Bronchiectasis update

[Maninblack]

Sorry it’s taken so long to come back to the Forum. However we were very grateful for the support and advice my husband received from you on my husband’s diagnosis.

He felt brushed off after our visit to his consultant who said his condition was mild and his doctor would manage this from now on. We have had good support from his practice nurse and the community respiratory team. He is taking carbocisteine and has was given an exercise to help shift the mucus.

A set back this week as we called the respiratory nurse as his cough was much worse only for her to diagnose a chest infection on her visit. Now on 30mg steroids for 5 days and a months course of antibiotics. He is worried about the steroids as due to his heart condition he isn’t supposed to take them. Hoping that short term will not do any harm. No doubt there are others in a similar condition.

In the meantime we will keep reading your posts and thank you for being there.

[Bevvy]

It might be worth speaking to his chemist or if pharmacist at gp surgery they can be helpful. Would be worth explaining concerns for reassurance. Or can you speak to heart consultant/department? Steroids are often prescribed to calm inflammation, if having severe chest infection but can understand your concerns if advised not to take due to heart condition. I would hope respiratory nurse has taken this into account but decided that breathing issues outweighs heart concerns but I would want to double check.

[Maninblack in reply to Bevvy]

Thank you. My husband has a telephone appointment with his dr tomorrow (drs request) so will ask him about this.

[Hidden]

If your husband does not have asthma, oral steroids are not a treatment for bronchiectasis. The guidelines for the treatment of bronch are easy to find.Everybody with bronch, no matter how ‘mild’,needs to be under the care of a bronchiectasis specialist. It is a complex condition. GPs, general respiratory consultants and resp nurses do not know enough about it or experience in dealing with it, although they are loathe to admit it. Do look for a bronc specialist in your area. They are usually found at big teaching hospitals. Take the name to the GP and insist on a referral. Do not take no for an answer. They will tell your GP how to treat your husband and good GPs are grateful for this.

Bronchiectasis is a progressive condition and the correct treatment and management is vital in holding this up. As your husband is mild now, it is likely that with the correct treatment he can stay that way for a long time. Every wrongly treated exacerbation (a growth of bacteria in the fluid in the lungs and airways) can lead to further damage and a deterioration in the condition but proper management can result in years of active and full life.

[Maninblack in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your reply, much appreciated. This has worried my husband as we are very much on a learning curve with this condition. He is speaking to his dr (telecom) tomorrow so will take this up with him. Like so many patients, he hasn’t had a face to face appointment with a dr since the pandemic. Let’s hope the call will be helpful.

[Hidden in reply to Maninblack]

Absolutely agree with Littlepom above. Definitely discuss the steroids with your doctor.....all the treatment guidelines say that steroids are not indicated in simple bronchiectasis. If he has asthma as well then that might be a reason for using them.

[Maninblack in reply to Hidden]

Thank you for your reply. The steroids have not been prescribed for bronchiectasis but for a chest infection.

[Hidden in reply to Maninblack]

I appreciate that.... but exacerbations of bronchiectasis are chest infections. You need to clarify the treatment with all concerned.

[LissacFrance in reply to Hidden]

Can only agree with you. My wife saw several specialists before finding one who knew what she was talking about. Asthma, smoking, COPD, you name it my wife was diagnosed with it, and was given aerosols and the rest. Now on Azithro 3x per week along with physio at home.

[Pipswhips]

I used to keep an eye on anold lady and she was permanently on a low dose of steriods and she had heart problems she had aetrial fibulation and wss still on them until she passed away.

[Jaybird19]

my new post on toxoplasmosis has appeared under your name . was not an answer but a new post sorry about this . i have messaged the HU team and hope they can correct this

[Straddie]

My rescue pack for a bronchiactasis exacerbation is always antibiotic and steroids. The antibiotic to clear up the infection and the steroids to deal with the inflammation. I would be lost without the steroids. I simply wouldn’t be able to breathe. But you should certainly check with your GP about the effect of steroids with a heart condition when you have the telephone consultation.

[Maninblack in reply to Straddie]

Thank you. His dr has told him to take 15mg per day for the rest of his course which will still help the inflammation and enable him to tolerate these.

[poppyshola]

When I have an nasty infection, the only antibiotics my tummy can tolerate is Amoxycillin but they aren't strong enough to get rid of it so when I need treatment I have a line fitted and have IV fluids tailored to suit the infection.. but sometimes while waiting to be fitted .. my emergency pack is prednisone starting on 30mg and slowly dropped down ..However I was prescribed by my GP a 3 day x 30ml course and stop abruptly for my sinuses being blocked making me a bit short of breath...

I reluctantly followed his instructions and found it helped to have that short spurt of prednisone...

As mentioned on another post he recommended buying an Air Purifier with a hepa filter which set me back £39 but on the first night of using it, it seemed to help me clear my chest better ... tonight is my second night but I have faith in my new gadget ...

[Maninblack in reply to poppyshola]

Thank you for your reply. My husband’s dr has reduced the steroid dose to 15mg until the course is finished. His breathing is OK at the moment but we will look at an air purifier. Hope it continues to work for you.

[Alberta56]

ihope your husband is soon feeling better. xxx

[Maninblack in reply to Alberta56]

Thank you, that’s very kind of you