I was recently diagnosed with Bronchiectasis.

@kaykuz posted a message about the progression of her bronchiectais in hopes of finding support from others in the group. Here is her message, shared with her permission:

Hi Sue...I have been on the site for a while. For some reason I can't find how to post and this would be too long I think....Anyway I wanted to ask you a few questions...I was diagnosed with Bronchiectisis and MAC 6 years ago....I took the big 3 for a year and did well...But now MAC has returned....Just had a cat scan and sputum cultures....My scan a year ago Oct 22 nd had no change and I was so happy....I have had 5 flare ups since Nov of last year.. and I think that caused damage to my lungs as the scan showed the source of infection was the right middle lobe....bronchial wall thickening, bronchiolitis in both lungs. complete chronic atelectais of the right middle lobe with a few new clusters of bronchiolitis in bilateral lower lobes... Just did a sputum culture and he wants to see if MAC still there....I am sure it is....Then he wants me to see the the ID Doc....which I have seen twice...last two years...not this year.
He also has suggested the vest.....I do not cough up mucus or cough unless I have a flare up....Did you ever do the vest? I have done the 7% for two years along with albuterol. I think I'd rather go on the meds than the vest.....
My doctor is at Cleveland Clinic and I also have a pulmonary doc in Fl where we winter for 7 months...
Thank you for your time and I hope to hear from you...
Kaye

If anyone (especially long-time bronchiectasis people and vest users) are willing to reach out, I am sure she would appreciate it. Please tag Kaye by including @kaykuz in your post so she will be sure to see it.
Sue

@kaykuz. I don’t know how helpful I can be as I have not experienced MAC or NTM infections, to date, with my bronchiectasis. I have had this diagnosis since 2016 and my pulmonologist recommended putting me on the vest due to very little sputum production and a few exaberation episodes. I use it twice daily along with albuterol and 7% nebulizing solution. It takes up time in my day, but from what I read about on this site, I would much prefer this regiment to the medications for treating a MAC or NTM infection as people say it’s very hard on your body. We all have to make our own choices regarding treatment decisions and I wish you the best along your journey.

Do you use an albuterol inhaler or nebulize a solution of albuterol to open your lungs?

Do you use an albuterol inhaler or nebulize a solution of albuterol to open your lungs?

In my case, the answer is "it depends". On a normal day, I use the inhaler before. On a bad day (tight chest, feeling under The weather, bad allergies...) I neb with levalbuterol first, then the saline. If I have a cold or bronchitis I neb first with duoneb (budosenide plus albuterol) then saline.
What does everyone else do?
Sue

Sue, why do you neb with doneb 1st if you have a cold or bronchitis, I am trying to learn all I can.

Duoneb has irpatropium bromide and albuterol, both bronchodilators - each works a bit differently, so they are dispensed together. This makes sure the lungs are as open as possible to accept a saline neb that then gets the mucus flowing more freely. The neb is far more effective than an inhaler, at least for me.
Sue

Been recently diagnosed with bronchiecstasis and don't really know a lot about it except what I listened to from the pulmonary specialist. I have had sarcoidosis for a long time but it does not seem to bother me too much. I cough a lot with the yellowish and green stuff appearing, and I have used a nebulizer for the first time and it seemed to be okay. Any info or tips on helping me learn more about it.

Alecia