I was diagnosed with Bronchiectasis 3 years ago but it seems I might have had it from a young child. I was sent to the Hospital to learn phelgm clearance techniques and was then discharged. I am generally well but do cough a lot during the night and early morning. A few weeks ago I was given a weeks course of antibiotics (the first I had had since 1999) as I went to the out of hours service with a raised pulse rate and slight temperature. My cough was so much better but it has since returned.
What I would like to know is Should I be having any ongoing treatment? and when should I go to the doctors with my cough/ slight chest infection? as apart from that I feel well.
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joycen60
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Hello.... you need to cough to clear your chest and you need antibiotics every time you think you have a chest infection because the infection can cause damage in your lung. You can ask to have antibiotics at home but first you would need to know which antibiotics work for you.Hope this helps.
My problem is that I am not sure when I have a chest infection as I feel so well. I always thought that you had to have pain when you breathed for an infection but when I went the other week was told this was not the case. I am still unsure however as to when I do need to go and see the doctor.
With bronchiectasis you should have two weeks of antibiotics for an exacerbation. What has your consultant said? Mine made a point of telling the GP and I have had no problems since. Hope you feel better soon.
I have never seen a consultant. I went to my GP who picked it up straight away but sent me for a CT scan to confirm. I was then sent to the physio for the clearance exercises and then discharged. It does not affect me too much except for the coughing which I have had for at least the past 30 years though it has got worse lately. I only went to the doctors originally as I saw the advert that tells you to see your doctor if you have had a cough for more than three weeks!
When I have a chest infection there is no pain but in feel unwell and I may be coughing. It's the unwellness that will alert you and the cough. When you see your GP ask him to refer you to a consultant.
Do you have a temperature with chest infection always
Hi joycen60. Very good advice from the others. Do make sure that you are referred to a specialist bronchiectasis expert. They are usually based at big teaching hospitals. Find one on the internet and go to your GP armed with a name. General respiratory consultants won't do because most of them know little about bronch but pretend that they do. Bronch specialists know all the combinations of different antibiotics and the delivery systems ( oral, nebulised, IV) which you may need as time goes on to manage the exacerbations or act as a preventative against them developing. GPs don't know all of this and need specialist advice as to what to give you. Some treatments can only be prescribed through the hospital.
The good news is that you have a GP who is switched on enough to recognise it and that you are quite well at the moment.
Now you need a daily management plan incuding emptying your lungs and a plan for when the little boggart jumps up to get you.
We are all different. Some get thicker, darker/green sputum and lots more than usual, a temperature, feel grotty, no energy. All or some of these symptoms. This is when you immediately need an antibiotic of a high enough dose for at least two weeks. Your consultant should tell your GP to give you a 2 week pack to keep at home.
My main relationship is with my consultant and her secretary. I just use my GP to get my inhalers and supplies of any oral antibiotics that I need to take.
You are doing very well so far. Just need to get your ducks in a row so that you are in control and carry on leading a normal life.
As you can see, there are several of us here who are happy to support you.
If you don't have any asthma, coughing at night usually means that you haven't managed to empty your lungs properly during the day and in the morning because it is still sitting there, you are starting to move about and it wants to come out. A virus cough is much more sore 'itchy' and persistent, similar to when you first get a bad cold.
Thank you all for your advice. I am not very good at clearing my lungs in the morning but will now try much harder! Next time I see my GP I will ask him about seeing a specialist and will go armed with a name.
Generally your infections will tend to be the same bug and require the same treatment but it isn't a given. If you have a rescue pack you should also have a sample pot so that you can submit a sample taken before you start the pills to ensure that they are the correct pills this time.
My usual infection is haem influenza b and I usually have doxy & co-amoxi but this year I have been trying out proteus mirabilis. It starts much more gently and takes several weeks before really becoming obvious and 2 weeks of amoxi nearly clears it. Nearly. Been doing this all year. Now on 4 weeks of cipro and trimethoprim, plus nebulising saline and colomycin twice daily (4 nebs). Back to hospital when done. Inpatient if still not cleared.
Moral is :- get infections sorted quickly, and always make sure that the bugs are completely cleared. Min 2 weeks abs and sputum samples checked.
If any doubt that is cleared go back to the quack.
I had a chesty cough for years too and was diagnosed with bronchiectasis. It was only when I saw a respiratory consultant that he diagnosed a low level HIB infection. After several weeks of strong antibiotics and a few weeks of another the constant chesty cough was gone. Now when I get infections I generally feel ill, have a temperature and a kind of raw feeling at the top of my lungs before it really gets a grip and the phlegm changes to dark green/brown which is a big sign of infection so it's straight on the antibiotics. It's that HIB every time gets me and doesn't want to leave!
See a specialist and also learn to recognise the symptoms. Unfortunately it might take a few times to understand what bug tends to be the problem and get the antibiotics right but prompt treatment is very important
I had over 3 years of constant chest infections and pneumonia before I was finally referred to a specialist who knew what he was talking about (the previous one told me I would probably die of heart failure before my lungs failed and I had about 20 years left... Oh thanks for that cheery news!) and got me on to respiratory physiotherapy and new antibiotics that seem to work! You have to fight your corner and persist to get the best treatment plan for you. In answer to your question about when to go in the antibiotics when you feel you might be having an infection I can advise you from experience that the earlier the better. I asked the same question myself. I would be a bit coughy and feeling flu like symptoms but worried I’d be taking pills unnecessarily and why couldn’t my body cope as it was nothing serious- just a cold. But we bronch people don’t have the luxury of just a cold anymore. Our airways are damaged and gunk gets lodged in there breeding bacteria. You will go down hill very quickly. It is wiser to see your gp as soon as you feel any symptoms. They can check your lungs for the rattle. I hated taking antibiotics for 3 weeks of every month but the alternative was pneumonia. My new lovely specialist has trialled me on daily antibiotics called azothromycin. They are low dosage and so far I have been infection free for 8 weeks. I suggest you ask about these or something similar. Good luck on your quest. ❤️
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