Bronchiectasis, MAC, and now open heart surgery?

Sorry to hear and I can understand your worry. Any chance it can be done minimally invasively instead of open heart? Are you at a center with a multidisciplinary team? Have you had a second opinion? If you require the open method get your team assembled -- inlcuding PCP, pulmonologist, RT, ID doctor, anesthesiologist and heart surgeon. Let them know what you do daily to stay healthy lung-wise along with your concerns. With a hospital stay you'll be visited by a RT who can help you with airway clearance and tips as you heal. I hope others will weigh and perhaps those who have had similar surgeries.

@coffcoff Yikes, that's a lot to deal with. Try to meet up with the RT in advance and come up with a plan. They are used to dealing with people who have both lung and heart issues, and should be able to come up with ways to keep your lungs safe while your recover.
Good luck to you.

Thank you Scoop and Sue for the encouragement. I think that keeping hopeful and positive will go a long way for me. There is a less invasive procedure, called TAVI, but it is in the experimental stage for my particular problem and not approved yet by the FDA. Sound familiar?

I remember reading somewhere that before the surgery, she/he was put on some antibiotics that decrease mucus production. Maybe you can ask the doctors about this? They might ask you to take antibiotics anyway to prevent infections from the surgery, that may help too.

Ling

Thank you Ling. I'll be sure to ask.

I was told by my doctor that if I ever needed surgery I would have to insure that the pain was well-managed, as you have to be able to cough. You'll need more than a pillow! If your lung specialist is affiliated with the same hospital as the heart surgeon maybe a collaboration is in order so that all of your issues can be addressed.

Thanks Brittany. My heart doc and pulmonary doc aren't associates but I'll definitely take up the pain control issue with the surgeon.

Hi Coffcoff- I took myself to a cardiologist a year ago because I thought with having Bronchiectasis I should see a cardiologist knowing how much pressure we possibly put on our organs with what we have to do and find ourselves doing to clear out the mucus from our lungs and as well because as we know the heart and lungs work together.
Well, needless to say much to my surprise I have found out that I have a leaky valve. As of now I feel fine. Outwardly it does not appear I have any of the symptoms like fatigue, shortness of breath etc. etc. I wonder how long I have had this problem and did not know of it since I didn't have anything outwardly indicating heart problem.????
Since the beginning of my journey to find out what was wrong with me, Bronchiectasis, I have learned of problems with my systems that I didn't know I had. Last years visit to a cardiologist was the first time I was tested by a cardiologist. EKG's that were performed by others as a cautionary measure such as before a surgery (gall bladder, hip replacement) always told me I was fine.
With your post I decided to finally look up what the after summary visit report indicated my heart problem is and learned a bit more. I THINK, ha, I am glad I went to the cardiologist to stay on top of it and to now know what else could cause some possible similar problems to BE, shortness of breath, fatigue.
Glad you have had some responses to give you food for thought before the surgery to help you along.
Barbara

I also thought I had nothing wrong with my heart until I had an echocardiogram before my right middle lobectomy (due to MAC and bronchiectasis). But today I had some good news: I was accepted into the trial of the TAVI procedure for aortic insufficiency (leaky aortic valve). It's minimally invasive and is basically an outpatient procedure. If you're able to postpone getting your valve repaired for another couple of years, you can probably get one, too. Much better than a long zipper from neck to belly! Now once that is over, I can go back to concentrating on the bronchiectasis!

I appreciate all of you so much! You help keep me focussed and positive!