infection after infection

[uncledudeness]

it's been 4 weeks and i am about ready to snap. ear, throat, sinus, bronchitis, intestinal; one infection after another. i was on moxyfloxicin for 10 days and it didn't help much. now it feels like the flu, and i got a flu shot in october. my WBC is 2.8 , ANC 2134 , Absolute Lymphocytes are 389 (which is real low) , HGB is 11.3.

i want my life back. i can take the normal sides from INF and RIBA, but all this other stuff is taking it's toll. and i strained my back yesterday, to top it all off......but you know me, I don't like to complain................ok, done with the rant. sorry.

[orphanedhawk]

Nuepogen is for low white blood cells, actually low anc, absolute neutrophil count.
If your anc isn't low, there is no need to add this potent med to your regime.
One other item since you're cirrhotic, I hope you're taking calcium and vitamin D. Tx is hard on the bones as is cirrhosis.

[uncledudeness]

thanks for the reply..yep i am stage 4, and that explains it. i'm thinking of calling my treatment nurse and asking her if nupogen would help. not sure what the wbc # is for prescribing, but i'll ask her.

i guess i'll get my Michael Jackson halloween mask out and wear it.

thanks

[HectorSF]

Hi.

I believe you have cirrhosis correct?
Cirrhotics are prone to bacterial infections. Cirrhotic patients are in a immune dysfunctional state. The liver which abnormally cleans the blood of bacteria and other toxins is not able to perform these tasks because the scarring of the liver causes blood flow to be shunted around the liver so they are not cleaned from the blood as they would normally be. This leads to more infections in cirrhotics and sometimes life-threatening infections. In fact 30%-50% of  deaths in cirrhotic patients is due to infections. Most commonly spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) in ascites (25%-31%), urinary tract infection (25%-31%),  pneumonia (15%-21%), bacteremia (12%) and soft tissue infection (11%).

Of course as with all things... the more advanced the degree of cirrhosis (compensated with portal hypertension, decompensated cirrhosis and End-Stage Liver Disease) the more dangerous infections can become.

At my transplant center cirrhotic patients are started on Cipro before starting HCV treatment in order to prevent infection while on treatment.

And of course at this time of year people tend to gather in indoor places so viral and bacterial infections are more common which doesn't help.

Moxifloxacin is for the treatment of acute bacterial sinusitis, acute bacterial exacerbation of chronic bronchitis, community acquired pneumonia, complicated and uncomplicated skin and skin structure infections, and complicated intra-abdominal infections. It should clear your infections. If not you many need a stronger antibiotic.

Hang in there!
hector