Alternative help.

[Lois2560]

I have bronchietsasis can't spell it sorry, and I had it for about 4 years now fed up with coughing etc fed up with check ups at the hospital, they can't help so what's the point, so I'm after some alternative remedies if anyone can help.....thankyou

[Hidden]

i wish there were alternative remedies.....eat well and gentle exercise, rest when you need and damp dust house are all the obvious plus dont let anyone smoke in your home....

perhaps you need your medication looking at as my inhalers help me a lot and i have bronchiectasis too

[pixiedixie]

I can't think of any alternatives, but understand about the constant ferry back and forth to hospitals. In the last six months I've seen more of hospitals than my entire lifetime. Mandy has good advice, but I'm afraid I can't add anything to it x

[inhaler1]

I too have had bronchietsasis for about five years (diagnosed) it is a very hard illness to get to grips with, and my first few years were awful coughing tired just feeling very ill, but over the years with help of Hospital Consultant I have had my medication changed and added to several times and now feel I can cope

Knowing when to start steroids and antibiotics from rescue pack helps a lot as I do not have to wait to see GP once I have collected a sputum spec.

Winter is still not good for me but try to stay out of cold winds as this caused a collapse a few yrs ago.

It does help changing your medication around until you get it right for you.

I take zithromycin 4times a week plus ventolin, Symbicort, Spiriva,Carbocistine, Unyphyllin, and Neb solutions for flare ups.

Antibiotic change for for flare ups also. Then back to Zithromycin

Hope this helps

[monkey65]

Lois, welcome to the community - we try to be friendly here. You sound very down, and I know just what you mean. Until my bronch (easier to spell like this) was under control with the right medicines it really got me down too. Have you been given azithromycin? This is an antibiotic taken 3 or 4 times a week on a long term basis. It is a pretty standard treatment for bronch these days, and for some people, like me, it can be a wonder drug, so that symptoms almost disappear. Others, however, can't tolerate it unfortunately.

Apart from the 'azi', there are breathing and 'huffing' techniques, which are useful to clear the mucus and minimise the coughing. I was taught these by a specialist chest physio at hospital who I was referred to by my consultant. not sure if this is available in every area, but there are useful videos on Youtube too - others may be able to point you in the right direction.

Personally, I follow a gluten free diet, and make sure I eat plenty of pro-biotic yogurt. I think both of these make me feel better, but it is hard to prove anything. Doesn't hurt to give them a go though.

God Luck

[cofdrop-UK]

Welcome Lois - really sorry you have bronchiectasis. Having had bronch for 66 years and spending a huge amount of my childhood in hospital ( different times 40s,50s and 60s) I, along with other bronchs can empathise with just how fed up you are with all that goes with this condition.

I am concerned with your statement 'they can't help so what's the point'. True bronchiectasis cannot be cured unless it is very localised but there is quite a lot they and you can do both to manage your bronch and help prevent progression. I am hoping you have a good respiratory consultant with a special interest in cf/bronchiectasis and that they have referred you to a respiratory physio to learn techniques to clear your lungs. Essential to attempt to cut down on infections.

Great advice from our lovely friends here already. Lots of folks feel manuka honey is very helpful. Wish I knew of some alternative methods for you but all I can say is as well as everything which folks have already mentioned, important stuff includes physio, exercise, good diet, mucus samples, hitting an infection quick and hard.

Sorry hun not much help I guess on the alternative front.

Wishing you well.

love cx

[Hidden]

I to along with COPD have a bronchiectasis and have had for most of my life they reckon when I was about 3 year old I got measles (MMR jabs were just coming out then and had I already had the measles the thought to leave it as I may already had some form of natural defense in the end I caught all 3) but I am surprised that your hospital failed to help you. This year alone I have had an extra inhaler added and the daily antibiotic azithromycin. I did 6 weeks of pulmonary physio where we were taught to breathe above the diaphragm, how to deep cough and first thing in a morning after being asleep in what they call the postural drainage position to get rid of that gunge true so far this year I still have had a total of 15-16 flare ups had my PR stopped until I see the specialist in December who knows what the year ahead may bring.

[Barbie52]

I live in Australia

Last Sunday the temperature was 27C the Monday night it snowed with the power blacking out from Monday night to 3.30pm Tuesday afternoon

The house is not brick but fibro with a tin roof

I feel really fatigued and sore

I don't want to go to Doctor because they will wait until I am choking to take any notice unless I can get to Specialist but I have learnt the hard way that the only help is Western medicine

This thing is too big for alternative medicine although I believe that acupuncture helps and I have been really helped by the other members advice