Hi, this is going to make me sound really stupid, but I would like some advice on lung clearance,
I was diagnosed with Bronchiestasis 4 years ago, and have had 3 infections in 3 months , seems to be clearing now with amoxicillin and prednisolone.
Does anyone else find it difficult to do clearance after an infection.🤗
afteran infection it can be harder to clear your lungs.If you look on the British Lung Foundation website,there are video And information .theycan explain it better than me.
I hope this helps you x
Oh dear, this doesn’t sound so much a clearance problem as insufficient and ineffective treatment of a bronch exacerbation which has come back twice more. If you only have bronchiectasis, steroids are not a treatment for it. They are only given in addition to antibiotics if the patient also has asthma. Check the NICE guidelines for treatment of bronch. Amoxicillin is a very old antibiotic and as far as bronch is concerned, about as useful as a packet of sweets. It sounds as though you are having difficulty expelling the mucus because the amoxicillin has done nothing to change the consistency or amount to make it easier to get out.
Is your GP trying to manage your bronch?
I’m afraid that they know practically nothing about it and tend to treat it like copd (hence the steroids) which it is not.
A bronch exacerbation needs at least two weeks of the appropriate antibiotic in a high enough dose. And of course, energetic lung clearance.
You need to be under the care of a bronch specialist, not a general respiratory consultant because like GPs general resp cons do not have sufficient training or experience to deal with what is a complex condition.
If you do have a bronch specialist call their secretary and explain that you are in trouble. If not, find yourself one. They are usually at large teaching hospitals. Take the name to your GP and insist on a referral. Don’t take no for an answer. GPs can be resistant at first but actually appreciate it when the expert tells them how to manage you and the right antibiotics to give.
As for clearance, a specialist will have a physio to teach you how to do it. Also, some people take carbocysteine to thin the mucus and we all do various breathing exercises and expulsion tecniques. You can find these on You Tube or ask BLF
The proper treatment of these exacerbations is what should be addressed first.I hope that helped.
Many thanks for your reply, I probably didn’t give enough information 🙈I also have rescue pack Amoxicillin which I take for 2 weeks, 2x 500 3 times daily, and I also see my consultant every 6 months.
I just find after an exacerbation there seems very little to produce. 🤗
Ok. So. It depends how you feel in yourself. If you feel well it is likely that there is very little mucus there after the antibiotics, in which case, just get up what is there. If you feel poorly and ‘full’ there is a lot of mucus which is still stuck down there, not touched by the antibiotics.It is good that you see your consultant every six months. I am concerned that you have had three exacerbations in as many months. Amoxocicillin is notorious for not finishing the job and this seems to be the case when the bug is coming back again so quickly. Hopefully you will speak to your consultant soon. Do ask them about it as they will probably want to change the antibiotic to something that will do a better job of knocking the bug on the head for longer.
Great replies.
Hi, I am due to see Consultant in two weeks time so will certainly mention a change in meds. 🤗
Hi,It might be worth trying the flutter device. Looks like a pipe.
It is used by quite a few hospitals, evidenced by their operating instructions on the net. But do buy the original Flutter, about 50 pounds.
I was sceptical at first but found it works fine, after persevering.
It is indeed very hard to get back to 'normal' after an infection -(normal for us lungies). You've had some good advice here. From my limited experience I would say you need a stronger, longer course of antibiotics, plus Carbocisteine to loosen the muck and something like my AeroBika, one of several breathing aids on the market. I wouldn't wait a fortnight but contact your GP now. Best of luck and good wishes.
I covered (general) and chest exercises and my own breathing method together with the inhalation of asafoetida oil vapour for lung clearance in my book 'Bronchiectasis: Taming It & Feeling Better - a sufferer's success story' take a look, it might help you
🤗 thanks for reply, I will certainly have a look.Take care
I had same problem after having pneumonia twice and being a chronic Bronco patient with pollen allergy. Fortunately came across a good Respiratory Team Doc , ex- NHS, and she suggested some regular medicines, but more importantly a Physio . This experienced Physio with spl technique and exercise helped my lungs to clear steadily and not after taking three months regime , finally my lungs are clear.
In short, medicines prescribed by the Lung or Respiratory Expert plus good Physio can give tremendous relief.
Hi, I have bronchiectasis firstly I was told many years later amoxicillin doesn't work with the bacteria I have in my lungs so always worth a mention, now regards the clearing of the lungs there is a method I was told if I get a build-up of phlegm to try the huff method and it works, which consists of taking in a deep breath so you fill your lungs then exhale out as quick as possible repeat till you clear your phlegm it might take two or three times good luck...🙏
as a long term sufferer, i used to have this trouble regularly, but on one of my hospital clinicsI was shown how to cough in a special way which has proven to help with sputum clearence.
i now do this twice a day as a regular routine and this helps keep me regularly fairly clear.
tony
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