admitted.  They want to add Colistin to my IV antibiotics but want to start it inpatient because of the history of kidney problems with it.  There was that one time that my creatinine shot up to 7.0 with the normal range is up to 1.1.  Therefore we have to watch it every time I’m on it or any IV antibiotics for that matter.  So I will take the weekend to rest, do lots of treatments and hydrate and hope I feel better.  However I kinda feel like I am prolonging the inevitable of an admission.  Might need the heavy hitters to knock this one out.  I’ll update next week.

Until next time…

Sick yet again!

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Hello friends and family!  Seems like I was just here updating you all.  Well I am not feeling good again after only 2.5 weeks off of IVs.  I started with the dry unproductive cough again which was what happened before I was hospitalized at the end of March.  Along with achy and my chest is sore from all the coughing.  Plus I still have the pulled muscle on the left side of my chest which seems worse the last few days.  It hurts so bad to cough.  I’ve been trying to brace myself when I cough but that doesn’t even help.  It’s like something is stabbing me every time. Continue reading →

Changing IV antibiotics

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I’ve been on IV’s for 13 days with no real improvement.  I called my nurse to discuss changing antibiotics since I’m not feeling any better.  We decided on IV Zoysn every 6 hours and oral Bactrim three times a day.  I usually get an upset stomach and (TMI) loose stools with these two meds so I will need to take probiotics to try and help that.  I will be on these two new antibiotics for two weeks with the hopes that I will start to feel better.  We had to look at my sensitivities from my sputum culture to figure out what drugs should work and these two were the winners.  Oh joy!

Until next time…

Virus hell

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I started having viral symptoms on the 22nd)…fevers, body aches, chills, horrendous cough, horrible chest pain from all the coughing, shortness of breath, etc. I finally had enough yesterday and had to go to the ER. There was no CF clinic for me to be seen in this week so ER it was. I tested negative for the flu which I was exposed to. My chest X-ray showed no changes and no pneumonia, all good there. Labs showed that my white count was elevated so my body was definitely fighting something.  I was started on IV Zosyn and oral Levaquin. I didn’t get to my room until 9pm.  I did lung functions while in the ER and my FEV1 was down 10% to 28%.  That’s a decent drop.  This virus or whatever it is a doozy. Continue reading →

3 Weeks of IVs down

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Just a short update:  I finished 21 days of IV Aztreonam on Monday.  The Levaquin was not extended which I am grateful for.  It causes me lots of arthritic pain and makes moving around painful in my joints, all over.  As for how I’m feeling now…I’m decent enough.  I still have a dry sounding productive cough.  I will keep an eye/ear on it. Continue reading →