Recently Diagnosed a week ago

Hi Annette

The diagnosis is upsetting, isn't it? It takes some adjustment. As to the bronchoscopy & biopsy, I believe that it's better to know exactly what's going on, and especially so after one knows that the docs think that there's an area of concern.

Ask your lung specialist/consultant about that pain. We're all different & different parts of our lungs are affected.

I hope that you both feel better & get answers soon.

Really does depend what you are diagnosed with and where you live, different countries seem to have different procedures and priorities.

I had a bronchoscopy but no biopsy as from the bronchoscopy and the CT scan it was evident what I had thank goodness. Have you had a CT scan?

It hurts me to take a deep breathe too but for me it is much higher up and makes me cough.

Hope your problem doesn't prove to be anything too sinister.

Hi Annette

I too have Brochiectasis + 3 other lung diseases, just to be greedy, lol , caused by my old work. Of the 4 diseases the Brochiectasis is the slowest evolving one to have but you have to be careful of catching germs, I go every where with hand sanitizer, and am religious in using it, I shop in the lunch hour, here all good French housewives are at home by 1pm cooking hubby his three course meal so shops relatively empty. In winter I wear a snood to warm the air, I don't know which one of my diseases hates the cold air. On oxygen most of the time, I am ok if sitting and can go without but as soon as my legs move I plummet down in gas exchange. Here I am lucky enough to live in a tiny hamlet with pure air, the disadvantage is it is mountainous and I cannot for the life of me walk up slopes for far, even on O2

I am on prednisolone and that has been a great help in limiting the constant coughing. Low dose so not gaining weight. Hope you have answers soon, worry can make you lose weight and feel rather quite ill so please don't cross bridges before you have diffinitive answers. Good luck.

Regards Sue

Yes, you want to get the biopsy so you know exactly what is going on in your lungs and how to treat it.

Hi Annette:

My bronchiectasis was diagnosed more than 20 years ago after a CT scan. I was fairly okay with the occasional antibiotic treatment for infections and of course all the coughing and mucus we get. In the summer before last I had my first bronchoscopy after my pulmonologist noticed that the clear space in my right lung was getting smaller. I got an infection from the bronchoscopy (serratia) and nothing definitive was found except a hint of MIA (Micobacterium Avium), which was never substantiated. Ever since that summer I have been getting more and more short-of-breath to the point that now I have to take supplemental oxygen all the time. It was hard to get the Serratia infection diagnosed and I needed strong antibiotics to have it treated. Anyway, my point is to ask lots of questions and look things up for yourself as well. I am not sure if it is routine to get a biopsy and bronchoscopy in the UK but your doctor should tell you why and what the risks are.

Every body is different and practices in different countries are not the same either. I live in the US and you in the UK. I wish you luck. Our fears are often worse than the reality.

Best,

Louise

According to Dr. Google the lungs have very few nerve receptors so the likely of the pain being in your lung is unusual. It is more likely that you've strained a intercostal muscle. One thing that can cause lung pain is pleurisy.