Brochiectasis cough

Your poor mom. That coughing is exhausting. Is she bringing up a lot of mucus with the coughing? Has the amount or color changed which might indicate an infection? Has it been cultured recently including for MAC? Is she using a flutter valve device like aerobika or Acapella then huff coughing after she does neb and vest? That seems to help people who produce a lot. Answers to these might guide answers from those who’ve dealt with this a longer time.

If no sign of infection and she’s huff coughing already, think about post nasal drip or reflux as possible causes of the cough.
Good luck to you both.

@chriscurry Have they done sputum cultures to rule out treatable infections?

Yes, there was no infection found.

Yes, it was cultured for MAC and no infections were found. She has both the aerobic and Acapella. Thanks will look into the post nasal drip and acid reflux.

@charisscurry, does your mom have allergies?
nasal rinses with Neil Med's salt packs and 10 minutes boiled water helped tremendously reduce my cough.
Best wishes of great health to all of us!

Active Cycle Breathing technique might be helpful, as well as tapping on her chest and back with a cupped hand for several minutes once or twice daily. NAC and/or Mucinex might help as well. Good luck.

As a guide, respiratory therapists percuss about 10 different places on the chest for two minutes each. It’s helpful to set a timer.

Most recently she had to be hospitalized for 5 days for Rhinovirus and pneumonia. After she gets clearance, going to to get her the pneumonia shot. Not sure why the reoccurring pneumonia. Has anyone experienced this?

Recurring pneumonia is a risk factor in bronchiectasis. Our lungs cannot clear themselves. The phlegm pools if not [manually] cleared. The manual clearance is what we refer to as airway clearance. This pooling phlegm serves as a breeding ground for bacteria. Sometimes illnesses begin as a viruses, and then turn into a bacterial infections, and can result in pneumonia. Airway clearance twice day is critical to keep the lungs clear; it is the cornerstone of bronchiectasis management.

Do you know the best way to clear her airway?