The word is exacerbation, and it means an increase in your COPD symptoms that requires some sort of intervention, like antibiotics, prednisone or hospitalization. So if you see an increase in coughing, or mucous production, or change in the color of mucous, fever, chills, increase in being short of breath, those all are clues that you may be developing an exacerbation. You've already got damage in the lungs that can't be fixed, and an exacerbation can do more damage. So, you don't want an exacerbation, and it you get any of those symptoms, you should talk with your doc ASAP. The key here is to catch thing quickly; don't think that you might get better tomorrow or your can tough it out or you don't want to bother the doc. Believe me, they would much rather be bothered by a call or an office visit rather than seeing you in the hospital. So watch out for this sort of thing and see someone before you have to go to the ER or the hospital. You don't want to go there....that's where people can get really sick!

In your situation I would ask for a sputum culture so you know what sort of bug needs to be killed. Perhaps some different broad spectrum antibiotics are also in order. Another thing I would discuss with your doc is either daliresp, which is a pill designed to reduce inflammation in the bronchial airways, and thus decrease mucous production and exacerbations, or a prophylactic dose of azithromycin, either every day or three times a week. This has been studied clinically at National Jewish and many other hospitals and had been proven to be very effective in reducing exacerbations. The studies have shown that to date (nearly 10 years after they started) the negative reactions to azithromycin are very few. Both these treatments are designed for people experience the problems you have and are considered best practice among leading pulmonologists.

Check this site:
http://www.webmd.com/lung/copd/default.htm

Exacerbation
From time to time, people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have what’s known as an exacerbation. Think of it as a flare.

You may suddenly have trouble breathing, or make more noise when you do. You may cough a lot and feel bad all over.

Exacerbations are often linked to a lung infection that results from a virus or bacteria, like a cold or some other illness. Spending time in smoggy or dirty air can also make your symptoms get worse quickly.

Don’t ignore the warning signs. If you don’t get to a doctor ASAP, you could wind up in the hospital or lose some of your lung function.

http://www.webmd.com/lung/10-signs-copd-exacerb...

Azithromycin ~ my doctor won't let me have have that unless have symptons of a cold. I 've gone thru, pneumonia, b ronchitis, with hospitalization, I just don't get it1