question about CF??

[mentalhealthRN]

I was watching Grey's Anatomy the other night and a case came up with a guy who was there at the hospital to receive a lung transplant as he had pretty advanced Cystic Fibrosis. (Despite having worked for a bit on a medical respiratory unit I don't think I ever took care of anyone in specifially for their CF, and certainly not for a transplant as they would have been on a different unit.) So when the guys girl friend started having some respiratory distress and was reaching for an inhaler in her purse, she drops her purse. A med falls out and the doc that goes to help pick up the contents of her purse with her sees the med, looks at it and asks if she too has CF. She hesitantly admits that she does. All the docs in the room freak out and tell the couple that they can't be togehter. That two CF patients can't be together, not closer then 3 ft-- I believe they said--to each other as it is dangerous for both CF patients. That he would not get the lungs if they didn't end things for good. I had never heard of this before. I am guessing with all the smart nurses on here someone must have heard of this or know about it so I figured I would ask. Is this true? The way they explained it made sense I guess but it is TV after all so I didn't know if that was correct info or not.

[GreyGull]

But it was the being together at all even without the transplant was dangerous for both of them. That is the part I didn't get.

Unfortunately CF patients are discouraged from close contact with each other. As mentioned before there have not even been access to many support groups for these patients until computers made it easier to "be there" without really being there.

CF patients will have at least 2 strains of bacteria usually Burkholderia cepacia and psseudomonas aeruginosa. Each can be treated with antibiotics but resistance will eventually form allowing for more potent strains to develop as the patients cross infect each other. Each serious infection that becomes harder to treat shortens and even threatens to end their life. It is a reality that these patients have to face where they are walking petri dishes with much bacteria growth.

[SwampCat, BSN]

My CF bff since 5th grade and I were talking about this the other day (I don't watch the show). It's crazy, I had no idea one could actually have their lungs colonized with MRSA as she does (along with two or three other bacteria types). I knew it would be colonized with something, but multiple strains? Oh man.

It's really a heart-wrenching disease. When we were in 5th grade we did a report on it together and that's when I learned that the life expectancy was around 30.

And here we are, almost 30.

I'm flying out to see her in two weeks. And it will probably be the last time.

And yeah, If you have Pseudomonas and another CF-er has MRSA, docs don't want those two to be in close contact because they will colonize each other. Really though, lung transplants are not all that common and the CF-ers I know disregard the contact precautions because whats the point? It's already borrowed time.

[PNCC2001]

My mother had CF with Pseudomonas, shockingly diagnosed at 61yrs; and recently passed away. She had no symptoms as a child, no hospitalizations, etc. They claimed she had a "mild" case. I attended a couple of CF seminars with her and they had the restriction of "three feet apart" between the CF patients; and patients with Burkholderia cepacia were not allowed to attend due to the above concerns of cross-infection.

[Esme12, ASN, BSN, RN]

My CF bff since 5th grade and I were talking about this the other day (I don't watch the show). It's crazy, I had no idea one could actually have their lungs colonized with MRSA as she does (along with two or three other bacteria types). I knew it would be colonized with something, but multiple strains? Oh man.

It's really a heart-wrenching disease. When we were in 5th grade we did a report on it together and that's when I learned that the life expectancy was around 30.

And here we are, almost 30.

I'm flying out to see her in two weeks. And it will probably be the last time.

And yeah, If you have Pseudomonas and another CF-er has MRSA, docs don't want those two to be in close contact because they will colonize each other. Really though, lung transplants are not all that common and the CF-ers I know disregard the contact precautions because whats the point? It's already borrowed time.

I am sorry....I will pray for your friend....:redpinkhe