Bronchiectasis and Sinusitis

Hi Greenlane,

I am so sorry that you are feeling really down. I think, with this condition, we all have periods of depression or feeling down.

I do understand where you are coming from. The most important things with Bronchiectasis are postural drainage to get rid of the muck and getting antibiotics before an infection gets a hold of you. BUT you cannot do the drainage because of your ribs. I cannot do the drainage because my lungs are so damaged they bleed easily.

Like yourself, I don't go out other than to clinics or the doctor because I never know when I will cough up blood and I should hate that to be when I am amongst people.

I have made an appointment with my consultant to ask him if a Mucolytic would be helpful. This is supposed to thin the mucous making it easier to get rid of.

I know there are a couple of devices that one can use to help clear the muck like the Vest or the Flutter device. They may be gentler than all that clapping. You could mention it to your physio when you next see her.

Let me know how you get on.

Tessa

Tessa.

Thankyou for your reply to my question. Nice to hear from someone else with the same worries as mine. Just thought I would let you know of the tablets I am on which have been a great help. MUCODYNE I take two three times a day and they really do thin out the mucus. I will be going to Physio next month and will ask about the Vest & Flutter that you mentioned if she does not tell me about it then. I am really sorry that you have bleeding lungs. Did you have this from the start or can I look forward to this experience as another thing to look forward to? Thanks again Tessa. I wish you good luck for the future. Greenlane.

Hi Greenlane,

How has your day been? I will make a note of the mucolytic you use and ask my consultant about it.

Please don't worry about the bleeding lungs. I had TB 13 years ago and it left them very scarred and damaged then I got pulmonary fibrosis then Bronchiectasis. So they are badly damaged and my consultant says I am rare with with this condition.

Let me know how your physio goes.

Tessa

Hello Greenlane

Sorry you are having a bad time and worrying about your bronchiectasis. I have had the complaint since I was 2 and I am now 60! In those far off days there was no treatment to speak of and they thought I wouldn't make it past 21.

Its fairly common to bleed, although I haven't for ages. Bronchiectasis is a tiring and sometimes distressing complaint but managed properly you can lead a very normal life.

Lyn

When I went to a physiotherapist recently, she said that things like postural drainage or slapping your chest were not so widely recommended as they had been in the past. She showed me a simple breathing exercise whereby you breathe out deeply and fairly forcefully (but slowly) through your mouth several times, listening for the gurgling sound of sputum being loosened in the lungs. When you feel you cannot resist coughing, allow yourself to cough and hopefully this will bring up some sputum. Do it again after a short rest.

Another useful device is the \"flutter\" (buyable on the internet), which is a pipe-shaped device that you blow into and which makes your lungs vibrate, again loosening the phlegm.

I've had bronchiectases since a bad bout of pneumonia last year (I'm 67), and am still learning different techniques to bring up the phlegm. I too find the postural drainage the best - in fact, I discovered it myself when trying to have a much need afternoon nap. Together with the physio's breathing exercises, especially the huff-puff part just before a good cough. Also, for me walking out in the open air is very good at loosening it, even if only for 5 to ten mins. and I find the larger of the two types of flutter valves useful to get down to the deeper parts of the lungs, and which can be used in the prone position - handy when you are unwell or in the middle of the night.

It is such a relief to read that other people find it very debilitating and embarrassing too when out. I'm realising you have to try out your own various methods to see what suits you best, and keep reading the forums!

I have had bronchiectasis for 33 years and control the phlegm using autogenic breathing technique taught by the hospital physio (they work with people with cystic fibrosis and many of the interventions work for people with bronchiectasis). You can do it lying down, rather than being tilted, and it involves three levels of breathing - breathing out as far as you can followed by a short breath in and hold for 7 seconds, repeat for a few times until you can feel mucus moving. This works on the mucus that is right down in the very small airways. Second is breathing out half way and breathing in half way, and hold, this works on the mid section of the lungs and will move the mucus further up. Finally, breathing in as far as you can followed by a short breath out, hold and repeat. This works on the large airways. It moves mucus in a very gentle way, no thumping and allows it to be huffed up when it reaches the upper airways. I cannot recommend it highly enough! Also, using Mucoclear (6% saline) in my inhaler thins out the mucus and makes physio very easy.

[quote:1c06157070=\"Diddlums \"]When I went to a physiotherapist recently, she said that things like postural drainage or slapping your chest were not so widely recommended as they had been in the past. She showed me a simple breathing exercise whereby you breathe out deeply and fairly forcefully (but slowly) through your mouth several times, listening for the gurgling sound of sputum being loosened in the lungs. When you feel you cannot resist coughing, allow yourself to cough and hopefully this will bring up some sputum. Do it again after a short rest.

Another useful device is the \"flutter\" (buyable on the internet), which is a pipe-shaped device that you blow into and which makes your lungs vibrate, again loosening the phlegm.[/quote:1c06157070]

I have been using the flutter valve since being diagnosed 2 years ago and it does help but can be very labor some. I have not had any Physician show me any breathing technique at all. I see a new Dr. this week so I can now ask for information. I get microbacterium gordonae infection often and the only med that really works to get the clogged mucous up and out is prednisone. I feel like a new person within 24 hrs. but now they are reluctant to give it to me. I am afraid to go outside because our new dream retirement place (so I thought) is high allergy/asthma and high air pollution and I always seem worse the next day. I get so discouraged. I am grateful to find this forum and hear what others are going through, worse then me in some cases so thanks for sharing your experiences.

[quote:c04638d659=\"Tessa\"]Hi Greenlane,

I am so sorry that you are feeling really down. I think, with this condition, we all have periods of depression or feeling down.

I do understand where you are coming from. The most important things with Bronchiectasis are postural drainage to get rid of the muck and getting antibiotics before an infection gets a hold of you. BUT you cannot do the drainage because of your ribs. I cannot do the drainage because my lungs are so damaged they bleed easily.

Like yourself, I don't go out other than to clinics or the doctor because I never know when I will cough up blood and I should hate that to be when I am amongst people.

I have made an appointment with my consultant to ask him if a Mucolytic would be helpful. This is supposed to thin the mucous making it easier to get rid of.

I know there are a couple of devices that one can use to help clear the muck like the Vest or the Flutter device. They may be gentler than all that clapping. You could mention it to your physio when you next see her.

Let me know how you get on.

Tessa[/quote:c04638d659]

Hi Greenlane,

I too have been diagnosed with bronchiectasis and chronic sinusitis. We recently retired in high allergy country, high air pollution that we didn't know about until I got sick. I recently saw a Dr. who has formulated his own nasal spray that he says in 3 mos. will bring great relief. I asked if this sinus stuff has an effect on the lungs and he said, \"absolutely\". My lungs get infected so often I am hoping that this will help to alleviate some of the struggles I go through. Have you been told anything similar?