Damp rainy weather effect bronchiectasis or upper chest?

[winter2013]

Hi all

As a bronchiectasis sufferer I realise that theoretically weather doesn't effect the condition as the damage is internal. However, have just had a spell of less phlegm and the weather has been very dry ... for these parts as live in North Devon which is notoriously damp! Anyway yesterday the rainy damp weather had returned and Iam definitely more chesty/ more phlegm. Wonder if anyone else experienced more phlegm when it's damp? Or has any particular weather or climate been beneficial to our "lovely" condition?!

Love to all xx

[peege]

Hi, I have asthma as well. A few weeks ago I caught a cold virus which naturally ended up on my chest. Was still coughing and blowing my nose all day when I went to sons's in the south of France on 5th May. Almost immediately my coughing and nose blowing ceased! It's much dryer down there. Home 6 days now but luckily it's not been too damp where I am in Gloucestershire so still not as bad as when I left.

I'll be going back in 2.5 weeks for 10 days this time and I expect all the winter blues will be totally cleared up. P

[winter2013 in reply to peege]

Thank you perfect. All interesting. Have a good time on your return! X

[winter2013 in reply to winter2013]

Typo due to predictive text I didn't check.... know your name is peege!!

[peege in reply to winter2013]

Haha, a pain isn't it, I rarely check too so often have to pop back in to edit what I write (little arrow, right of like button).

Brilliant about your trip, marvellous. Have a brilliant time. Perhaps put Spain in the search box to see if anyone has written about medical care in Spain. I'm sure I remember good things. Also check out CanalChris' posts, he sold up and moved to Portugal.

Bon voyage for Sunday 😎😎😎😎

[winter2013 in reply to peege]

Ahh thanks so much for that!! Do you have bronchiectasis as well as asthma? Sounds fab having a son who lives in south of France. We took our caravan there 2 years ago, toured around abit but the weather was lovely on the French riveria. I gather the hottest driest part is Menton. Xxx

[winter2013 in reply to peege]

Ps will check out CanalChris posts! X

[Hidden]

Hello winter. Yes I do think that damp and/or polluted air affects me. I try to take myself off to the Caribbean on a cruise ship after Christmas. The clean air of the islands and salt in the ocean air definitely make a difference. With bronch it is really difficult to identify which climate or general air changes affect us. Firstly because we are always fighting the growth of latent bugs in our lungs and secondly because we are all different.

[winter2013 in reply to Hidden]

Hi littlepom

Nice to hear from you as we had some long "chats" a while ago! Caribbean cruise sounds great. Haven't had a "proper " holiday for 2 years but have booked to take our caravan to Spain on Sunday for afew weeks so will see how I am with the climate. We set off for Spain this time last year and was in such a mess with infections, felt ill that we ended up coming straight back! Have since changed GP and consultant and ... touch wood... am abit better informed! GP doesn't know anymore than previous one but at least takes me seriously and isn't dismissive! I agree hard to identify which climate or air affects bronchiectasis and consultants certainly wouldn't condone any particular one. Got thinking as I like watching "Place in the sun" and so many times people say how much better their arthritis is in the warmth. Out of interest I looked up if the medics agree it helps arthritis and the view is it makes no difference. So wondered if the same difference of opinion between bronch sufferers and medics applied.

Love winter xxx

[kelseytwo in reply to winter2013]

Please let me know how you do in Spain, a place I am looking to as well....

[winter2013 in reply to kelseytwo]

Ok 😊

[helingmic]

COPD Mic here. I really like a steady kind of weather.Wind,rain,cold just weakens my chest,more SOB. I dread to hear the forecaster saying​, it will be cooler and breezy for the next few days. In my refurbished flat I had to have my heater on all the time, minimum 22C, just to kill the dampness and making the paint on the doors less tacky!Mic

[winter2013 in reply to helingmic]

Thanks for reply copd mic. Interesting to hear from everyone x

[helingmic in reply to winter2013]

I hope it's not just cold comfort. Hoping for really good weather! Mic

[Knicho]

I definitely have more problems in damp weather.. I look forward to the summer months! I too have just had a really good couple of weeks but since Saturday have been really struggling..still in process of official diagnosis but consultant told me last time he's pretty sure it's bronchiectasis x

[winter2013 in reply to Knicho]

Interesting Knicho! Am going to really notice now the damp weather and see if it does make me worse. Good luck with diagnosis x

[Knicho in reply to winter2013]

Thank you incidently been a really wet day here and I feel terrible! 🙄

[winter2013 in reply to Knicho]

Oh dear but interesting for us to notice! Where do you live? X

[Knicho in reply to winter2013]

Mansfield in Nottinghamshire. I keep telling my hubby that we need to move somewhere hot!

[winter2013 in reply to Knicho]

I live in north Devon and whilst it's never that cold, it's so damp, rainy. I used to live in the south east where it was colder in the winter but generally much drier. My lung infections started when I moved here 11 years ago followed by subsequent bronchiectasis diagnosis . Of course will never know if there's a link. For years before the lung infections I kept on getting what I referred to as a recurring mystery virus.. no specific symptoms... no one ever knew what it was. A consultant recently suggested it could have been bacterial chest infections that weren't being picked up, very low in lung, and the slow start of bronchiectasis. Whether moving to a damp climate triggered it all off, who knows! Not long till summer though 😊Xx

[Knicho in reply to winter2013]

I have a similar story in that I've had chest problems for years however mine was kicked off by us having work done in a new house and breathing in the dust I believe.. I've never been the same since! Roll on summer!!

[winter2013 in reply to Knicho]

Yes my story has another similarity. About 25 years ago when in south east, we had a loft conversion which triggered adult onset asthma for me. Whether that played a part on the bacterial chest infections I started getting 15 years later when moving to north Devon then after a long period of having undiagnosed bronchiectasis before being diagnosed 3 1/2 years ago.... will never know. Doesn't make any difference now but it would be nice to know why. Have you had your CT scan and official bronchiectasis diagnosis yet? X

[Knicho in reply to winter2013]

Funny you should say adult onset asthma that's what dr originallythought when I started going about 3 years ago but after a long drawn out process of to-ing and fro-ing from the Drs with numerous infections I've finally got referred to the hospital..I have had a ct scan and I'm going for lung function test tomorrow and back to consultant next week hopefully for definite diagnosis! Quite spooky how many similarities we have in our story .. I'll keep you posted!

[winter2013 in reply to Knicho]

Yes it is! Do keep me posted and good luck Knicho! I find whereas most people know some with most other ailments, chronic illnesses... no one has heard of bronchiectasis and has any idea what it's like so good to chat on here. People seem to think I'm cured when I'm over an infection and just don't realise it's a forever thing. Also challenging the manage with daily Physio, avoiding viruses as they lead to infection, the fatigue and pacing yourself, when to take antibiotics or not...... am still getting my head round it all and working out what's what. Hopefully the learning curve will get shorter. Xxxx

[Knicho in reply to winter2013]

I agree! I'm sick of people asking if I'm better doesn't matter how many times I say it's a long term thing it doesn't seem to go in! I too am still getting my head around it all but this forum has been so helpful already like you say just to talk to someone who understands makes you feel you aren't alone! I think people don't want to believe there isn't something that can just cure it!

[winter2013 in reply to Knicho]

Agree totally that people can't handle you have something that can't be cured! X

[Grizzly7168]

Hello there my mom has suffered from Bronchiectasis for many many years and she has always said that damp cold weather makes her symptoms much worse. My dad and her moved to a hot and very dry place and for the most part she is much better. Over the last couple of years her condition has become much worse and last year we thought we were going to loose her. I hope that you are able to find a solution .

Grizzly

[winter2013 in reply to Grizzly7168]

Thanks for that Grizzly. Hope your mom soon feels better 😊

[Patches2]

Damp, wet weather is a killer for those with bronchiectasis. I have always found a dry climate is the best and lived in a dry climate for the first half of my life. I only had problems when I moved back to a damp, wet country.

Give me dry air any day.

[winter2013 in reply to Patches2]

Another very interesting comment! Wish someone would do a study on it... medical student? X

[winter2013 in reply to Patches2]

Can I ask which country you lived in first with dry climate and which is the damp wet country you moved to?

[karenboyd]

I, too, have been diagnosed with bronchiectasis in 2009. I'm still trying to figure out my triggers (does not help that I can't smell a thing either) Although, I would like to agree with you about damp weather. It definitely does make things worse for me. Stress is another big one, perhaps the biggest, along with smog, exhaust, dust, chemical smells, etc.

[Memme12]

Hello! I realize this thread is 2 years old, but just searched this question and this forum came up. I live in Alberta, Canada at a high elevation and in a dry climate. I have had Bronchiectasis since very early childhood. My chest is noticeably more active, unhappy and congested during a rainy day. It is a predictable response I experience during the rain. I am interested to know it seems like a common experience! Combined with high humidity levels during rain, I've also wondered if it is partly related to a shift in barometric pressure. Thanks for posting this question!

[Caspiana in reply to Memme12]

Hello Memme12 . Definitely, definitely humidity has an impact on breathing!! Japan, where I live has a summer humidity of 100%. It is brutal and when it rains, whatever the season, it is hard on the breathing. xx 🌼🌱