Hi has any body being told their bron... - Lung Conditions C...
Hi has any body being told their bronchiectasis is a red herring by their consultant
I don't know what the consultant meant by this but I can tell you that in the 61 years that I have had it I have had many doctors tell me that it did not exist. They stlii know very little about treating it and there is a political decision which means all of the money goes to COPD. Probably best to change your consultant. Good luck
Of course bronchiectasis exists. As we all know, it is a condition of the lungs causing problems. Simple. What gets into these consultants?
Hi Geoff
Don't know what this so called consultant is on about and obviously he doesn't either. (Back to med school for him me thinks). I think you should defo change to another respiratory consultant, preferable one who has a special interest in cf and non cf Bronchiectasis. And no I have never been told that and would have had something to say before I left and never went back.
Good luck in your search for a proper doctor.
love cx
I think you should give us the name and employment location of this so called consultant. Of course, bronchiectasis does exist. Just Google and you will find many studies and academic papers providing information as well as directions and guidance to self manage your condition. It is not curable, at least not yet, but with the support of a good respiratory team, you can try and minimize pain and other distressing symptoms. There are some excellent respiratory teams in London at the Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust hospitals [St Mary's Hospital for instance], the Royal Brompton and a few others.
And yes, it is true that Bronchiectasis sufferers receive no or very little community care because COPD gets all the attention and the funding as Stillstanding63 says below in his/her reply.
Absolutely agree with you and Stillstanding re lack of funding, but it is not only in the community. In the hospital environment their are only about 3/4 specialist non cf bronchiectasis nurses in the whole of the UK. Even if you are lucky enough to be seen by a con within an adult cf centre we are not equal when it comes to some medication, and things which help with ease of use i.e. home IVs - I-nebs - pod halers - all these are a given for cf (quite rightly) when in lung terms we are talking about the same management. I could go on grrrrr! The consultants in the main recognise and agree but funding is political.
Red herring - my botty.
cx
Whilst I agree completely with sentiments expressed I have another angle for you to consider. My consultant used the phrase 'red herring' to me recently about my bronch but her use of the phrase was correct in the context she outlined.
She felt strongly that my bronch was not the reason for my current problems ( cardiac consultant said it was). She said that my bronc was being used as a 'red herring' - an easy choice but not the correct choice in deciding why I was having the problems I am. She is looking for another reason.
Perhaps this is what your consultant meant.
That's an interesting point H - we don't actually know in what context this term was used. Maybe he/she was thinking outside the box. Would be good to know how this comment came to be.
cx
Hi Geoff, I agree with happyfeet. Try to remember what the consultant said: your bronch is a red herring for what? Sounds like he/she was thinking the same as happyfeet's consultant? May actually be same consultant as the phrase is not that commonly used? Take care.xx
