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Is Penicillin An Effective Medication For Pneumonia?

Posted on Thu, 7 Mar 2019

Question: Las t week i had the flu. My GP had me on tamiflu and zithro. I improved, but never seemed to be 100%. My temperature is still about 1 to 2 degrees above normal. I went to an Urgent Care facility last night and the doctor there could not tell if I had pneumonia since the x ray machine was down. He said the best he could is prescribe penicillin , which I started last night. But I am reading penicillin is not that good for pneumonia. I also have bronchiectasis. Is there something better penicillin?

Answered by Dr. Ivo Ditah (6 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Zithromax alone is even good for pneumonia!

Detailed Answer:

Hi,

Pneumonia causes XXXXXXX fever, breathing difficulties and chest pain. Certainly, you don't have pneumonia and we truly don't need any chest x-ray to do so. Pneumonia can be diagnosed conveniently without an x-ray. Your symptoms are not suggestive of this. Zithromax alone was already good enough if you had pneumonia, anyways.

In all, no additional antibiotics are needed at this time. Monitor your breathing and temperature only. If there are any changes, update me for review and further guidance.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Ivo Ditah (23 minutes later)

Thank you, doctor. My breathing has been fairly good of late. Even with the bronchiectasis, no shortness of breath. You are saying to stop the AB, but is there anything I should do for the low grade fever? I do have an occasional cough (usually non productive) Take oil of oregano? I can nebulize colloidal silver. Anything I can do to be more proactive? (When I do the physiotherapy for the BX, my sputum is not clear, is mostly white, like very watered down milk.) Thank you.

Answered by Dr. Ivo Ditah (27 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
Continue the antibiotics!

Detailed Answer:

Hi,

AM not saying you should stop. Cefdinir is a powerful antibiotics and will treat most cases of pneumonia. Having taken cefdinir and Zithromax, there is no pneumonia from common causes that would not have been addressed.

No need for physiotherapy at this time. However, you may want to breath into a bottle containing water such that you empty and expand the lungs fully. No need for nebulization either unless you have been doing so before.

I understand your concerns but recovery is often a progressive process as opposed to illness. Exercise patience and avoid been administering too many treatment options that are not always very helpful.

Hope I have answered your query. Let me know if I can assist you further.

I wish you well.

Regards.

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar

Follow up: Dr. Ivo Ditah (2 hours later)

I do the physiotherapy for the bronchiectasis, and feel so much better after I do it.

It is cold in New York. Should I be able to venture outside, or should i stay indoors?

Answered by Dr. Ivo Ditah (2 hours later)

Brief Answer:
Stay indoors!

Detailed Answer:

Hi,

My best bet is for you to stay indoors, it's safer and good for your health.

Keep me updated. Continue the physiotherapy, I have no negative feelings about respiratory physiotherapy.

Hope I have answered your query.

I wish you well.

Regards,
Dr. Ivo Ditah, Internal Medicine Specialist

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar