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Do I Have an Infection
Kind of a crazy question but here's why. I had a bronchoscopy one year ago and was diagnosed with bronchiectasis. The lab culture came back negative. I read about all these lung infections and wondering if I could have one and not know it. My do 3% saline 3 times a day with a Aerobika or Acapella. I cough up mucus and it is always a pale green unless it is mixed with saline, then it becomes very light green. I am an active 87 year old male and other than coughing, sometimes at night, I feel reasonably healthy and am not tired unless it is mid afternoon sometimes naptime. My question is am I missing something? Am I infected because of this light green mucus? Should I switch to the 7% when my pulmonary doc suggested it, only if I wanted to, no urgency? I am also waiting to hear about some new drug he said would be available in August.
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I have never heard of MYChart and looked briefly at it. Do they do these cultures without a physician referral?
@picartist, keep in mind that it takes 42 days to culture a sputum sample for MAC and that it is common to take three samples over three days, so you probably wouldn't get any results back for quite a while after your September doctor visit. Of course, by that time, your doctor may have more information about Brinsupri (brensocatib), the new drug just out this week. I hope you continue to feel good.
If you don't mind, let us know when you do. I am interested in which drug it is.
Great video, thanks for sharing.
MyChart is a method many doctors use for patient communication. It makes it easy for patients to send questions, get lab results, the doctor to order labs, etc. If you aren't familiar with it, your doc probably isn't on the system. An alternative is the older method of calling the doctor's office, telling them you have colored mucus and ask if they want cultures. It's really up to you if you think you need to call. Doing it before appt would just speed things along. Good luck to you.
Edit to add: One additional suggestion is to ask your doctor at your appt for a standing order for a sputum culture. My pulmonologist keeps an order on file in lab and sends me home with a specimen cup kit so that if I start getting up sputum that is suspicious, I can send a specimen in ASAP to avoid delays in treatment.
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