Intense, short term pain in lungs on breathing in with Bronchiectasis

[beergoggles]

Hello everyone! Hope your hump days are going fairly smoothly and peacefully.

I was diagnosed with Bronchiectasis a few years ago, I'm a 38 year old male. It is quite mild and I generally manage it well. I've have had way fewer chest infections since I've known what I'm dealing with (other than the dreaded Covid).

The other day, I was breathing in and felt a strange and pretty painful sensation in my chest which felt like my chest was wrapped up in a few rubber bands and they were snapping as I expanded my ribcage. It was quite worrying considering my history so I spoke to 111. Eventually a GP called me and they said they thought it could be scar tissue breaking down in my lungs.

Has anyone experienced this or does this at least make sense? I can see that scar tissue does naturally break down with massage, so it would make sense that with the movement of the lungs that would happen and you could feel it happening?

Cheers everyone x

[Firefly25]

Hi beergoggles- sorry to hear you’ve been having pains. I have bronchiectasis too and I do suffer from pain (especially on the right side) from time to time. The first time it happened (years ago) was quite alarming and I went to a and e where they X-rayed and said it was pleurisy, which passed after a few days with ibuprofen and rest.

Nowadays I have a far less severe but more constant pain - my consultant’s latest take on it is that it’s caused by mucus (even though I nebulise and do airway clearance religiously every day). Ibuprofen usually gets rid of it. No-one’s ever mentioned scar tissue breaking down though. Do you have a bronchiectasis consultant you can ask? In my experience GPs don’t seem to know a lot about bronchiectasis!

Hope you’re feeling better and get some answers. Take care 😊

[busygardener]

good morning,I also experience this,my respiratory physio said it was due to mouth breathing ,which i do especially when i struggle to breathe .I am now trying to only breathe in and out through my nose which can be difficult at times .Good luck

[Mooka]

I was also going to suggest it maybe pleurisy. My son has it a few weeks after getting Covid.

[beergoggles]

Thanks everyone, some really helpful answers here I'm not sure how to get in touch with my specialist, and I haven't heard from her since well before the pandemic

[CDPO16 in reply to beergoggles]

The best way is usually through the consultant's secretary who will often be very helpful. If you have a number for the hospital you attended they should be able to give you the relevant phone number.

[beergoggles in reply to CDPO16]

Thank you! I will give them a call tomorrow

[teddyd in reply to beergoggles]

My gp contacts my consultant if she thinks there is something that requires me to see him. I also have 6 monthly appointments ( for the last 2 years by zoom or phone,) I hope you get an appointment soon.