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Is It Safe To Have Colchicine Along With Sinus Medications?
Question: I use Colchicene for Behcet's .Is this ok to use with the meds you suggest for the sinuses?I was given clarythromycine at the beginning which really upset me .I stopped it after 3 days when I read that it can clash with my Colchicene. Also should I have a time gap between the current antibiotic and the one you recommend please ? My body and brain feel wrecked and battered ....by all the trouble it is causing me with the virus and the meds . Thank you .
Brief Answer:
Drug interaction between Clarithromycin and colchicine
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for contacting HCM with your health care concerns. You remark that you have recently been diagnosed with a sinus infection and given clarithromycin but you were unable to complete the full course due to GI upset. There is a drug to drug interaction between clarithromycin and colchicine. This interaction can cause elevated blood levels of colchicine which manifests with GI upset. Also clarithromycin in of itself can cause severe GI upset. So I can see why you have GI upset from taking the two medications together.
You do not require a time gap between the time you start or stop clarithromycin and your next course of antibiotics. I looks like you have also been on doxycycline. It was suggested that you try levofloxin to help with your infection. This is a good choice. I would also recommend possibly using amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. Either antibiotic will work for pneumonia or sinus infections.
If this is all a viral infection then all the antibiotics in the world will not stop it. Antibiotics only kill bacterial infections and do nothing for viral illnesses. For viral illnesses you can treat only the symptoms. For the cough a cough suppressant, for the congestion a decongestant like phenylephrine. For additional support rest, plenty of fluids and stay away from other sick people.
I hope I answered your question. Please contact HCM again with your health care concerns or questions
Drug interaction between Clarithromycin and colchicine
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for contacting HCM with your health care concerns. You remark that you have recently been diagnosed with a sinus infection and given clarithromycin but you were unable to complete the full course due to GI upset. There is a drug to drug interaction between clarithromycin and colchicine. This interaction can cause elevated blood levels of colchicine which manifests with GI upset. Also clarithromycin in of itself can cause severe GI upset. So I can see why you have GI upset from taking the two medications together.
You do not require a time gap between the time you start or stop clarithromycin and your next course of antibiotics. I looks like you have also been on doxycycline. It was suggested that you try levofloxin to help with your infection. This is a good choice. I would also recommend possibly using amoxicillin/clavulanic acid. Either antibiotic will work for pneumonia or sinus infections.
If this is all a viral infection then all the antibiotics in the world will not stop it. Antibiotics only kill bacterial infections and do nothing for viral illnesses. For viral illnesses you can treat only the symptoms. For the cough a cough suppressant, for the congestion a decongestant like phenylephrine. For additional support rest, plenty of fluids and stay away from other sick people.
I hope I answered your question. Please contact HCM again with your health care concerns or questions
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
Thank you .I have been ill over seven weeks . Just the past two weeks with the choking in sleep symptoms and blocked head and upper chest as soon as I start to go into sleep . No pain . Now I have to stop teaching as my child students give me the bugs . Heartbroken but no choice this year. The chest probs have got worse every Winter . I will just teach online . :(
Will I recover ? I am frightened now . After each dose of antibiotic ,my heart starts thumping after 20 minutes for a while . Hoping I get a better sleep tonight . Just on Nytol - anti histamine ,which helps a lot . See GP tomorrow...hoping I sound humble and respectful when I dare to tell him your suggestions . Goodnight ~.~
Gratefully ,XXXXXX
Will I recover ? I am frightened now . After each dose of antibiotic ,my heart starts thumping after 20 minutes for a while . Hoping I get a better sleep tonight . Just on Nytol - anti histamine ,which helps a lot . See GP tomorrow...hoping I sound humble and respectful when I dare to tell him your suggestions . Goodnight ~.~
Gratefully ,XXXXXX
Brief Answer:
Bad flu season
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for returning to HCM with your health care questions.
It sounds like you have had a very difficult time with an upper and lower respiratory infection this year. To have given up your love of teaching because of the higher infection rates in schools is truly heart breaking. Despite our best intentions with vaccines they have not been effective this year in preventing viral influenza.
You will recover from this illness but it still make take time. I recommend eating good well balanced meals, drinking plenty of fluids, getting a good nights rest 8-10 hours if needed and mild exercise program walking 15-30minutes daily. These small efforts will help strengthen your immune system and help your chances at a quick recovery.
The heart thumbing after medications is not unusual and would be expected especially on the medications you have already used. Thee medications I mentioned should not cause the GI problems or the heart palpitations.
Good luck and stay healthy
I hope I answered your question. Please contact HCM again with your health care concerns or questions
Bad flu season
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for returning to HCM with your health care questions.
It sounds like you have had a very difficult time with an upper and lower respiratory infection this year. To have given up your love of teaching because of the higher infection rates in schools is truly heart breaking. Despite our best intentions with vaccines they have not been effective this year in preventing viral influenza.
You will recover from this illness but it still make take time. I recommend eating good well balanced meals, drinking plenty of fluids, getting a good nights rest 8-10 hours if needed and mild exercise program walking 15-30minutes daily. These small efforts will help strengthen your immune system and help your chances at a quick recovery.
The heart thumbing after medications is not unusual and would be expected especially on the medications you have already used. Thee medications I mentioned should not cause the GI problems or the heart palpitations.
Good luck and stay healthy
I hope I answered your question. Please contact HCM again with your health care concerns or questions
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
Please can I just double check this...my illness started seven weeks ago with VERY serious amounts of nose mucus for one week.Then chest burning sensations,NO sore throat NOR swollen glands . The antibiotics started after the sleep apnoea- like symptoms started....that is ,being jolted awake in a terrible state of pressure and roaring and tremouring . Now my waking up is less violent but I am tremouring for a few minutes until I am settled and sitting upright . Fluids subside as I move about . Behcet's has made my nervous system overly sensitive and so reactive I suppose . So little understood by most doctors . I got this Behcet's full blown after a year of intense stress in a difficult relationship 23 years ago . I gather I had it minor from age 13. Mouth ulcers and fatigue started suddenly at that age . Nervous system was not normal any more .... in an oral exam I actually forgot my own name from nerves . I went from top at maths at school to pretty poor .
I was not sure if you were clear on my earlier symptoms re this viral infection as discussed since I started on 26 December approx . with your service .Thank you . XXXXXX
I was not sure if you were clear on my earlier symptoms re this viral infection as discussed since I started on 26 December approx . with your service .Thank you . XXXXXX
Brief Answer:
Confirmed viral illness
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for returning to HCM with your health care concerns.
You are still very anxious about your current illness. From your additional information I feel I can safely say that you have more than likely a viral illness. Now these viral illness will take some extra time to resolve. By becoming more active and moving about you are allowing the mucous to move and become less irritating to you. I can't say for certain how long it will take but just give it time. To help reduce the congestion and mucous I may suggest taking guaifenesin, a mucolytic, which may help reduce the thickness of the mucous. Phenylephrine may help reduce the overall congestion but as a side effect may cause an increase in anxiety as it has a tendency to over stimulate your body. Drink plenty of fluids as this helps remove mucous.
I am also sorry about the Behcet's syndrome that you have. There is very little we actually know about the disease other than it is an autoimmune disorder. This means your own body is using its antibodies to fight your own tissues. This requires you take especially good care of yourself including eating well, getting plenty of rest, reduce stress and exercise daily. All these suggestions help keep your body in the best physical state as possible.
In summary
1. More than likely viral time to heal unknown
2. Use Guaifenesin to reduce thickness of mucous
3. drink plenty of fluids
4. Use phenylephrine if congestion severe
I hope I answered your question. Please contact HCM again with your health care concerns and questions
Confirmed viral illness
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for returning to HCM with your health care concerns.
You are still very anxious about your current illness. From your additional information I feel I can safely say that you have more than likely a viral illness. Now these viral illness will take some extra time to resolve. By becoming more active and moving about you are allowing the mucous to move and become less irritating to you. I can't say for certain how long it will take but just give it time. To help reduce the congestion and mucous I may suggest taking guaifenesin, a mucolytic, which may help reduce the thickness of the mucous. Phenylephrine may help reduce the overall congestion but as a side effect may cause an increase in anxiety as it has a tendency to over stimulate your body. Drink plenty of fluids as this helps remove mucous.
I am also sorry about the Behcet's syndrome that you have. There is very little we actually know about the disease other than it is an autoimmune disorder. This means your own body is using its antibodies to fight your own tissues. This requires you take especially good care of yourself including eating well, getting plenty of rest, reduce stress and exercise daily. All these suggestions help keep your body in the best physical state as possible.
In summary
1. More than likely viral time to heal unknown
2. Use Guaifenesin to reduce thickness of mucous
3. drink plenty of fluids
4. Use phenylephrine if congestion severe
I hope I answered your question. Please contact HCM again with your health care concerns and questions
Note: For more detailed guidance, please consult an Internal Medicine Specialist, with your latest reports. Click here..
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj
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