Flying, Covid & Bronchiectasis - Your tips/thoughts

[Yess1e]

Hi, again. Thank you all for being so responsive and lovely with my previous posts.

**I was wondering about Broncheictasis and Covid. I have multiple other issues, like heart disease post cancer radiation and previous cancers, I also have no spleen, so I feel quite vulnerable. I'm still shielding from Covid, but wanted to heard from anyone else with Bronchiectais and other complexities with regards to Covid. I had to stop vaccinations Oct 2021 (my third) due to a reaction so I'm not covered now. Any other options? How have people faired if they've caught Covid?

**My second ask for input is about flying. I'm starting lose friendships though my need to shield and the isolation is wearing on me quite heavily. I've been contemplating visiting my friends in Spain as I've not seen them in 4 years. Has anyone got any tips on flying, how to stay safe and things I might need to consider. Also will I feel more breathless with the lower oxygen levels in the plane (and in a mask)?

I'm exploring travel insurance, it's tricky re vaccination and Covid Cover.

I'm feeling left behind by the world.

Thank you all again so much, in advance.

#flying #Covid #unvaccinated #bronchiectasis

[May7]

Hello Yess1e. I do feel for you, having multiple serious problems. Have you been given special NHS Lateral Flow tests with instructions how to get in touch for treatment if you are Positive? Being immunosuppressed with vasculitis which has caused a number of conditions, including bronchiectasis, I was given a supply of these tests. Having avoided the worst variants of covid, I did get omicron earlier this year, and used my LFT to be given Remdesivir infusions at the hospital. I didn't suffer too badly because omicron doesn't attack the lungs like the original covid did. I hope this info helps.

[Yess1e in reply to May7]

May7, thank you for replying and empathising, it was helpful yes. I have got lateral flow tests but though my plethora of consultants and GP all say I ought to get treatments, it's down to the CMDU and I don't fit nicely into any boxes, so it always worries me that they won't give them to me. It's reassuring to hear you didn't suffer too badly with it, though not nice. I wonder also if I'd get treatments abroad. There was thought that I had Vasculitis actually, I had a positive P-ANCA test, but not to the sub tests. Again not fitting into a box neatly they said I didn't. They tested as I'd asked as my lung kept bleeding. I wish I knew I'd be OK and not too bad re Covid and then I could get out a bit more. Flu has always made me very ill, prior to Bronchiectasis etc. I do feel left behind. Thanks again May7

[Ozzie3]

I haven’t been flying so I can’t give advice about that, but I also have bronchiectasis and decreased immunity. I am fully vaccinated against COVID and when I caught it, it was an anticlimax- I wasn’t sick at all. I think this was partly due to my vaccination and partly luck -but another important factor is that I started on the antiviral Paxlovid as soon as I knew I had COVID. For it to work you have to take it within five days of getting sick.

So my suggestion is for you to ask your doctor if you can take Paxlovid with you to take if you do catch COVID. I am not sure if this is possible.

Paxlovid interacts with some medicines but often this just means reducing the dose of the other medicine for the five days you take Paxlovid. This is usually because Paxlovid increases the amount of the drug you are taking in you body so taking less doesn’t actually make your usual drug any less effective.

The University of Liverpool (UK) has a website where you can check for drug interactions with COVID medicines like Paxlovid. It is continually updated. (See: covid19-druginteractions.or.... They also have an app which you can download on your mobile phone to look up for interactions. They tell you what to do if there is an interaction.

Don’t let your doctor give you the other COVID drug, molnupiravir (Lageovrio) instead of Paxlovid - research shows it’s not very effective.

[Yess1e in reply to Ozzie3]

YThank you, I will ask, but I think it's unlikely they'll give it to me. I wish it was available to purchase to have at hand for rapid administration. I have heard they'll be stopping antivirals and using only inhibitors... I'd be way less concerned if I was able to be fully vaccinated. I couldn't get your link to work?

[Ozzie3 in reply to Yess1e]

This is the link: covid19-druginteractions.org/

[Lfcpremier]

Hi. I have bronchiectasis & had Covid a year ago after 3 vaccinations. I was fine with it, much easier to deal with than an exacerbation. Like you I can't have further vaccinations due to a bad reaction to them.We flew to Canada & Spain last year. I try to get a seat at the back so people won't cough on me & wear a mask. Luckily I was fine after both flights. Got insurance with Staysure.

Hope you can get away to see your friends. Good luck! X

[Yess1e in reply to Lfcpremier]

Thank you, I'll look at Staysure and sitting at the back sounds like a good tip. How long after your last vaccination did you catch Covid?

[Karenanne61]

Hi. I have copd with evidence of bronchiectasis. I had covid after shielding for two years and I was fine. I have had all my jabs though. We are flying to Ibiza in five weeks and my consultant tells me my greatest risk is infection so I practice good covid hygiene. I rarely wear a mask as my understanding is they protect others from me rather than me from them. Of course I worry about infection but my life would be so miserable if I couldn't do the things I enjoy.

[Yess1e in reply to Karenanne61]

Thanks for your reply. I do feel really sad that I'm not doing anything I'd typically be doing, nor seeing friends. I feel left behind. I wear FFP3 masks and they do offer 99% protection of worn correctly, other masks offer some protection, but if no one else is wearing a mask then you're at greater risk. I wish I was able to have all my jabs, I'd feel a lot safer then. What may i ask is 'good Covid hygiene'? Just washing your hands?

[Karenanne61 in reply to Yess1e]

Re. Covid hygeine: I've always hated germs and dirt so the covid situation exacerbated that! I use gallons of hand sanitizer and 'force' my husband to do the same! I try really hard not to touch things, i.e. door handles, stair rails (the escalators in London had my heart pumping!) I'm very aware of not touching my face if I can help it . . . All the things we learnt during covid really. You also asked about feeling breathless on the plane. I haven't but I'm lucky I often doze off, which may be low oxygen but I've not felt poorly on the plane - yet! Obviously as the disease progresses, and it is, things change. We also book assistance at the airports which means a wheelchair whizzes me through!

[Yess1e in reply to Karenanne61]

Ah yes, I'm the same. I always used to clean the plane table etc and got looks, but then I didn't get sick and other did. I can't sleep on planes etc sadly, I would love it if I could, I know a few people where you've only got to put a movie on and they're Zzzz.

[Lfcpremier]

I caught Covid about 5 months after my 3rd vaccination & luckily it was very mild.My consultant said his bronchiectasis patients were not too badly affected. I know you have other issues going on but hope this gives you some reassurance. 👍

[Yess1e]

Hi Lfcpremier, thank you for telling me that, you are kind. I can hope. It just seems so random in how it affects people. Typically I'm really ill with a cold or flu, but then who knows re Covid.