Cough

I only cough when I have an infection. Currently they are lasting between 12 to 16 weeks. Looking forward to the relief of not coughing. John

Same for me. Since starting on prophylactic azithromycin its rare. Before it was occasional. only need to press hard on the outflow to generate one.

I do have some days when I am clearing my throat more than normal.

Steve - prophylactic azithromycin? Is that a long term treatment? Are you on it for a set period?

Any side effects?

Thanks

John

Hi, i also have it mild which is probably why. How long have you had bronchiectasis have u had any problems with it.

Hi. Yes that is the only time I had a cough. Do you have mild bronchiectasis. 

Hi Violet,

I was diagnosed in 2012 and at the beginning I had several excacerbations. However, it has been almost two years since my last one.

I don't produce much - only little yellow specks, which I'm not even sure I need to clear out. I have this fear that if I leave just a little bit in my lungs I might get another infection, so I work hard at my physio every day. I probably don't have to, but I do.

I also eat very healthy and exercise daily.

Do you get excacerbations?

If you don't then I wouldn't worry about not producing. You simply don't have anything in there.

Ida

Hi Johnboy

I have been taking Azythromycin for a good long time now and it is a wonder drug as far as I am concerned. one tablet Monday Wednesday and Friday and a regular 6 weeklyish blood test on liver. It is an antiinflammotary and antibiotic rolled into one lots of people seem to have success with it

It was one of several recommendations by my specialist for the next phase when i told her tat Levafloxacin wasn't working well for me anymore. Since i had seen people singing its praises on here I determined to use it (the full dose of 250mg twice a day for 3 days) for my next exacerbation - which I did. It kicked the infection into touch almost immediately. My specialist had been talking about me perhaps needing immunoglobin replacement therapy such had been her concern at the regularity of infections prior. I therefore decided to stick with a prophylactic dose (one 250g tablet 3 times a week) to see if it would keep my recurring infections away - which it has touch wood.

I'm pretty much self-administering on drugs - I live in Thailand (Brit expat) and buy my own meds over the counter - but see my specialist (on private med insurance) in the UK every 6 months or so.

No side effects whatosoever so far - I take some protective steps for my guts - double helping of probiotic yogurt (stuffed with healthy seeds like chia/sesame/sunflower/flax. Unpasteurised cider vinegar and honey (not manuka - can't see the point of paying for that if the azith is doing its business. No idea if it works, but tastes good anyway! 

At some stage I might try coming off the prophylactic azith just to see what happens but my specialist pulmonology/imunologist didn't sound keen on that when I mentioned it last time we met.

I regard azith as just a little bit short of a wonder drug. in the 3+ months I have been taking prophylactically I have felt the potential onslaught of an exacerbation twice and got within a hair's breadth of taking a full dose. Both times I pulled back from that and got away with it. Generally though I have felt the fittest I've felt since being diagnosed with bronchX

Thank you Steve

That was really useful information.

Good Luck

John

Hi no i dont have excacerbrations. Do u use a acapello.

Hi. I got the impression that i would always have a cough but not got one. I also find it hard to produce phlelegm.. . Ive done all the breahing exercises use acapello nothing works.

. Thank you for replying

We are all different - some of us don't cough involuntarily (not at all or not that much) but can still cough on demand to produce sputum for samples or to clear our chests with breathing physio. Although my sputum levels are well down now I'm on azithromycin the reduced levels can vary day to day. 

I stop pushing down hard to get more sputum after a while - don't think I have ever gone all the way until I've coughed up every possible last drop. Every one has their own take on that - some do go to the nth degree some don't.

I don't get too worked up if I can't find privacy to do my exercises for a couple of days cos of social commitments/holidays etc either. I'm one of the lucky ones though, I know - mild bronchx (now), no other complications and have always been realtively lean and fit.

Steve,

Quick question; when you don't do your physio for a few days, does that seem to make you sick - cause an excacerbation - or are you fine?

Neither ida - if either came on then I'd be back on my back with the physio huffing straight away.

I'm usually on my feet and walking around and that can be as good as physio - some Thai pulmonologists actually pooh pooh the concept of special physio and tell you to walk around for at least an hour a day.

I'm just about to do my physio for the first time in 6 days - because I have been on hols with my wife and kids for that time period in Bangkok and its tricky to devote the time to it or find the privacy for it. I don't feel any different to how I would expect to feel had I done it every day fo rthe last 6 days. There are times though when I do feel the need to get back to it after a day or two.

Also I am feeling particularly well on the azithromycin at the moment and I think I must be a mild sufferer anyway - I would not encourage anyone to drop their physio except if feelling ok and as a little by little experiment

Hi Steve,

Thanks so much for your reply.

It really helps me - and maybe others - to hear how you deal with bx and your physio.

I know I try too hard and thinking of how you handle it will definitely help me cut back and not be so obsessed about getting everything out.

Thanks again and I hope you had a great vacation with your family.

Ida