Whats the long term prognosis?
Posted , 4 users are following.
Hi - I am 45, have been athsmatic since I was 6 and have been seeing a consultant for the past 2 years who suspects I have bronchiectasis. I have had numerous scans, x-rays, bronchoscopy, IV antibiotics, you name it - they've tried it.
At the moment my symptoms seem to have developed a distinct pattern - clear at night, worsening during the day until I am gasping like an old woman by mid afternoon - some days worse than others. I have sent samples of the gunge I cough up to the lab for culture but despite a lot of white blood cells they can't grow any bugs. I am not taking any antibiotics at the moment as I am reluctant to blast my system with more drugs if we don't now what we're dealing with.
I find the only thing that works at the moment is to go out for a cycle ride mid afternoon followed immediately by chest percussion.
I don't mind doing this - I enjoy the exercise and I'm pretty fit apart from struggling to breathe at certain times of the day. At my last consultation my x-ray showed a worsening of the condition in the lower part of one lung and my spirometry is down from last time - is this something that will improve or is the only way down?
I am wondering what the long-term implications are. I have been admitted to hospital with an athsma attack in the past and know how scary that can be and am terrified that a few years down the line I may be in that state all the time. I am a very active outdoorsy person and the prospect of being unable to do anything is unthinkable!
I would love to hear from anyone with similar symptoms.
Thanks :run:
0 likes, 4 replies
Guest
Posted
Consultant says my lungs are good and will last for years so that's encouraging - but this damm permanent cough is so annoying
Operalyn
Posted
I developed bronchiectasis because I had measles when I was a baby and I was given a very poor prognosis at the time - lucky to live to my 20s and all that. I am very well considering, but I have stopped being \"silly\" about taking drugs. For years I wouldn't take anything. Now I use a steroid puffer every day and take azithromycin three times a week. If I get a chest infection I drop the azithromycin and take other antibiotics instead until it clears up. I am tons better since I started getting proper help.
Heaven knows what my immunity is like but I keep very well, can walk OK and garden and take care of my housework. I also work part-time and have been married for many years.
You do feel very isolated with this complaint because hardly anybody knows what it is and they always assume that ruddy cough is a smokers' cough!
paulrob
Posted
Guest
Posted
\"Most people with bronchiectasis (with no underlying cause) have a good outlook. Symptoms in many affected people do not become severe. Treatment, in particular antibiotics when an infection occurs, or regularly when needed, keeps most people reasonably well.\"
Like several correspondents, I was diagnosed with asthma at an early age - in my case at about the age of four, after a bout of whooping cough, which probably started the asthma off. But I am wondering if this diagnosis was misleading, as I was diagnosed with bronchiectasis two years ago and am wondering if in fact I have had the \"makings\" of the illness for much longer. Whatever name you give it, my lungs have obviously not been working properly for some (many?) years. Even at school, I could never run more than about 100 yards (now I can't run for the bus!). Mind you, my main symptom has been wheeziness and breathlessness, rather than coughing up sputum, so perhaps it was simply asthma which has now developed into bronchiectasis.
On a frivolous note, one problem with bronchiectasis is trying to remember how to spell it!