Is Chronic Ear infections related to Bronchiectasis?

Posted by ainek @ainekrech, 4 days ago

I am wondering if others have had chronic ear infections that is related to having Bronchiectasis. In February of 2024 I started having ear infections…resulting in 16 infections that year. I am really depressed having to go to urgent care 1-2 times a month.
I did have a third sinus surgery in August 2024, then asked for ear tube placement in right ear the end of December. I do a Budesinide nasal wash twice daily. A little worried about long term use of this. Higher heart rates as well as sweating.
I’ve had Bronchiectasis since being diagnosed in 2014. With Bronchiectasis I do a nebulizer treatment twice daily, more if I have problems.
I take Mucinex daily.
I’ve also had sepsis with kidney issues and migraines. Migraines have gotten better since not teaching. Stroke found in 2016.
There must be someone out there that has chronic ear infections and Bronchiectasis.
Working with allergy and immunology, but most tests are negative.

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Sorry to hear you're having these issues. There's a lot of crossover between sinusitis and bronchiectasis. When you say "Working with allergy and immunology, but most tests are negative", what are they testing?

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Lab work from last visit including CRP, ESR, and ANCA panel was negative except for an elevated CRP. Previous Ig
levels were tested and normal. The doctor will order additional autoimmune labs. May need to consider referral back to immunology for
further workup.

- Follow up labs (ANA, SSA/SSB, RF, Jo1, Scl70)
Very frustrating…

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I don't remember having read about ear-infection when having read
a lot about bronchiectasis=BE last year.
It may depend on the bacterium , there are lists what bacteria occur in BE,
so can they determine the bacterium ? PCR ?

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I had chronic sinusitis when diagnosed with bronchiectasis 3 years ago and would get intermittent (2-3/year) ear infections. The sinusitis was addressed aggressively with meds since it was frontal sinus. It cleared, but I still do sinus rinses. I was on steroid rinses 2x day for a couple years, but have just been using saline since November. I have had no ear infection in 2 years with better control of sinus.

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@ainekrech

Lab work from last visit including CRP, ESR, and ANCA panel was negative except for an elevated CRP. Previous Ig
levels were tested and normal. The doctor will order additional autoimmune labs. May need to consider referral back to immunology for
further workup.

- Follow up labs (ANA, SSA/SSB, RF, Jo1, Scl70)
Very frustrating…

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Were your pneumococcal antibodies tested? Have you had genetic testing? Are you being treated at a large university teaching hospital research center? With immunology testing it’s important to see someone that focuses on immunology and not allergy/immunology. Even though doctors are board-certified in allergy/immunology most focus and are familiar with allergy as immune deficiencies are much less common than allergies.

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@scoop

Were your pneumococcal antibodies tested? Have you had genetic testing? Are you being treated at a large university teaching hospital research center? With immunology testing it’s important to see someone that focuses on immunology and not allergy/immunology. Even though doctors are board-certified in allergy/immunology most focus and are familiar with allergy as immune deficiencies are much less common than allergies.

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Thank you for your response. Great questions! I will ask them when I visit with my doctors. I’m not sure.
So many questions to ask!
Thanks again.

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@bsi15

I don't remember having read about ear-infection when having read
a lot about bronchiectasis=BE last year.
It may depend on the bacterium , there are lists what bacteria occur in BE,
so can they determine the bacterium ? PCR ?

Jump to this post

Thank you, another good question to ask!

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@ainekrech

Thank you for your response. Great questions! I will ask them when I visit with my doctors. I’m not sure.
So many questions to ask!
Thanks again.

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FYI to search for immunologists in your area you can look here and I believe there are other sites as well. This site requires that you make a log in account.
https://primaryimmune.org

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I was referred to an alergy/immunologist for testing because my Bronchiatasis/MAC issue. I had hospitalized for 7 days. The blood work is normal. I told the doctor I was immunized deficiency since a kid. They did not believe it by looking at the normal VIG level. After 9 months, my plumlogist finally referred me to get tested. When the doctor listened my symptoms and concerns. She seemed understand. I was diagnosed with Specific antibody deficiency (SAD)- type of PI. I have normal immunoglobulin level, but they are working . That is why I can not fight off the infection. I saw a post mentioned she got SAD too. I am doing my best to share. But English is my second language.

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