Bronchiectasis sample

[lilypickle1]

Hello lovely people! Just a quick question. If I suspect an infection coming on and take a sample to the surgery to be sent off and tested, should the surgery make a note to the hospital that it is for a person with Bronchiectasis, and not just a routine test?

[O2Trees]

Yes, I believe so as bronchiectsis samples need culturing for two weeks, not one as for most other conditions. Someone here may well know more than me.

[Jk1957]

yes for sure . My Dr wrote a letter to have my sample read as a CF sample I.e grow for a much longer time .

I’m on the system now so just have to make that reminder & it’s never a problem

[Teddid in reply to Jk1957]

I was not aware of the two week culture test. I must ask my respiratory nurse if this happens with any samples I put in .

[Fresco]

The sample doesn't have to be condition aware. It's best to check if it's marked urgent.If you're feeling unwell and have symptoms, the GP will act accordingly, never leave anything to chance

[watergazer]

Don’t think mine have ever been marked with bronch X

[Collienut]

It should be marked 'bronchiectasis ' and also if you are on any long term prophylactic antibiotics like azithromycin or nebulised colomycin. If requested by a consultant, or CF protocol is used, it can be 'grown out' for about six weeks to check for a wider variety of bacteria that don't show up easily on the normal testing.

I have a photocopy of the sheet the consultant filled out for me and often copy that and put it with the sample when I hand it into the GP's surgery, but they are usually pretty good when I write on their slip 'requested by respiratory consultant' if I forget though. xx

[GintyFerguson]

I recently got into trouble with consultant because I dropped off a sample but it hadn't been signed off by doc. The sample was never analysed.

[Ilovedogs12 in reply to GintyFerguson]

Last week I had a telephone consultation with a nurse practitioner at the surgery, and I asked if I should send in a sample and she said yes, but she hadn't noted it. I sent in the sample and yesterday I had a phone call to say it hadn't been analysed as it wasn't requested by a doctor.

[GintyFerguson in reply to Ilovedogs12]

Precisely that. My consultant suggested speaking to doc and making arrangements for future samples. I used to be able to drop off samples and fill in own details . Perhaps there have been too many negative samples.