Has your chest infection lasted 2 weeks or more?

iv still got mine ,im fed up , iv had antibiotics and i dont wont any more as they give me thrush what can i do now?

I have had Chest infections om several occasions sometimes I have had 2 separate courses of antibiotics with no cure. The only thing that seems to work after this is a 14 day course of prednisolone . These are steroids and you may not fancy this.

Ask for a chest Xray if you haven't had one yet.

ive got a chest infection..cant breathe proberly ..chest and nose is it pain and my ears r pumping!

yes had antibiotics first, then antibiotics and steroids. Had to be admitted to hospital in the end! (ok now though)

go doctors thats only person taht knows the real answer

Yes. Mine has been harassing me for three weeks now.

I have been sick for six weeks. I have an inhaler used antibiotics once around the two week mark which did not help at all. I still have a terrible cough but physically I am starting to feel better and have some energy back. Thank God I am finally able to go back to work on Monday. I have never been this sick in my entire life with anything that lasted this long and made my whole body ache. Just try and ride out the storm you will feel better eventually the only thing that seems to help is time. I have also seen three doctors and have a referral to a respirologist. By the way none of them are really clear what it is. Take care.

yep, ive had it since before xmas, just when i thin its going it flares up again. I know a cpouple of other people with the same prob..it just seems to be doing the rounds at the mo. hope you feel better soon.

Do you smoke? Apparently, it's quite common for a chest infection to last this long if you do. Give up smoking at least while the infection clears and then you can start again (not that I am condoning smoking ... but I don't want to tell you that you have to quit either).

you might have yeast infection as one of the symptons is frequent infections. Check your self with Nutritional Therapist as it is a very seriouce issue...especially now that you had all these antibiotics you killed all the good and bad bacteria in your gut.
Candida albicans is one of the many yeasts present in the large bowel, genital tract, mouth, and throat and under normal conditions is compatible with good health. It is usually kept under control by good bacteria, our immune system and intestinal pH levels. What is less well recognised is that candida can, under certain circumstances, become pathogenic, causing havoc everywhere in the body.

Symptoms associated with candidiasis, or an overgrowth of candida antibodies, include:

. Fatigue
. Foggy head, lack of concentration, poor memory
. Mood swings, depression, anxiety
. Bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, excess wind, indigestion
. Fungal infections
. Aching joints, heavy muscles
. Recurrent thrush, vaginitis and increased vaginal secretions
. Bad breath, coated tongue, ulcers and sores in the mouth
. Cravings for sweet and yeasty food, including bread and alcohol
. Decreased libido
. Bladder and kidney infections
. Menstrual problems
. Dry itchy skin
. Chronic sinus problems
. Sensitivity to perfumes, chemicals, fumes and other odours
. Food sensitivities
. Acne
. Frequent colds, and infections
. Chilliness, cold hands and feet

Problems arise when the balance of good bacteria to harmful ones changes within the
digestive tract. Given certain conditions, the candida proliferates and can change into
a pathogenic form. Once this has occurred, the candida can release toxins into the blood stream and travel through the body, affecting all systems, from digestion to the skin and hormones.

Common causes of overgrowth include:

. Contraceptive pill
. HRT
. Steroids including asthma and eczema medication
. High sugar diet
. Antibiotic use
. Immune deficiency
. Hormones from food (animal products), water and a non organic diet
. Diabetes
. High stress levels
. Use of anti-inflammatory drugs

In the past it has been notoriously difficult to diagnose candida, but nutritionists, and now you, have at their fingertips a simple and accurate laboratory test that can diagnose this condition. If anyone is considering undergoing candida treatment I cannot stress strongly enough the need to test beforehand, as the process of killing off candida overgrowth can be long and difficult, involving a restricted diet and a rigorous supplement regime. There is no point in doing this if candida is not the culprit for your symptoms - it could be that you need to undergo further tests such as checking for parasites, and I recommend you seek out help from your doctor and one of my nutritionists. Testing on the other hand offers peace of mind to patients that they are getting to the root of the problem before they undertake any dietary changes.

The Candida Antibody Profile test can be performed on either a saliva or blood sample. Test kits are sent through the post direct to you, for you to return with your sample to the laboratory in the envelope provided. The test looks for two types of antibody specific to candida (IgG and IgA antibodies). A positive result demonstrates an immune reaction to candida. This is a very sensitive and accurate means of measuring antibodies. Click here to order your test.

What next?
A positive result for candida means that you can get started on a nutrition regime to rebalance your bacteria and body. Treatment for candida involves a diet avoiding sugars and yeasts in conjunction with anti-fungals to kill the candida itself. The most efficient way of addressing this infection and restoring health is the well-known '4-R' approach:

1. . Remove the yeast with an anti-candida diet (avoiding sugars and yeasts) and anti-fungals like caprylic acid, and or Saccharomyces boulardii (S. boulardii). Although a yeast, S. boulardii does not colonise the gut wall but helps to increase your levels of secretory IgA (sIgA). Greater amounts of this immunoglobulin make it increasingly difficult for the candida to stick to your gut wall.

2. . Repopulate with friendly gut bacteria with probiotic supplements such as Lactobacillus acidophilus

3. . Repair the gut wall, usually using the amino acid l-glutamine

4. . Replace missing digestive enzymes and nutrients, via a good quality multivitamin and mineral and a digestive enzyme supplement

Such a programme is best undertaken with the help of a nutritional therapist, as the liver and digestion need to be carefully supported.