bronchiectasis

I have recently been diagnosed with bronchiectasis.

The specialist prescribed steroids(prednisolone 5 mg) which does not seem to be having any effect.I read on the British lung Foundation site(What is bronchiectasis) to take antibiotics at regular intervals or continuously, into a vein or by inhaling. I'm going to see my GP about this method on Monday.

I'm going to Spain on Tuesday for a month and I know I'll have an infection before I come back. My GP has been blasting me with 500 mg of antibiotics every 2 or 3 weeks but the infection is back in no time.

Its amazing how much ignorance there is about this illness.

I've found this site very infomative and on Monday I'll be preaching to my GP armed with a few printouts.

Get a phisiotherapist to explain coughing exercises, I do them while or after walking (uphill) and I also have Mucadyne capsuls, which thins the mucus. Hope this helps.

Alan W

hi

i have suffered with this since 21 years old (am now 56 years). it has not stopped me doing much until the last couple of years. I find the Flutter, as advertised on the various sites, very good for getting the mucus up as i found physio and posteral drainiage were not effective for me. do try it. sylvia

Hi Madge,

Sorry you have been diagnosed with Bronchiectasis but there is a lot you can do. So take heart.

It is most important that you get rid of the gunk every day. Your physio will be able to give you more information about the different methods to use. One will be suitable for you. This helps to stops the infection building.

The second important thing is to be on top of any infection. As soon as you suspect you have an infection get to your gp for antibiotics and it is a good idea to take a sputum sample.

Then it is exercise. Whatever you can do is better than nothing. I can only manage a to walk to the end of the garden and have to stop once. I improve a little the more I do it.

Make sure you eat healthy food. Good nutrition is important too.

Hope some of this helps.

Tessa

Really sorry you are so worried about your bronchiectasis and it isn't much fun, I agree. It is absolutely vital you get the gunk off your chest every single day (even Christmas Day? I asked my mother when I was little - \"Yes\" was the answer) - its the one thing that is guaranteed to help you breathe and make you feel better. If you haven't got proper exercises to help speak to your GP and/or physio. I am really lucky as a patient at the Brompton Hospital - they taught me what to do and I have a brochure on the subject too.

Apart from that I use my steroid puffer but I am not that sure it helps. I am also on permanent antibiotics three times a week to help with inflammation - as a sort of protection.

I do hope you get all the help you need. Rest a lot (well try - I am not very good at that one) and eat properly. If you are well enough, walking is a brilliant exercise.

Take care of yourself.

I am on the Azithromycin three days a week, but it isn't really helping me. I have two weeks on Augmentin then go two weeks before I need the Augmentin again;

I think it's because my consultant said no pysio or postural drainage,, because my lungs are in such a bad state and I have haemoptysis.

When I see him again, I shall ask for a Mucolytic to help shift the gunk, whish should help me go longer without getting an infection. That's the theory anyway. See what happens.