What is bronchiectasis like?

[MarieW-F]

I saw my GP today. Struggling for breath, wheezing etc. I'd started my rescue pack and had both steroids and amoxicillin bust hadn't felt either worked. Now I've been diagnosed for 5.5 years with bronchiectasis (and sarcoidosis) but as I was saying to my GP I have no idea why it is like to have bronchiectasis. I rarely cough, when I do it's dry. Phlegm is almost non-existent. My lungs feel dry ( that might be the PF). So my question is, does this description resonate with fellow bronchiectasis sufferers? Or should I speak to my consultant?

Thanks

Marie x

[O2Trees]

Hi Marie, I have similar experience (though much more recently diagnosed) in that I have very little mucus. And yet my consultant has shown me the mucus which lies in my airways in the lower lobes, so it is there even though I don't experience it and I don't wheeze at all, and am only breathless on exertion.

However, people with bronch are advised to do physiotherapy every day in order to get the mucus up. You may have some which is a long way down and is kind of stuck and you aren't experiencing it directly, as in coughing it up. Have you been shown the active cycle of breathing? There are also devices like the flutter device which some GPs will prescribe. Sadly some GPs don't know that much about bronch as it is rarer than, say, copd.

Anyway mucus or not, something is wrong. What usually happens with people with bronch have infections (and those with copd too) is that they take in a mucus sample which is tested to see which AB it is responsive to. You don't say how long you've been taking the ABs, but if it's been a while it may be that amoxycillin isn't working for you.

Something my respiratory nurse told me is that people with bronch should start with two weeks ABs, not one. It might be an idea to ask for an appointment with your consultant, as I don't get the impression that your GP has enough specialist knowledge.

I hope you feel better soon