What triggers infections from Bronchiectasis ?

[TG58]

Does anyone know what triggers their infections from Bronchiectasis ? I ask as I had a couple of glasses of white wine on Saturday and to be honest not felt 100 % since, I take antibiotics 3 days a week and have done for the last couple of weeks, I was wondering if anything in particular might trigger infection, I have that strange sensation in my chest/lungs again, kind of like breathing in cold air, it's very hard to describe to be honest, but I haven't had it for a few weeks, until Sunday gone it started again, also my stomach has been bloating for the last couple of days, horrible feeling, that could be due to the acid reflux/diverticulitis I also have though. I hate these feelings of being unwell, it's like your ok for a couple of weeks, then it starts again, it's a horrible feeling of no way out, I am trying to stay positive and trying to ignore it but it's becoming very hard to keep my chin up 😒

[peege]

Hi. I'm half guessing here as I'm no doctor. Some wines are particularly acidic and could set off your diverticulitis &/or reflux. Chemicals and tannins are in wines too.

I would hazard a guess that it's a coincidence that at the same your lungs gave gone dodgy.

Best see a gp if you can to check if it's a chest infection brewing. Common enough to get one after another - BTW with some antibiotic alcohol doesn't mix.

With my mild bronch a closing of the airways so the mucus is trapped leaving a perfect environment for bacteria to develop.

Good luck. P

[Hidden]

So sorry you are feeling unwell TG58.

Perhaps have another chat with your doctor about your recurring symptoms, it could be your doctor will advise a specific treatment for you.

Hope you have the medication for acid reflux. I guess you know not to eat anything fatty before bed or even after your early evening meal.

Also the bloating, not sure what your diet is like, but white bread I have found doesn't help this nor, pastry, scones, cakes etc

Having said that when the airways have narrowed it sometimes feels like the abdomen is bloated, some people describe it as being puffed up. When this happens perhaps (if prescribed) take dose of the reliever medicine (ventolin salbutamol) etc.

Lung infections can be caused by any number of things, and also if there is mucus and its not being coughed up this can cause infection too. to thin mucus making it easier to cough up you need to drink plenty of water and take carbocisteine as prescribed by your doctor or perhaps your doctor has prescribed an alternative mucolytic medicine.

Best wishes

[Hidden]

The only thing that can actually trigger an infection is bacteria, but other things can contribute to a change in your symptoms. Interestingly, white wine is well known to cause breathing issues for some asthmatics and/or people with allergies, so it could be that the wine has triggered a similar process for you: my daughter had an untreated fungal infection last year that was making her wheeze, but the only description she could give of how her chest felt was the cold air feeling you mention. It was the summer, so once we twigged she was wheezing, if she complained of cold air breathing then we gave her salbutamol.

[R1100S1]

Strangely enough I haven’t had to take my rescue pack since last October, can’t remember when (touch wood) I have had such a long spell

However I had some pretty nasty cancer surgery in November that the isolation due to chemotherapy and latterly the virus shielding has kept me away from picking up infection from others.

Am on almost normal diet even up to a few glasses of Malbec

So as stated by others on this site we are not doctors So can’t advise on such. But picking up bacteria does seem to be the trigger

I blame (❤️) my 4 wonderful young grandchildren for a lot of my past infection

Keep safe

[Fionafish]

Sorry to hear you are feeling rough - I don't have an answer but I am with you on the no way out feeling. The more it happens the more familiar it becomes but it is never an easy thing to deal with. Sending love and resilience

[Brenda102]

Sorry you are feeling down. It is the nature of this condition to have exacerbations. As for the white wine, it has sulfites as a preservative, Some people are sensitive to them, like an allergy. This it can cause airway symptoms, more inflammation. It seems a number of us can have reflux issues. I have to make sure I don’t eat and then nebulize right afterwards. I guess check with your physician for ant changes which don’t go away on their own. Feel better.

[Hidden]

Maybe alcohol just doesn’t agree with you. I know white wine was reputed to be ok for lung function but it all depends on the individual. I think that research is a bit old now. It’s a shame cos it’s a sociable thing. I no longer drink, except for a VERY rare g&t, one of the new botanical gins, not any old rubbish 😁 I’ve gone onto lime juice & soda, which is tasty & thirst quenching (and cheap).

Do remember that, in the same way you’re down atm, tomorrow’s another day, hopefully a better one. I have some awful days when my chest’s so bad, life barely seems worth living. Then I remember all those who’ve got lung cancer or are awaiting tx & resolve to make the best of my very restricted life.

Do you think you might be clinically depressed? Anti-depressants can be very helpful if you’re living with a chronic condition.

[TG58 in reply to Hidden]

No not clinically depressed, as I'm generally upbeat under normal conditions, obviously nothing is normal at the moment though, not been to work for 3 months and one more to go, so I miss that and the social aspect of it, I guess I was just having a bad day, wine never affected me before so it may be just that particular brand, I will have to keep my eye on it, normally when I am working I will only have a drink over the weekend, as I have quite early starts, but since I've been off work I haven't bothered to much, maybe once every 2/3 weeks, it's more of a social thing for me, I rarely drink at home 🙂