New here, nervous about bronchial biopsy

Hi Jennifer I found out I ad bronchiectasis in Jan this yr the test I ad was ct scan breathing test barium swallow sorry not much helpIsometimes I grow bug in my sputum then another time nowt I take carbocistene 6 a day to help my sputum thinner I'm IN the UK so maybe we do test different to where u are but I sure there will be someone on ere wat going through like you ope u get reply real soon but I myself wud like to know Wat lung biopsy is good luck ope u get sorted real soon Cheers tony

Hi Jennifer . I was diagnosed 2.5 yrs ago . Last Oct at my regular check up , I saw a different doctor , who decided he wanted to do a Bronchoscopy with a wash out too . I went to have this procedure in December , where to cut a long story short , the sedation did not work & they abandoned the process as my heart rate was too high . I did put in a complaint . I've just seen another doctor at my check up , who said a Bronchoscopy should not of been prescribed in the 1st place .

So Jennifer , if I were you , I would ask for a 2nd opinion to see if this is totally necessary . When I underwent my ordeal , I posted about it here , most people said they had had it done under a GA , mine was scheduled under sedation .

good luck !! 

Hi Jjennifer,

I'm 65 and have been diagnosed for a few years also.

Opinions seem to differ on this procedure - I'd waited SO long to see a lung specialist and was so weary of feeling sick that I just went along with his decision and had a bronchcoscopy done last year.

It was a fear of mine to have this done (and it happened to be on my birthday, haha...) It was under light sedation and although they said I wouldn't remember anything, I sure did,  I wouldn't call it painful but it was a bit uncomfortable.

Most people seem to have no memory or complaints about having a bronchoscopy. Lungs get flushed and they take samples.

It's  horrible feeling overwelmed but this I do find this site to be incredibly supportive and helpful.

Best of luck with your decision.

Judy,  sub tropical Australia

Hi Jennifer

Is it the pulmo or gp/internist pushing for the tests? Hospital internists and my own all wanted it dine, but the pulmo says wait and see so I'm with him. I am already past the point of general anesthesia for anything other than life-saving surgery, per pulmo ,,, shoulda gotten that knee & my eyes done already, lol ,,, and that may be why some have light sedation and others GA for same procedure.

I have also decided several years vack, in my 50s, that I could live with ambiguity rather than endless testing. I would ask what purpose would be served by any knowledge gained, and whether results sometimes come back as they did for my thyroid biopsy 5 yrs. ago: "insufficient cellular [material?] for a diagnostic finding" THAT was what made me decide i'd had enough of specialists for a while because of course that ENT wanted to needle my thyroid again. IF I ever have it done again, it won't be by him! They'd also just found spots on my lungs but I was told not to worry about them & have not, for 5 years I think.

If the only purpose is data collection/satisfy doc's curiosity, i'd say adios.

My daughter has sarcoidosis and was persuaded to have a lung biopsy to confirm.  She has had constant chest pain since this procedure.  It required going in between the ribs and removing a sample for testing.  Don't know if your biopsy would be done the same way, but she would never have had it done if she had known.  Why not get a second opinion and learn more details about the procedure.  My daughter is 60 and now lives with more pain than she ever had before.