Is Anyone Else Confused About All Those Inhalers?

@nana43 @sueinim

Thanks so much for your responses. I have to say this forum has been an absolute godsend to me over the last 5-6 years of experiencing the nasty progression of bronchiectasis and MAC. Two and a half of those years were spent enduring the Big 3 meds in a failed effort to rid my body of MAC. It is a strange and wonderful comfort to be connected at a distance to a large compassionate group enduring many of the same challenges and sharing information that's helpful to others, certainly helpful to me. My current reality is the loss of 20% of my weight. My pulmonologist's response was, "well, that's the disease." My ID doc said nothing. I want to regain some weight. Does anyone in this group have suggestions based on successful weight gain after this kind of loss?

I have lost weight as well. I’ve always been small, weighing about 113-115 when healthy. I dropped to 99 lbs and still no appetite but hubby has been trying to beef me up. One thing that seems to work for me is Smoothies. I really enjoy them even if not hungry.
He makes me 1 or2 per day.
He puts 4-5 fruits, heavy cream, and Who knows what else. But it has boosted my weight to 103-105 and holding steady!

Hi Sue -

Thanks for the great information. I have bronchiectasis and asthma and was using levalbuterol and 7%. Recently, the doctor added Flovent. This seems to be doing an ok job. He also wants me to do a pulmonary function test. Can't figure out why because I have told him I go to the gym twice a week and walk every day for 20 to 30 minutes. Have you had this test done?

Also, you mentioned you had changed your meds to 2 things - can you share what you are taking with the levalbuterol?

@nana43. I'm so glad you brought up his question about a corticosteroid inhaler enhancing the environment in the lungs that encourages NTM infection. I recently came across a study that reported this finding. I had been using Arnuity Ellipta (an inhaler similar to Trelegy) for the last 5 years. It was originally prescribed for me by a pulmonologist I later found to be incompetent (knew absolutely nothing about bronchiectasis and MAC). Now I work with very competent doctors (pulmonologist and Infectious disease docs), and I brought the article to my ID doc and expressed my concern about the inhaler -- do I need it and is it the wrong thing for my condition? He knew about the finding and said this question often comes up and it's a tough call. If the inhaler helps you breathe, we don't want to take it away, but it's true that it could be making treatment for MAC more difficult. I question whether I needed the inhaler in the first place. I wasn't wheezing and don't have serious asthma. The whole thing is confusing and frustrating. The only lesson I draw from the experience is to always question a prescription: Do I really need this, and, if so, why? The pre-requisite however is that the prescribing doctor be competent and knowledgable about your condition.