I've been told i have Bronchiectasis what is it?

Well for short we all call it BX and it is a Virus which is infecting your Bronchial tubes in your lunges which produces sputum which you need to get out,but if you have been told you have Bx who the the hell is your GP ? he should have explained it to you ,so the first thing you do is get anther GP and stay on this site and everyone will help you get thru this, it is a manageable but difficult from time to time.

Talk soon.

Best,

Charlie

Bronchiectasis is like COPD, but with weakening of the major air ways. You produce more mucus, but because of the weakened air ways, it's hard to cough up, resulting in more that usual lung infections. Which then causes more damage to the lungs. A lot of people have asthma along with it as well. I have had it for over 35 yrs (I'm 70). My understanding is, that in the past, it has been missed diagnosed. I was first diagnosed as having allergies, then , asthma, then COPD and now Bx. Most people have never heard of it.

I live in the states, and was referred to the Mayo clinic years ago. The specialist there said that a lot of people may have a mild case of it and it does not effect their lives, so they are not even aware of it. That there maybe certain events in your life that may make it a health issue. Work or living environment, pollutants, high stress, etc. I did not have breathing issues until my late 30s. People who have had childhood illnesses, such as whooping cough, are at greater risk.

It took years to get the right mix of meds to get me on track. I still get breathless if I get too busy. Also, I retired several years a go from a stressful job (but a job that I loved). I also moved to area of the country that the air quality is better.

You can manage it and talk to your specialist, Beth

. Your Doctor should have advised you on steps you should take.First of all If Your Doctor told you then He should have explained what it is and you should not be asking here! No Doctor will tell you what your condition is and not explain it and if they didn't then I would find another Doctor. If someone you know has it they have no business telling you that you have the same thing as only a CT scan can see if you have it. OK? I myself have it and have had it for 10 years. There is NO cure for it. The only relief is to get the mucus out of your lungs by means of a flutter valve,huffing,exercise or physical therapy

I suspect someone you know was diagnosed & won't give you deets so you've come here. If you got here, you can also look things up on this site and, surprise!, they have information:

https://patient.info/chest-lungs/bronchiectasis-leaflet

BX is NOT a virus in and of itself so that's wrong. You can become colonised by things like pseudomonas and are in much more peril from every respiratory affliction you contract. Because children get so many colds, many of us avoid them as much as possible. I wear an N-95 mask in stores at this time of year.

A GP is NOT capable of dealing with BX. They have all sorts of wrong ideas about both ABs & steroids. A pulmonologist is absolutely necessary, along with that CT scan and at least annual lung function tests (LFTs, also called PFTs and spirometry.)

Hi sheppie I'm sure your get a lot of conflicting information. So I'll tell you how it was explained to me in language that a bit more understandable. The lungs are made up off small air sack that have fine hairs that acts as sweeping brushes that move any debris or fluid that that is need to keep the lung moist BX causes the air sacks to become enlarged so the hairs can no longer reach to clear them out this leaves a breeding ground for infection to flourish. You immune system forces you to cough to try and clear it manually. It a manageable problem it may take you a while to find the drugs that work for you and a good pulmonary nurse to speak to when you feeling overwhelmed it's not the end of the world its just learning to live round it hope that made sense for you good luck and a long life

Hi, Ive also been just diagnosed with bronchiectasis, Ive done a bit of research and wondered if anyone has tried n‑acetylcysteine (nac) supplements?

also Himalayan salt pipe, and if so did they find them useful.

also im confused is it a good thing if your cough eases and less mucas is brought up or

i appreciate any feedback

When i first came on this site in 2016, everyone from the UK in the COPD forum used NAC, which is also called MucoMyst (spray) and Muco-something for tabs. It has been around a looong time on both sides of the Atlantic. It does, however have a psychoactive effect in some people.

Absent a DX of BX, pulmonologists in the States are divided on whether one should use mucolytics. With BX, everyone seems to agree that it's best to get the stuff up. in essence, parts of your lungs don't function as they should and in those parts, mucus pools. Lungs are dark & damp, which makes them perfect for growing nasty stuff; pooled mucus is the perfect medium for the nasty things to grow in. Whoever gave you your DX after your CT scan should've gone over all this with you, and told you how much mucolytic is appropriate for you.

I use guaifenesin tablets. A very old brand, Mucus Relief, is sold dirt cheap at Costco.