Endocarditis and Antibiotics

[bbb]

How long did it take people with endocarditis once they went on antibiotics to feel better? My friend is on a 4-6 week course of 2mg. of Roceferin with a pic line for endocarditis. How did people feel, tired after the medication every day? Did you improve, were you able to go back to work?
Thanks!

 

[Bonzo Dog]

How long did it take people with endocarditis once they went on antibiotics to feel better? My friend is on a 4-6 week course of 2mg. of Roceferin with a pic line for endocarditis. How did people feel, tired after the medication every day? Did you improve, were you able to go back to work?
Thanks!

A 'How long is a piece of string' Q. there bbb. Recovery time from endocarditis is variable.

Some of the considerations are:-
How rampant, entrenched and widespread is the infection.
What type or types of bacteria are causing problems?
Has the patients body developed resistance to certain antibiotics, making the fightback difficult and lengthy?
Will antibiotics alone be enough, could surgery be needed?

Posting as a survivor of rampant endocarditis, needing both surgery and an exotic antibiotic cocktail to beat it; can I offer evidence it is beatable. All the best to your friend.

 

[sue943]

In the UK it is normal for endocarditis patients to remain in hospital for the entire time whilst being treated. In my case first I was given Gentamicin and Benzopenicillin for a couple of weeks, then as my kidneys started to be affected I was just on Benzopenicillin for the next couple of weeks. It wasn't until they stopped the intravenous antibiotics and put me on oral Amoxicillin that I stopped feeling nauseous and regained any appetite.

Once I was on the oral medication I felt much better and was discharged from hospital to continue taking it at home.

 

[Dina]

The longest time I was on antibiotics was 8 weeks for endo.-a relapse.
It seems like it took 2-3 weeks on antibiotics to start feeling better,of
course depending on the virulence of the micro-organism,how quickly
it was diagnosed,and the general health of the person. I did go thru a
stage at about 2 weeks where I had alot of night sweats.
You know that things are turning around when the appetite comes back--
--with a vengence.
Even after the regimen is over,keep a watch for any returning symptoms-
this infection is known to make a reappearance.
My best -Dina

 

[ALCapshaw2]

Anti-biotics are notorious for killing off the Good Bacteria in the Digestive Tract as well as the Bad Bacteria the patient is being treated for.

The absense of the Good Bacteria in the Digestive Tract can allow Yeast to grow which can contribute to feeling 'dragged out'. PRO-Biotics such as Acidophilis help restore the Good Bacteria. Ask the managing Doctor about adding Pro-Biotics to his treatment plan.

 

[Adrienne]

I had sub-acute bacterial endocarditis. I was in the hospital for 5 days with IV gentimycin and penicillin. Then I was on a pump at home with penicillin. It was administered through a PICC line which was inserted in the hospital. Each week I felt better. I would say that I felt pretty good after 3 weeks at home. After the 4 weeks were up, the penicillin pump was removed, but the PICC line stayed in and was regularly irrigated with saline solution (at this community health centre near us) for about 2 weeks so the doctor could do another culture and make sure the infection was gone. That way, if it had not been gone, the PICC line was already there ready to be hooked up.

 

[Natanni]

How long did it take people with endocarditis once they went on antibiotics to feel better? My friend is on a 4-6 week course of 2mg. of Roceferin with a pic line for endocarditis. How did people feel, tired after the medication every day? Did you improve, were you able to go back to work?
Thanks!

Hi! I think that will depend on how severe or sick your friend is. My husband began to feel a big difference within hours of of IV antiobiotics. It was so sad, because he didn't know he was so sick. He was sitting in the hospital bed, shocked at how clear his vision was becoming 2 hours after his IV was started. By the time he left the hospital (one week later) he was feeling so much better, basically only limited by the picc line in activity or work. He went from endocarditis recovery right into sugery so he missed about 6 months of work. His endocarditis was relatively advanced, as he had vegetations on his valve at the time of surgery.

 

[zipper2]

In 2006 i got endo,ran ahigh fever,had to brothers that were
sick with other problems they both died of other circumstances within 6 months each other. I coulda picked it up anywhere even at cell block where id worked.I ended up high fever cough and cold,strip throat,staph infection and influenza cultures proved i had all.Hospitalised and iv drugs gentimycin and vancomycin for 8 weeks with constant travel to and from 8 hr drives to do echos and tees to confirm the endo didnot hit my valves,i have a aortic mech,and native mitral which the mitral proved to become full of rhuematic and waiting for surgery this month,However they refused to pic-line me for more fear of bacteria so for 8 weeks at home i had the iv drugs and checkups on valves which stayed clear from endo,but the iv's were difficult as i was sencitive to vancomycin iv drug and this kept throwing my veins in limbo,sometimes i had to redo an iv in my arm 4 times daily and i cried it was terrible to keep the needled iv's in arm.....but i made it and to this day my valves are clear of endo,just my mitral has rhuematic and will be done this month i hope,the mechanical was done on aortic 16 years ago and is fine and they wont change out something thats not broken they say it is fine and im the luckiest person to have been so sick and the endo not effect my valves.
I was off work for 8 months though and believe me it helped for my return and have been working ever since now the surgeon removed me till surgerys done for the mitral.Yes the effects of the iv's for 8 weeks in changing veins has effected me for life in having any good veins left in my arms and damp days cause me to feel every needle i ever had for iv's in thoses 8 weeks,did i keep count yes i did on how many iv,s i had and total was 5oo i'd been better
off like Adriene to have a picline but each Dr. decides diferently.
It was the worst thing i'd ever had happen to me was the endocardidis
They are shocked and said back when they found the cultures to carry all this that i wouldnot live.......God had other plans obviously i'm still here
for whatever reason Sorry this so long,thats my endo though

zipper2 (DEB)

 

[nancym]

I was in the hospital for 5 days this spring with endocarditis. They found a lot of vegetation on my aortic valve, but were not sure whether it was from that or there already since I had never had an echo before. I was put on vancomycin until they were able to identify the bacteria and then rocephin. I came home with a picc line and had to get IV rocephin for 3 weeks more. I came home on a Friday and was at work 4 days later. I actually felt fine once I got the first dose of antibiotics. I'm guessing that the endocarditis was not too advanced when it was diagnosed.

 

[Bryan B]

How long did it take people with endocarditis once they went on antibiotics to feel better? My friend is on a 4-6 week course of 2mg. of Roceferin with a pic line for endocarditis. How did people feel, tired after the medication every day? Did you improve, were you able to go back to work?
Thanks!

bbb,

I was on 2GM (not mg) of Rocephin for 7 weeks after leaving my 3 day stay in the hospital. As sick as I was when they finally diagnosed me with IE (infectious endocarditis) after 5 months of deteriorating health, I would say I felt much better within a week of starting the Rocephin regimen. I was diagnosed and admitted into the hospital on a Tuesday, was discharged on a Friday, and I went back to work with the picc line strapped to my arm the following Tuesday. I have to admit I didn't get a whole lot of work done that week but by the following Monday I was feeling pretty good...especially considering I felt like death warmed over 2 weeks earlier. I administered the Rocephin IV to myself every day when I got home from work and had a home health care nurse come by once a week to change my dressing and check up on me. I flew home for Thanksgiving in the middle of my treatment and had no problems. They even let me pre-board the plane since I couldn't use my right arm to stuff my carry on luggage in the overhead compartment, and since I was flying Southwest that guaranteed a great seat location.

But this is just my experience and your friend's experience may be better or may be worse. The most important thing is to have a followup appointment and echo with the cardio to make sure the vegetations are gone and determine the amount of damage they caused to the valve.