I’ve been reading this site for a while now and thought it about time I introduced myself and let you know my experiences. I’m a 77 year old married man, thin, never smoked, living in the south of England. I ramble 10 miles every Wednesday, play golf weekly and every year go camping in France in an open topped kit car with other like minded (male it must be said) idiots.
25 years ago I caught pneumonia (in July!) and was in hospital on a drip for a week. I recovered and thought no more about it but about 12 years ago the chest infections started and reoccured every couple of years. Asthma they said but of course it was bronchiectasis. At one time they suspected lung cancer (that put a bit of a dampener on Christmas!) and I was oscillating back and forth through the CT scanner awaiting a lung biopsy. Luckily the doctor thought better of it. A couple of weeks of co-amoxiclav fixed it each time until the last time when aspergillus invaded. Steroids fixed that but it does seem to like coming back. At the moment I am feeling good on a low steroid dose waiting to see what happens.
So what have a learned? The NHS, particularly the hospitals, are marvellous but not infallible so read up about your problems and ask questions. They only have time to treat what you present with, if they had told me about aspergillus (black mould) I perhaps wouldn’t have rotovated the garden and stirred up its home. Keep active, do as much as you are able, we are not here long.
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Elfy88
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HI, welcome. I was born in 1935 with rare condition PCD, including bronchiectasis, and I’m still fighting it’! getting best treatment important and it’s good to hear that you’re very active. I used to be until last couple of years. Hope you find this forum useful and interesting. Best Wishes, Jean
Thank you for your informative post. I am impressed with your activities. Blimey, never mind impressed, just plain jealous! And I admire your attitude. I am a believer in finding out as much as we can about our conditions, but there is a prevailing counsel here that we should not Google. I have and do. Found out a huge amount about the two rare conditions dancing a tango in my rib cage. And I am happy to take responsibility for my conditions.
Hi Elfy, I have bronchiectasis and recurring aspergillosis too. Not active as you!😅but do try to make myself go out for a short walk most days. (I used to walk for miles 🙄!!) But it's lovely hearing about other members activities. Keep us posted on your golfing/rambling /camping stories (especially when there's a punchline) 😊👍xxx
Well done for sharing your story, I assume you are now being looked after by a respiratory team. And have a rescue pack along with a care/treatment plan for any flare ups you experience.
My recent diagnosis I believe is the result of scarring from pneumonia 15 years ago but only has decided to give me problems.
Avoiding infection isn’t easy but I intend to live as I did during COVID and wear a mask in enclosed spaces and sanitizer on hand.
I have 5 young grandchildren and we all know what pettry dishes of disease they can be! They will have to have a temp check and an arms length from now on.
Enjoy this lovely weather and enjoy exercise when ever you feel up to it. Keeping active will help get rid of the mucus secretions and keep the airways clear. Good luck x
I had loads of chest infections from the time we moved into our present home in Aug 2013. You mentioned black mould, and in 2018, during the changing of the bath for a walk-in shower, black mould was found covering a large part of the bathroom floor. The floor boarding was replaced, and since then, other than a bout of pneumonia and pleurisy in Nov 2019, I've had NO chest infections. Mould can form wherever it is damp, due to leaks in the roof or kitchen or bathroom. Have a check. I have bi-basal bronchiectasis which I blame on one of my chest infections with Staphylloccus Aureus which lasted from March to November 2014.
Hi Elfy88 and welcome to the site. What a positive post from you. You seem to be very fit and active which is great and as you say we are not here long so make the most of it x
Hi, I also have Bronchiectasis and was interested to see your comment about the risks of rotavating in the garden. I wasn’t aware. Can you explain exactly what one needs to avoid? I wasn’t aware. Thank you.
Mould spores can be lurking in compost or under decaying matter, so it's best to avoid stirring them up. Using long handled tools and wearing a mask might help to minimise the problem. That's just my guess- I'm sure there is more informed advice somewhere on this forum.
i used to work with fungi especially aspergillus which could infect al my cultures if not careful ' have learnt a lot about that since but i was the person who enjoyed doing all the fungal investigations and also no one else did . so went on courses and was lucky to do a countrywide yearly meeting of staff from about 60 health service labs throughout the country where senior workers and doctors working on their special subjects gave talks on their experiences and advances made which i then had to relate to my fellow workers later on return to my lab oratory . this was a long time ago in the 1970s but even then agricultural workers had fung i disease called after them and the compost heap was one of the worst places to contact infections.
I used techiques that are cer tainly not used now but had to look at culture plates under microscope. i saw fields and forest s of green yello w and black fungi, usually aspergillus and used sellotape to lift the sporing heads and examine under higher power microscope.
all under my nose literally but we didnt think about it and it was many years before safer ways to handle these cultures were introduced surprising ly i dont think i ever caught a lung infection then.
initially my lung problem was caused by breathing in dust from a demolition happening right outside the window where i worked . I commented on the dust and grit lying on the microscope bench possibly damaging that equipment, but didnt think about the damage to my lungs .
I got a lung abscess the details of which which suggested it was caused by inhaling particles and was very ill and almost died. but I was later warned by my hospital doctor not to try sueing the health authority . . he thought it was due to this dirt in the air but also didnt think that i could prove it,.
so do be aware of compost heaps for a start as well as any moulds seen growing on surfaces any where . i still think of this when i find my bunch of grapes arent a s fresh as could be and moulds are lurking among those luscious globes sitting in the fridge.
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