Mycoplasma (walking) pneumonia that won't quit

March 28, 2020 10:53 PM

You're not a doctor, and you're especially not my doctor because he's on holidays but you are maybe an ex-smoker and lifelong asthmatic who might have had mycoplasma (walking) pneumonia that won't quit and/or be anxious about being (considered) a hypochondriac, and three months into this illness (with the complication of a respiratory epidemic) have an idea what to do.

I acquired bronchitis immediately after Xmas, quit smoking 1/1/2020. The bronchitis didn't cure itself, so I went to the doctor in first week of January and was put on antibiotics. By the time they ran out, I gave it another week, wasn't better, back to doctor who sent me for lung x-ray (no cancer, yay) and I recieved more antibiotics and some steriods.

Still not better in February (coughing, fatique, fever), back again: blood test confirmed mycoplasma pneumonia. More antibiotics. Dr went on holidays. After he got back, and I had finished the antibiotics, I saw him again. He said (after listening to my chest) that mycoplasma can be hard to shift and gave me sequential antibiotics which will finish up on Wednesday. He's back in his office on Monday (more holidays, damn him) and I have the first appointment because I still have dry cough (& asthma with preventer as well as reliever), chest pain, chills & sweats, sore throat (and mouth), fatigue, breathlessness etc.

Dr Google (particularly Healthline) agrees with what he has prescribed so far, including: azithromycin, clarithromycin, doxycycline and prednisolone, but seems to think that the next step is intravenous treatment and I don't want to go to hospital because my local hospital is where Tom Hanks & Rita Wilson were hanging out. Healthline also thinks that long-term mycoplasma pneumonia is potentially damaging / fatal WHICH IS WHY I'M ASKING this very long-winded reassurance question.

I self-isolated from my casual but very flexible work a couple of weeks ago, and for most of the last 3 months left the house maybe 10 times in total, either to go to work in my own office or to go to my doctor. I was never near anyone from a cruise ship - in fact, I rarely socialise anyway, so it's not COVID-19.

Despite Australia's government promised funding to people who have lost their jobs, I am not eligible as I still have my job, just no sick leave. My employer has generously offered some sick leave for casual workers but this only applies to workers who had regular schedules.

So also, I'm aspie and finally have a doctor I have a rapport with, who I trust. Because I have trouble with eye contact, I tend to find new doctors don't trust or believe me, plus I'm in that (un-credible) category of being female and over 50.

My flatmate has been collecting all necessities (once a week) to reduce likelihood of infection, and I'm quite comfortable at home (apart from the symptoms) with sufficient asthma medication and pain killers, and my life savings would see me through a couple of years at home, and when I feel well again, I will have plenty of work I can do from home.

FINALLY, THE QUESTION
After that wall of text, sorry, do I try to get an appointment with another doctor at same centre (who can see my records) before my antibiotics run out, go to the hospital or IS IT OK TO WAIT THE 4 DAYS AFTER ANTIBIOTICS RUN OUT TO SEE MY OWN DOCTOR?

posted by b33j to Health & Fitness (9 answers total)

Best answer: I have had mycoplasma twice and it is just an absolute bastard to treat. It takes months and yours sounds about par for the course. The antibiotics had to be taken for a month and once extended. It took after the month of antibiotics at least another month before I felt back up to normal. I did get anemia during one course, so I would ask about getting an iron test, possibly for B-deficiencies as well - being sick can inadvertantly change your eating and with a bad tummy, you can wind up low on essentials. Definitely home rest and I would feel fine waiting to get the antibiotics with my familiar good doctor.

They may want to test you for covid just in case, but I agree you're really unlikely.
posted by dorothyisunderwood at 11:49 PM on March 28, 2020 [4 favorites]

Best answer: my local hospital is where Tom Hanks & Rita Wilson were hanging out

I just want to speak to this bit. Do not be deterred from going to it if you need to. I know that hospital well, and it will be so clean, so well monitored for infection control, that I doubt you could catch a taxi there, let alone Covid-19. So, if you need it, go, please. They'll isolate you immediately anyway if you present with similar symptoms to the virus.
posted by Thella at 12:39 AM on March 29, 2020 [5 favorites]

Best answer: It’s better not to stop and start antibiotics- can increase the chance of the bacteria becoming resistant. I’d try to refill it until you can recheck with your regular doc. If that means you have to see another doc I’d do it but I’d try to see if a refill can be approved without a visit.
posted by morchella at 12:44 AM on March 29, 2020 [3 favorites]

Response by poster: Thank you all for your information and reassurance. I feel a lot better (in my head).
posted by b33j at 3:00 AM on March 29, 2020 [2 favorites]

Also I don’t know about where you are but recently there was some question of whether my husband needed daily IV treatment for an infection and although he started out in the hospital (when it was acute) the plan was to switch to him getting them at home from a visiting nurse if he still needed them when he was well enough to be discharged. So “IV” may or may not mean “admitted to hospital.” (And as it happens we *do* have to go to a hospital with COVID-19 cases every day for a different treatment... I don’t love it but it’s necessary and I hope that everyone else’s social distancing will help keep us safe, and getting the treatment, even now, is safer than not for him.)
posted by mskyle at 4:06 AM on March 29, 2020 [1 favorite]

My spouse just Friday finished a course of IV antibiotics at home (for antibiotic resistant UTI), but he was started in the hospital. He spent 2 days in isolation and the hospital staff was really eager to get him out of there, as the fifth coronavirus case in our tiny county hospital was confirmed the day he went in. I'm not going to tell you that it was pleasant, but it is manageable and this is something that you would absolutely have a visiting nurse help you with. They will not want you in the hospital for long given everything else!
posted by Otter_Handler at 4:45 AM on March 29, 2020 [1 favorite]

Can pharmacists refill (certain) prescriptions where you are? Where I am, I could likely call up the pharmacist and get enough to cover the four days until you can see your doctor.
posted by eviemath at 7:14 AM on March 29, 2020

I'm not sure if this is a thing in Australia but due to covid, many doctors in my Canadian city have recently started doing virtual visits online, including giving prescriptions. Is that something you might be able to access? We also have a call-a-nurse-for-advice number here - maybe you have something similar in your area? Similarly, one of the other doctors at your medical centre may be able to advise you over the phone and call in a prescription if needed, since they already have your records.

I would look into those options first before going in-person if your symptoms aren't too urgent. However, don't be afraid to go to the hospital if needed. You may need to call your hospital before going in since your symptoms overlap with covid so they'll likely want to take precautions.
posted by randomnity at 6:51 AM on March 30, 2020 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Follow up. Respiratory illness didn't get better, so I'm at the hospital, wearing a mask, post swab and xray and waiting for CT, and then my very own private room until the swab results are back.
posted by b33j at 4:28 AM on April 9, 2020 [1 favorite]