Nonspecific interstitial thickening with groundglass opacities

I also have interstitial lung disease with ground glass opacities. I was diagnosed in March 2018. My pulmonologist said it has caused damage and scarring in my lung tissue. I also have bronchiectasis and mild emphysema. (I have never smoked!) Everyday, 4 times a day, I use my nebulizer with duo neb solution followed by my vest therapy. I also use mucinex a couple times a day to keep secretions thin. I am on oxygen and doing very well with this schedule. My oxygen level stays consistently at 96-98 percent. I also have to go on prednisone occasionally when I have a bronchiectasis flare-up. All in all I am very grateful for all of this, I am doing so much better than 2 years ago and wondering why I had such a hard time breathing!

@loryann1954 Hello, I'm happy your breathing better! I am also a non- smoker diagnosed with chronic bronchitis on top of the nsip. I have been on predisone in the past. Thankfully right now I'm doing pretty good. I have coughing attacks a couple times a day and sob, but other then that I can't complain. Sometimes I feel down about my condition, but I really try my hardest to live in the moment. So as of this moment,,, I also feel pretty grateful!!

I guess I forgot to mention the coughing! I have been in the hospital twice since October. My bronchiectasis fareups involve pretty wicked coughing! I cough so hard and so long it gets really hard to breathe. I have passed out from it. The last flare up I coughed so hard I popped blood vessels in my stomach along with tearing muscles. That one also included a visit to the er and a prescription for Percocet! When I get the coughing under control I don’t cough much at all! So I guess part of the reason I don’t dwell on all of that is because I know where I was and this is still sooooo much better! I am so very grateful for that!@fracturedd I wish the best for you in figuring it all out!

@loryann1954 how do you get your coughing under control?

I use a nebulizer 4 times a day regularly and up it to 6 when I cough. I also have an airways clearance vest which follows the nebulizer. It is an InCourage/Respirtech vest if you want to look it up. It explains how it works better than I can. Each session lasts about 45 minutes. With bronchiectasis you need to cough out mucus because you airways no longer do it on their own. So we try to keep the mucus loose and coughable. So this along with mucinex keeps it “moving”. I can have coughing episodes that last 2 weeks. I also tend to cough a little when I get winded. I did just work my way through a flare up without going to the hospital! Yay me!! 🤗 Being on prednisone helps, too. It’s not a nice drug, but it can work. I do a taper dose starting at 45 mg and taper off over about 3 weeks. So, it really does sound like a lot, but for me it’s sll about the mucus. Especially when my lungs are already compromised by the interstitial part of it. Anyway, what I need to do is work, but better than the alternative!

Oh OK, I understand. I guess my cough is more chronic. Like you said, if I get winded I will have a coughing episode. My pulmonologist gave me a Inhaler, but said it most likely won't work for me. And she was right!! It only works for mucus, which I don't really have.
Lol, yay you is right!! Avoiding a hospital visit is always accomplishment!!!

Reread what I wrote, I was just writing to empathize with their frustration & share what I have. Most people on here are sharing their conditions & questioning what is going on with them. It is not a forum to call down & shame someone. Was definitely not diagnosing someone, just asking them to look at what I have & if they are suffering in the same way. Don’t run people off, we need each other. Misinterpretation & ignorance of what someone is trying to share is frustrating as well. You are very knowledgeable and share such helpful information, I appreciate that from you.

@cloe001- I am so sorry that you feel shamed by what I said. My intent was not that at all. My emphasis was on terms and to relay some information to you. Perhaps I should have worded my intent differently. Again, my appologies.

Does anyone have ulcerative colitis. I get very constipated and take vegetable laxatives. They work but cause abdominal pain. Is there a better way to treat constipation? Miralax makes me worse with loose stools and lots of gas. I am in remission though with Entivio infusions. Does Colitis lessen your life span? Maria.

Hi @mariajean03, you've posted your question in the Lung Cancer group. To meet others who are talking about living with ulcerative colitis, please click this link below and post your questions:
- Constipation with ulcerative colitis https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/ulcerative-colitis-250dac/