Can anyone tell me please, is the scan you have to diagnose bronchiectasis an ordinary scan or, an m r i scan?

[mustcarryon]

[cofdrop-UK]

It's an 'ordinary' CAT scan sweet. cx

[mustcarryon]

Thanks for that cofdrop. I'm not bothered about a cat scan. I did have to have mri on my neck and spine, I was terrified. Not to be recommended for someone who suffers with claustrophobia.

[cofdrop-UK in reply to mustcarryon]

OMG I am the same. Been through lots of horrid tests in the last 66 years but they would have to put me out for an MRI - I don't even go in lifts if I can avoid. Hope all goes well for you. love cx

[Offcut in reply to cofdrop-UK]

I do not do stairs if I can avoid them

[mustcarryon]

Thanks cofdrop. I was diagnosed with bronchiectasis a while ago with an x ray, now they are sending me for scan. I think it's good to have a more exact diagnosis and hopefully some good advise about lifestyle.

thanks for your support. xxx

[huggs]

Hi mustcarryon,

You have no need to worry, as its a ct scan or cat scan you will get for bronchiectasis. I am waiting on one myself for the same reason as you. I seem to have been waiting ages, as I had to cancel one appointment because I was ill, and now I am the bottom of the queue! Things have improved respiratory wise, in that I am not coughing up as much sputum as I was before. Then it was sometimes 3 hours every morning getting the gunk up. Good luck with your scan, and don't worry about it. Okay? hugs from huggs xxx

[Offcut]

I was sent for a CT Scan on my heart and lungs but had to change to MRI as I am allergic to Iodine. The liquid they put in me was £500.00 a bag and I had 2 (Sorry NHS)

[Suzy6]

CT scans are fine mustcarryon I'm claustrophobic can't go in small loos, lifts, etc but found the CT scan OK. It did help that I had a lovely young lady who did it. She was so kind and charming. When I had an M.R.I. scan they had to knock me out. I went almost hysterical just seeing the machine. xx

[Nikkers]

Hi mustcarryon,

No worries about the scan it's a walk in the park. I've had bronchiectasis all of my life - I'm now 72 - and when I was a child the tests etc for this were horrific and you were fully awake. Tubes down your throat, pump in iodine or oil, then "deep" x-rays taken. We are so fortunate to have the technology now that can diagnose these illnesses so accurately. If they had been around when I was young, my early life would not have been filled with a dread of hospitals.

[Sohara in reply to Nikkers]

Hi Nikkers I had those 'broncoscophies' too ( not sure I got the name right) they were horrndous, kept want to cough when they put the tubes down and while they were pouring the oil down, if you did you had to start all over again.

I also still remember the terrible taste of the green lollies they used to make you suck ( to deaden your throat so it didnt hurt) I hated them so much that I tried not to suck them in all my subsequent procedures....and getting the oil back up again from your lungs was no walk in the park either

I have been a life long bronchiectasis sufferer too

Yes ANY scan if preferable to those x rays

[Nikkers in reply to Sohara]

Hi Sohara.

"Nice" to meet a fellow sufferer, Yes, I too remember the dreadful taste of those "lollies" and the thought of them can still make me gag! I think it was very cruel to make children go through all that, there must have been a better way? Today, tests are so much easier, painless and stress free. I'm glad those torturous dark days are behind us

[cofdrop-UK in reply to Nikkers]

OMG Nikkers you have just brought back those dreadful memories of the barbaric bronchograms we used to have to endure as youngsters - it was a shringe of pink followed by one of white with a long rubber tube and you weren't allowed to cough - then they would do it all over again for the other side. Thank goodness the tests nowadays have improved so much. I actually don't think I could go through that now but as kids we had no choice.....and to think we went through all that and I would be bricking it if they wanted an MRI. cx

[mustcarryon]

It must have been awful for all of those that had to go through what sounds like medieval torture.

What I'm wondering is did it work. xxx

[cofdrop-UK]

In as much as they could see what was going on in your lungs - the forerunner really to the ct scan. You could see it on screen whilst they took the xrays, whilst you were on one side at least. You could also see if you coughed the dye coming off your lungs and into your stomach and then the dread of knowing you would have to go back tomorrow and do it all over again.

Having a bronchoscopy was weird too. Not sure if they anaesthetise kids today, but they did then and there was no short term anaesthetic, so it was a much bigger deal and for some reason you always woke up with blood in your nose and ears.

Anyway thank goodness that's the past and tests today are much less intrusive and very much more tolerable.

cx

[Sohara in reply to cofdrop-UK]

Its amazing , I often thought I was the only one that had these broncograms...I had about 6 in all I think at the UCH London , I was about 14 or 15, it was the results of these that made them decide to take my bottom two lobes out...so I had one done then about 6 months later they did the other lobectomy... The NHS had only just started I think. Yes it was MAJOR surgery then , so different from today....we have all seen such big changes and improvements , nowadays they would not take out half the lung just for bronchiectasis.

[cofdrop-UK in reply to Sohara]

Today I believe they would only resort to surgery if bronchiectasis was localised. Honestly the more I am on here the more twins I feel I have (that doesn't make sense does it as there can only be 2, but you know what I mean). There are quite a few of us who had surgery at the age of 15 whilst having bronchiectasis which is and was then diffuse, which it obviously was for you Sohara if they did the other side as soon as 6 months. It must have been 'flavour of the month'.

Btw the NHS started in 1948 and I think so many of us who were from working class families would certainly not be here now if it hadn't. My sis has a bill from a doc pre NHS and it was 3d per week and there are 'missings', and both my parents were hard working people. I guess every generation have to go through stuff which will hopefully help future generations and improve techniques and treatments - they had just better appreciate it though

cx