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Are B and NCFB the same?

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BookNut
BookNut

I am confused.  I have been diagnosed with mild bronchiectasis along with poorly controlled asthma. I researched B when diagnosed 2 years ago, after two years of a constant cycle of infections, followed by coughing and wheezing etc.  The pulmy said it should not cause that much trouble, so I concentrated mostly on the asthma aspects of my illness. I am on preventative antibiotics, but I still get sick every 6-8 weeks and besides the wheeze, I have sinusitis and then extreme shortness of breath. When the SOB starts, Nothing helps but prednisone.  I was in the hospital recently and a nurse suggested I try saline solution in my nebulizer.  That has been very helpful.  When I looked up nebulized saline solution, I discovered it is used commonly for Non-Cystic Fibrosis Bronchiectasis.  N-acytlcersteine also seems like a common treatment for NCFB, so I have purchased over the counter pills.  They also seem to be helping, along with breathing exercises, a flutter valve, and a daily walk.  I can't seem to figure out if Bronchiectasis and NCFB are one and the same.  I will see my doctor soon. I suspect she will also tell me that my mild B is not the problem.  That is OK.  The routine I have established seems to be working and would probably be OK whether I have medically resistant asthma OR Bronchiectasis OR NCFB.  I would just like to know if there is a difference between the two bronchiectasis terms.  Thanks for any insight you can give me!

0 likes, 8 replies

8 Replies

  • mizsuzyq
    mizsuzyq BookNut

    Posted

    Hi BookNut,

    I also use the saline solution. My pulmy doc has it 7% and I am to use in nebulizer after the mucus mist. The way he explained it, is that the saline solution lays on top of the membranes and soaks into the tissue, which is supposed to help.  What I would be concerned about is: Can the MILD B turn into severe B. You don't want this to happen.  I am also using "The Vest". This is like coughing 10K times a minute. It helps keep the mucus loose and then with the mucus mist keeping it thinned out, supposed to be easier to cough out the bad stuff.  Geesch, with all these treatments and trying to work, sleep, play, when do we have time for it all. I'm not sure you want to be on preventative antibiotics. My doctor just has me carry them around to use in case I get a flare up. If you use them all the time, might they loose the effectiveness?  Good question for folks to reply to.  Has your lung specialist mentioned scopping you? This would tell them a lot. If not, ask them about it.  For your sinusitis, ask them about a Wilson's nose rinse. This cleared mine up a lot.  Funny, how we see all these commercials about COPD and nothing on B.    Hope some of this info is worthwhile for you. 

    • BookNut
      BookNut mizsuzyq

      Posted

      Thanks for all the good info. The saline has been really helpful. There is research that certain antibiotics three timesa week can reduce exacerbations.  That is why the docs hpare trying it with me.  I have hadexacerbations every 6-8 weeks for the past two years.  I have had a bronchoscopy.  It did not reveal a lot..but it was done two years ago.The B was diagnosed via a CT scan.  Not sure what wilsons nose rinse. Is it the same as the rinse bottle.  I use a salt/baking soda mixture dissolved in distilled water every morning to deal with my sinusitis.  Don't have a vest yet.  Theyare hideously expensive. Not sure how much my insurance would cover.  As you say..the routines take so long it is almost a full time job!  Thanks again!
    • mizsuzyq
      mizsuzyq BookNut

      Posted

      Wilson's nasal rinse is a liquid mixture that I use along with the salt rinses. It is used after the regular rinse two times per day. One must be very careful with how they cough with B. Since I also have Tracheobronchomalacia or TBM, I have to be careful not to cough very hard because it can make TBM worse.  Yes, the vest is extremely costly, but you can look on ebay and amazon and find them at a very reduced price. I do my neb treatments while using the vest. I have Pseudomonas, which colonized in my lungs and sometimes it rears it's head, when this happens, I find that the acapella device does help get rid of a lot of mucus.  I tried finding a support group here in my area and have not done so. It truly was a godsend that I actually came across this site. I had no idea that there were so any of us with this disease.  Someone had mentioned that there was a new CF medication that is showing great results for those patients. I do not know the name of it, but I'm hoping that maybe us with B or MAC will also be able to see if it can help us.  
  • ruthie2673
    ruthie2673 BookNut

    Posted

    You are right, booknut....non-cystic fibrosis bronchiectasis is the same as bronchiectasis, it just distinguishes it from similar symptoms produced by cystic fibrosis, a much more severe and inherited lung disease generally identified in childhood.

    Our disease seems to have an unknown origin, usually starts later in life. Various causes seem to have been put forward like whooping cough in childhood damaging the lungs, persistent bronchitis in childhood ( I had both these things), asthma( I also have this), pneumonia(I've also had this)!!

     

    • BookNut
      BookNut ruthie2673

      Posted

      thanks!!  I have been getting mostly treatments aimed at the asthma.  I don't think the docs have been paying enough attention to the B.  I have found lots of help here.  Though my comments keep getting held for moderation.  I really  don't understand why.
  • charles60050
    charles60050 BookNut

    Posted

    As mentioned by another reply Cystic Fibrosis can cause Bronchiectasis and all have same symptoms of cough with sputum.Astma is just anther term for narrowing of the bronchi and bronchioles caused by sticky sputm and allergens such as dust pollen and anxiety
    • BookNut
      BookNut charles60050

      Posted

      OK...looks like they are one in the same.  I am finding that the treatments for B are more effective for me than the common asthma treatments.  Thanks for your reply!
  • charles60050
    charles60050 BookNut

    Posted

    Asthma is distinguished by narrowing of the tubes .The tubes tend to be rigid and are not as soft and floppy like the alveoli where the work of exchanging oxygen for carbon dioxide is done.If the alveoli get clogged up with fluid or mucus or sputum then they cannot exchange as much oxygen.The tubes which have muscles in them can constict because of inflamation, caused by infection or sometimes pollen and dust.The inflamation causes fluid release and then you get more mucus or sputum(sputum is mucous with some bacteria dust and other stuff).Astma can be treated with inhalers that help relax the muscles.Steroids can help the inflamation.Infections are helped by the antibiotics.Lots of people can get asthma without bronchiectasis.With bronchectasis you get a lot of sputum.Sometimes if there is too much you get symptoms like astma..Hope that helps a bit.Sometimes knowing helps.
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