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Let’s talk about sputum
Since starting Trikafta in late 2019, the only time I’ve experienced sputum production is when I’m dealing with some sort of sickness. This has been a stark contrast to the amount of sputum I had previously. I’m still amazed at it and I sincerely hope I never lose that feeling.
That being said, I was able to produce a sputum sample yesterday (as I am currently still working to fully recover from a virus I caught last month) and dropped it off at my local hospital’s lab for analysis. My last culture showed significantly lessened bacterial growth than pre-Trikafta. I’m curious to see what these results will be.
What is your sputum production like? Did it change on Trikafta/Kaftrio (if you’re taking it)? How often are you able to get sputum cultures done? Regarding the bacteria your sputum cultures, has the amount or type changed?
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2 Replies
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Yes a lot has changed. Sputumproduction is almost non existent since Kaftrio. I still do my nebulizing twice a day, more out of habit than necessity. Nothing comes up.
Even my only exacerbation in december 2021 produced only fever, no sputum. Weird.
I managed to scrape some sputum from the bottom of the barrel and it turned out to be cultureable even. Some weird bacteria that I had never hosted before. Achromobacter Xylosoxidans – and a lot of it. My doctor at first thought it not necessary to treat, but because the fever persisted we started 3 weeks of bactrim and it cleared up. There was also a little bit of staph. aureus. So always hard to tell which beasty causes the symptoms. Since end of December I have not taken any antibiotics. Before Kaftrio I had a lot of sputum and continuous amoxyclav antibiotic, but never any growth in the cultures. Only dead stuff.Later I read an article in which this Achromobacter was described as increaslingly posing a threat to pwcf. So I was glad we knocked it flat.
This is a bacterium that mainly florishes in an aquatic surrounding, so it might feel happy in my now better moisturized lungs? I will keep an eye on it. I am due for my 3rd bloodsample for liver enzymes after starting Kaftrio and then I will also have a new sputum culture made. Liver is doing well fortunately. -
Hi Jenny and Paul, What wonderful results.
Achromobacter is another of those bacteria picked up from wet/moist environments like Pseudomonas and Burkholdia spp. that you cultured it does reinforce that we cannot be complacent even with the wonderful improvement when on Trikafta/Kaftrio. Still need the careful watch of CF Physicians and Units.
And what else has improved? Do continue to document all improvements and effects. Side effects – are they transitory or permanent? All this can show light on CF which I believe affects every cell in the body to some degree. Most ‘co-morbidities’ suffered by pwCF are not co-morbidities at all but real consequences of the faulty CFTR gene and channel.
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