Q. I had hard-to-treat asthma for years and was referred to an allergist who prescribed the antibiotic azithromycin. After I finished the first course, with some improvement, he prescribed another round. When I finished the second course, my asthma disappeared as suddenly as it had come on. I no longer have to use an inhaler.
A. Some cases of hard-to-treat asthma may result from a persistent lung infection (Current Allergy and Asthma Reports, online, Oct. 3, 2013). Certain bacteria that are hard to diagnose or treat can cause wheezing, shortness of breath, coughing and other symptoms of asthma.
We have just published a book by David L. Hahn, MD, MS, about using azithromycin for asthma treatment. The book, A Cure for Asthma? What Your Doctor Isn’t Telling You–and Why, is available at PeoplesPharmacy.com.
Another reader offered this report: “I heard about the extended use of antibiotics for asthma and convinced my doctor to try it. I improved my lung function dramatically and now eighteen months later only need my corticosteroid inhaler if I hang out with smokers. My doctor was amazed at the results we achieved with the antibiotic.”
