Asthma and Bronchiectasis

[Beasley63]

I was diagnosed with Severe Asthma in 2017 at age 54. This March I got diagnosed with Bronchiectasis. I was wondering if anyone else has been diagnosed with this.

[Collienut]

I was diagnosed with asthma at 24 and then bronchiectasis at 30.

Occasionally, bronchiectasis can be misdiagnosed as asthma, but my consultant confirmed that I do have both asthma and bronchiectasis (why have one when you can have two knackering lung conditions 😂). The bronchiectasis probably goes back to having pneumonia at three months old and whooping coughing 15, plus bronchitis almost every month throughout my childhood.

The diagnosis was scary to start with, but I'm pretty well controlled now (I'm now in my 50s) and know which is playing me up and what to do. Sometimes it's as simple as having to make sure I rest when I'm starting to feel unwell. 😊

[Beasley63 in reply to Collienut]

Thank you for your reply, Over the last few years I have had a lot of bronchitis too. I had it in February and could not get rid of the mucus. Just cough and could hardly get it up. Always a barky cough. Sometimes dry and some days mucusy. Waiting on results from sputum test to see what kind of bacteria they need to treat. Have been coughing every day for months. So hard.

[Zoec1975 in reply to Beasley63]

Hi your situation sounds like mine.i am asthmatic well controlled.then got covid and ever since been coughing dry then chesty,lots of mucus every day and struggling to shift it.the coughing is exhausting.i have had xray mri and sputum samples tested,everything always ok.my spirometry wasn’t brilliant.did you ever find out what it is? Thanks

[Beasley63 in reply to Zoec1975]

not yet. My pulmonologist is trying to get a bronchoscopy scheduled. It is rough. They do have me using a Smart\Vest and using saline in my nebulizer twice daily. that helps get the mucus out

[Zoec1975 in reply to Beasley63]

Thanks for replying.i hope things move swiftly for you and you get sorted xx

[Suerkaplan]

I am 67 years old. The asthma started when I was 45. I too have bronchiectasis, diagnosed with a bronchoscopy a year ago, when the also found I had some fungus and some bacteria in my lungs. Itraconazole for that. I nebulize with albuterol and saline 3 times a day, and the inhaler when I am not home. It is 'under control' meaning I am functional but often tired. I'm using a Smart\Vest - I call it a thumpy vest. but that does not seem to help me much.

*** Postural changes work best for me to help clear out the lungs. Lying down after the nebulizer I'll cough up quite a bit in 4 minutes. Look online for Postural Drainage Techniques.

I also find that using an ***incentive spirometer helps. A ***flutter valve *** (some use a steel ball, others a flapping piece) sends vibration down to your lungs as you exhale which helps to break up mucus and make it easier to cough out.

A breathing resistance device often has an adjustable resistance dial and it's use makes your lungs work a bit harder on the inhale AND the exhale thus strengthening them.

It is always a good idea to ask your doctor about these things.

I hope this helps. Good luck.