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Ugh! Heavy chest cold and I think a gum infection - don't want to go on antibiotics because of UC

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Posted 3/31/2017 11:28 AM (GMT 0)
Hi All,

I'm newly diagnosed with left sided UC and not on any oral tablets at the moment just rectal steroid enemas. I'm still waiting for my follow up appointment with the Consultant for a proper treatment plan.

Anyway in the meantime I have picked up the most horrendous chest cold which has left me weak and now I have what looks like a gum infection but I really don't want to go on antibiotics because when I was in hospital earlier this year they made my UC much worse cry

So I'm on a mission to try and get better using alternatives. I'm giving myself til Monday and if no improvement by then I'll visit the Doctors.

Just wondering if anyone has tips or experience of how to get over a heavy cold / flu or a gum infection without antibiotics?

I have some oil of oregano lurking in the cupboard which I'm thinking of trying because it is supposed to be a natural antibiotic and I am swilling mouth with salt water. Taking vitamin c antibiotic and quercetin - any suggestions please?
Posted 3/31/2017 12:49 PM (GMT 0)
Go to your doctor asap, it could be bronchitis which needs antibiotics. We sometimes need antibiotics, they don't always trigger flares so don't worry.
Posted 3/31/2017 2:06 PM (GMT 0)
I agree with iPoop. I totally understand not wanting to take antibiotics, but sometimes, it's much more dangerous to wait on an infection. I did it once and ended up with sepsis. I don't want to scare you because that's a very unlikely outcome, but please be careful. Some people do manage quite well on diet and supplements, but some do not. Definitely don't wait too long to get help - especially for the infection and chest cold.
Posted 3/31/2017 3:21 PM (GMT 0)
I third going to the doctor asap.....there are very nasty respiratory infections going around. Take probiotics for sure! Increase the rectal enemas to nightly while on the antibiotics and then taper quickly to maintenance if that's your regimen.

Keep us updated on how you're doing ..... Feel better soon,
Hugs,
q
Posted 3/31/2017 4:37 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks Ipoop, notsosicklygirl, and quincy going to try and get in to see the Doctors to get checked out. Notsosicklygirl you must have been so poorly with sepsis, that must have been pretty scary.

Thanks for your advice, will keep you updated.
Posted 3/31/2017 4:46 PM (GMT 0)
First, you didn't say your doctor was recommending antibiotics for either your gums or your chest cold. GP's try not to overuse anti-b's because of tolerance building up and then germs become resistant in future.

Second, my experience with antibiotics is they did not hurt my UC at all. Except for Ciprofloxacin which is the devil and I'll only take it again if under threat of death otherwise.

Gums: try swishing your mouth out with either mouthwash or (what I would use issmile oil of oregano diluted, meaning a couple of drops in 6 ounces of water. Don't swallow, spit it out. Do this swish twice a day.
If your gums stay inflamed in 2 days see a dentist, there may be underlying infection not just irritation.

Good luck.
Posted 3/31/2017 11:04 PM (GMT 0)
I swear by Airborne to ward off a cold -- doesn't seem to help quite as much for getting over one, though. I take it three times a day when I first start feeling symptoms like a runny nose or a sore throat, and only taper down after I've been several days feeling no symptoms. And I taper slowly (like prednisone! ;-D)

Zinc is supposed to help with colds, too. But yeah, don't mess around if it's in your chest. Get checked out in case it's walking pnuemonia. Not sure antibiotics always help bronchitis anyway ... just because they prescribe them doesn't mean you have to take them once you're sure the chest cold isn't something serious.
Posted 4/1/2017 10:21 AM (GMT 0)
Tried to get in to the Doctors yesterday but appointments were full. Woke up this morning with horrible stomach cramps and urgency plus passing blood clots like I had in January. Absolutely gutted to say the least. Just wondering is it ok to use steroid enemas if I have got a chest infection? Can they make an infection worse?
Posted 4/1/2017 12:53 PM (GMT 0)
Steroid enemas are about 90 percent topical. The 10 percent that's systematic would be the dosage equivalent of being on several milligrams of prednisone.
Posted 4/1/2017 2:23 PM (GMT 0)
"Just wondering is it ok to use steroid enemas if I have got a chest infection? " Yes


"Can they make an infection worse?" No
Posted 4/1/2017 4:23 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks iPoop and soynomore. I got into several the Doctor today and he said it's.nasty viral chest infection which should clear on its own in a few more days so no antibiotics. He did say that I may need antibiotics for the gum infection but will have to wait until Monday to see the dentist.

Gutted about the bleeding coming back, just out of curiosity can a virus trigger a flare? It seems too much of a coincidence that my really bad flare in January was after having a virus and now just when I thought I might have seen the back of that flare it's back.....
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