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@blm1007blm1007 I'm curious about why are you considering antibiotics now, when it seems your self-care routine has you stable.
Do you have any worsening symptoms? Does your CT show increasing nodules or cavities? Is your bronchiectasis becoming more severe (based on images)? Is the MAI "load" increasing in your sputum cultures?
I'm thinking about what I would do in your place (at 74), and unless my answer was "Yes" to at least three of the questions above, I would not entertain antibiotic therapy again. I quit before I was negative, continued 7% saline & airway clearance. My last two sputum cultures (2 years apart) were negative. I am about to reach 6 years without antibiotics, and I can still recall how awful I felt.
Remember, even on antibiotic therapy, you have to keep up everything you are doing now, so it's not as though they would simplify your life. And the antibiotics are HARD on the body, especially causing fatigue in many people (I was one!), possible unpleasant side effects and weight loss. Therapy will up your self-care burden - scheduling when to take the meds, monitoring vision and hearing, probable need for probiotics...
So I'm really curious what has led you to this possible change.
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@sueinmn Sue, thanks for taking time to discuss all this with me again.
Yes, to only one of your questions regarding it all. Worsening mucus plugging in the lower left lobe. PFT was good. I was not doing my the postural drainage routine on the left and right side.....I am now putting that into my A.M. and P.M. BE postural drainage therapy routines. Hope that will get it up and out, those mucus plugs.
You are truly right about not simplifying one's life. I just came off of being on an antibiotic for an infection that developed on my leg after the dermatologist burnt one of those areas they call pre cancerous, That one antibiotic did change some of my timing and did make me think of what it would be like with doing the antibiotics for BE.
I am so disappointed with having the mucus clearing bouts after I eat that takes a bit of time before the feeling of the need to clear stops. That is what limits me socially. I know I need to find my way around that and I will with giving time and thought to it. Therefore the reason for my possible change of thought about the antibiotics.
Thanks for reminding me of your experience(s). You may not be a financial counselor (that I know of) but you sure are a great BE health counselor for me...THANKS so very much. I needed to hear all you said and asked.
Barbara