WHAT YOU SHOULD
KNOW
Pneumocystis (NEW-mo-SIS-tis) carinii (kuh-RINE-ee-i)
pneumonia, also called PCP, is the most common of the many
infections that strike people with AIDS. PCP usually involves
the lungs, but it can also spread to the rest of the
body.
Causes
PCP germs are spread by coughing. Although people with
healthy immune systems rarely catch the disease, those with
severely weakened immunity can easily come down with
it.
Signs/Symptoms
Early signs include breathing problems, fever, or a dry
hacking cough. If your breathing problems are severe, your lips
and nail beds may turn blue.
Care
If you have difficulty breathing, you may need to be
hospitalized for tests and medications. If you have mild PCP,
you can be treated at home.
Risks
The medicine to cure PCP can have unpleasant side
effects. However, it's better than the alternative. Left
untreated, the infection can spread throughout the body,
eventually proving fatal.
WHAT YOU SHOULD
DO
-
Always take your medicine
exactly as directed. If it doesn't seem to help, let the
doctor know, but keep taking it until told otherwise. If
you've been prescribed antibiotics, be sure to use them up,
even if you're feeling better. If you don't, some germs may
survive and cause a relapse. If a medicine makes you
drowsy, avoid driving or using dangerous
machinery.
-
Rest is important. It helps
to get your strength back, reduces stress, and keeps you
strong and resistant to disease.
-
Alcohol and recreational
drugs can further weaken your immune system. Talk to your
doctor if you are trying to quit smoking, drinking, or
using drugs, and feel you need help.
Call Your Doctor
If...
-
Your fever goes
higher.
-
You develop a rash or itchy,
swollen skin. This could be a sign of allergy to your
medicine.
Seek Care Immediately
If...
-
You are too short of breath
to move.
-
You can't think
clearly.
IF YOU'RE HEADING FOR THE
HOSPITAL...
What to Expect While You're
There
You may encounter the following procedures and equipment
during your stay.
-
Taking Vital Signs: These include your temperature,
blood pressure, pulse (counting your heartbeats), and
respirations (counting your breaths). A stethoscope is used
to listen to your heart and lungs. Your blood pressure is
taken by wrapping a cuff around your arm.
-
Activity: You may need to rest in bed for a while.
But even if you are confined to bed, it's important to
exercise your legs in order to stop blood clots from
forming. Lift one leg off the bed and draw big circles with
your toes, then repeat with the other leg. You can also try
lying on your side and pretending to pedal a bike. When
you're told it's OK to get out of bed, make sure someone is
with you the first time you try. If you feel weak or dizzy,
sit or lie down right away.
-
Blood Gases: This test measures the amount of
oxygen, acids, and carbon dioxide in the
blood---measurements that are especially important when
you're having trouble breathing. The blood sample for the
test is taken from an artery in the wrist, elbow, or
groin.
-
Other Blood Tests: You may need additional blood
taken for tests. It can be drawn from a vein in your hand
or from the bend in your elbow. Several samples may be
needed.
-
Bronchoscopy (bron-KAH-skuh-pee): Your doctor may
use a bronchoscope---a long tube with a light and
magnifying glass on the end---to examine your airways and
lungs. The scope can also be used to take tissue samples
for testing.
-
Lung Biopsy: For this test, your doctor must take a
small piece of tissue from your lungs and send it to the
lab.
-
Pulmonary Function Tests: These breathing tests help
doctors judge how well the lungs are working, and can also
help them choose the best treatment. The tests may make you
temporarily short of breath.
-
Sputum Sample: To find out which germ is causing the
illness, your doctor may send some of your sputum to a lab
for tests. The medication you need depends on the type of
germ at fault.
-
Chest X-ray: This picture of your lungs and heart
will help your doctor judge the extent of the
infection.
-
IV: A tube placed in your vein for giving medicine
or liquids. It will be capped or have tubing connected to
it.
-
Medicines: Antibiotics and other medicines will be
needed to treat the infection. They may be given by IV, as
shots, by mouth, or in breathing treatments.
-
Breathing Treatments: To open your airways and make
breathing easier, you may need to inhale medicine from a
special machine. The treatments may be frequent at first,
but as you get better, you may only need them during bad
spells.
-
Oxygen: If the infection is severe, you may need
extra oxygen. It is given either through a plastic mask
over your mouth and nose or through nasal prongs. If the
oxygen dries out your nose or the nasal prongs bother you,
tell your nurse, but don't take off the oxygen on your
own.
-
Pulse Oximeter: With a little clip connected to your
ear, finger, or toe, this machine measures the oxygen in
your blood.
-
Postural Drainage: This treatment, also called PD,
helps loosen the sputum in your lungs to ease breathing.
During each session, a nurse will lightly thump your back
and chest with her hands or a small machine.
-
Reverse Isolation: You may be given a private room
to protect you from other people's germs. While in the
room, doctors and visitors may need to wear gloves, a face
mask, or a gown.
-
Strict Intake/Output: Your doctor may need to know
the amount of liquid you are taking in versus the amount
you lose in your urine. This is often called an
"I&O."
-
Unless told otherwise, drink
6 to 8 large glasses of water each day. Keep a record of
exactly how much liquid you drink.
-
Your output of urine may have
to be measured. Ask your doctor whether it's OK to use the
toilet.
-
Ventilator: This is a special machine that can
breathe for you. If necessary, you'll be hooked up to it
with an endotracheal (END-o-TRA-kee-ull) tube that passes
through your mouth or nose, or a tube called a trach
(TRAKE) that's inserted through an incision in the front of
your neck.
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