Question I am a 39yr. young felmale with severe asthma and tracheal stenosis(have been trached in the past) I started with the flu on Dec. 23, 2003 and it grew into a respiratory infection with cough, fever, wheezing which led to hospitalization after two attempts with oral antibiotics to cure it. Was hospitalized for 8 days, was given IV antibiotics and IV steriods and sent home on oral steriods. Six days after discharge, I began to go backwards, began coughing again, wheezing and was re-hospitalized for more IV steriods and oxygen for low blood oxygen saturation. I have done this twice in a 7 month period and was hoping you could shed some light into why after being home for 6 days it started all over again, I would love to not have this happen again, I was in Critical Care Unit both times and very ill. I also wanted to know if perhaps the tracheal stenosis(which has been suggested that I recieve surgical treatment for- 76% narrowed) would this be a cause of the recurring infections. I would love your opinion. I am very afraid of getting another respiratory infection because it makes me so very sick. Thank you, Patty
Answer You are right... it is unusual to have repeated infections. I would worry about other problems contributing to the bronchitis/asthma/ pneumonia. Is it possible you are refluxing stomach contents into your lungs at night? Also, the tracheal stenosis may be preventing you from clearing secretions from your lungs. It sounds like, no matter what the cause, that you should have the surgery to attempt repair of the trachea. I would nudge the chest surgeon who will do the repair to hurry it up, before all this happens again.
