A quirky manifestation of bronchiectasis

Posted by paxmundi @paxmundi, Nov 20 5:59pm

I have a history of moderately advanced tuberculosis I contracted in India at age 19. I am now 73. Had a massive hemoptysis in 2012 and almost died; my bronchial artery was embolized in two places. Slowly after that the bronchiectasis symptoms kicked in.
Coughing up the phlegm doesn't work for me. It always feels unreachable and the trauma of coughing feels and is dangerous in my case. My airways are delicate and bleed easily. The way I have controlled my bronchiectasis since it worsened in October 2023 is by drinking copious amounts of warm water throughout the day ( I now add minerals to it) and eating only soups with high liquid content. Periodically in a day, I can feel a mucus plug building, and then I start drinking a lot of very warm water. It usually clears it within minutes. I cannot handle eating ordinary meals anymore as they cause a lot of congestion and soon thereafter, I start spitting up blood. Once in a great while, I can eat some chinese vegetables, or some other light meal, but very infrequently. When the bleeding comes, if it persists, I end up needing a CT scan to rule out a major rupture, and then a round of antibiotics for a good 10 days. The only other things I don is daily yoga, guaifenesin occasionally, and stack breathing. Does anyone else with bronchiectasis have a profile anything like mine?

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scoop | @scoop | Nov 21 3:51pm

In reply to @paxmundi "Is there any difference between generic guaifenesin and Muscinex?" + (show)

For me there was a dramatic difference between generic and brand name Mucinex. For one, I couldn't always find 1200mg in generic, and the other more significant, is that Mucinex 1200mg contains an extended-release bi-layer tablet. Maybe since I've shopped the time release bi-layer exists in 1200mg generic.

happy2023 | @happy2023 | Nov 21 5:25pm

Paxmundi, I came across this on internet for drugs that loosen mucus.
Maybe this will be helpful:
Cleveland Clinic
https://my.clevelandclinic.org › health › 24905-mucolytic

paxmundi | @paxmundi | Nov 21 5:27pm

In reply to @sueinmn "It is a misconception that guaifenesin or Mucinex dries out the mucus membranes - it serves..." + (show)

This is what drinking warm water all day does for me--and eating warm soupy meals almost exclusively. I will feel a mucus plug suddenly that feels impossible to cough out from my upper right lobe, and I will sit calmly and sip on warm water and keep doing that until it just dissolves. It is really quite amazing how it has worked so far --as long as I don't tax my body with heavy foods. If I do that, I can feel the mucus building deep in my lungs as a rattle, and then almost inevitably, a bleeding episode follows.

paxmundi | @paxmundi | Nov 21 5:35pm

In reply to @blm1007blm1007 "Yes, I figured you had tried the Aerobika etc. etc. however, thank goodness you found your..." + (show)

Thank you, Barbara. It is still a constant struggle as in the past year I had ten-thirteen bleeding episodes. I hadn't had one in one hundred days, and then I tried eating more solid foods, and I had another episode. I must have a lot of those tangled airways that come with inflammation and are super delicate at this point. Any added pressure, even just too much sludge to deal with, will trigger a bleed. So back on the straight and narrow with only soupy meals at all times.

I have less wiggle room than most people because I am in that very small percentage of people who had a massive, life-threatening hemoptysis, and the possibility of another one is always there.

paxmundi | @paxmundi | Nov 21 5:58pm

In reply to @happy2023 "Paxmundi, I came across this on internet for drugs that loosen mucus. Maybe this will be..." + (show)

Just started taking NAC, which is recommended at this site. Thank you!

fdixon63 | @fdixon63 | Nov 21 7:36pm

In reply to @paxmundi "Very helpful comment. Thank you. That was my concern. Can’t quite understand how it both loosens..." + (show)

paxmundi - Yes, I was confused also but you have to know when to take a step back when your doctor disagrees with something you bring up to him. Sometimes we try to "drive the train" but sometimes need to tread lightly. Faye

paxmundi | @paxmundi | Nov 21 7:48pm

My own doctor recommends it, so I’ve just decided to take it from time to time. As long as I can manage things with diet, very warm hydration and some level of deep breathing and exercise, that is what I will do. Learning to listen to my body’s signals is a great lesson from all this travail.

blm1007blm1007 | @blm1007blm1007 | Nov 21 8:22pm

In reply to @paxmundi "Just started taking NAC, which is recommended at this site. Thank you!" + (show)

Hope you experience a difference with the NAC. I believe I do experience a difference when I take it. Again, I believe the liquids help a great deal....although some doctors apparently don't believe it does. Again, we are all different and they, the doctors, also have different beliefs and thoughts that they come to and one reason could be due to what they possibly hear or don't hear from their patients.
One thing for sure they don't come to our homes and observe us on a daily basis to fully understand. I wonder who remembers the days when doctors made home visits. Now you are lucky if your doctor will come to see you in the hospital...verses leaving it all up to the hospitalists....who do not know you like your regular doctor.
I am fortunate in many ways because I can take vitamin supplements. With all the vitamin supplements I choose to take it is hard to get everything in, especially when some need to be taken with food or in between meals etc. etc. I don't believe in taking everyone of the supplements every day except for certain ones ...... such as Vitamin D, C, Garlic, Zinc. My belief and especially at my age....I don't think we absorb all the nutrients in the foods we take in so I take the supplements. That's my non professional belief. Overall I have gotten through and over a few so called major health issues in the past but this "lovely" BE/MAC is going to be a different story, somewhat. For myself, I have not taken the Mucinex, as yet. My mucus seems to come up easy for me, for now, and hope it stays that way. The main problem for me with mucus....it's and all day feeling of it being at the back of my throat wanting to be cleard out. ..almost never ending and worse after eating.
Wishing you, and all of us, a good day tomorrow.
Barbara