What is Dry Bronchiectasis?

I have bronchiectais with not much mucus and no lung infections. Yet, according to my CTs my lungs are getting worse. I think I have dry bronchiectais, going to an infectious disease Doctor.
Pulmonologist did not say Dry, I just assumed because I could not get a good mucus sample, even after a vest session. That is my personal opinion, trying to back it up with some testing.

I hope you update your post regarding this. It would be interesting to know if you get the answers you are looking for.

There is not a lot of easily digestible information about dry bronchiectasis available. It was first recognized nearly a century ago, but research regarding it is sparse.
If you feel like doing a "deep dive" into some technical explanations, try this article:
https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/5/12/115

I believe the European Lung Federation/Association has something recent to say about it, but I cannot find it right now.
Sue

Good article but only addresses bronchiectasis and the various treatments. It does not mention Dry Bronchiectasis or how that translates to progression or non-progression.

Had blood test by primary, asked to do test for RA. She said I don’t have RA but she nu I was looking for answers for my bronchiectais. This was one of the test to check for this decease. RA factor was elevated, sent to a rheumatologist, scheduled. I am also seeing an infectious disease Dr. Searching for answers, still use vest, not much mucus, breathing ok. To be continued.

Quite probably most of us will never know what caused our bronchiectasis. In my case, it could be long-term asthma, multiple cases of pneumonia, exposure to copious amounts of paper dust at work for a number of years, exposure to asbestosis in my youth and teens, 50+ years of intensive gardening... Since Bronchiectasis is incurable and irreversible, I personally don't feel the cause makes a difference, any more than why I needed bilateral hip replacements when I was 54.
What I do feel is more important is figuring out how to live well with my Bronchiectasis - what are my best actions and precautions to keep me as healthy as possible for as long as possible.
Why are you and your pulmonologist looking for the cause?
Sue

I do not have symptoms that other people have on this site. If this is Dry bronchiectais, I will live with it. Pulmonologist said it was the marijuana that I smoked. I never smoked cigarettes, doesn’t make sense to me. I am 77 years young, if this is what I have to live with so be it. I have a great life, no regrets.

I'm not concerned about where I got MAC which led to Bronchiectasis. MAC is everywhere. I'm just trying to learn about different aspects of the Disease to better understand and care for myself the best possible way. This site has been quite helpful but I'm still looking for answers to some of my questions.

Hello, I will share; not sure this will help but hope so.
I was diagnosed with MAC and bronchiectasis in 2020.
I had no cough, produced zero sputum. I was SOB when climbing any amount of stairs, could not walk fast, and was waisting away with exhaustion and depression from not understanding what was happening to my body. I was a 64, very physically active (daily exercise run, walk, bike, golf, gardening, etc) and Covid hit…the world was scary. I dove into questioning any and all doctors I could. The pulmonologist treated me for late onset asthma (there as absolutely no asthma in my family)…I got worse. I became hypertensive, cardiac workup said basically I was very very healthy. This continued and I became depressed. One morning I fell to the floor with chest pain and my doctor said rush to the hospital where they checked or a PE (pulmonary embolism). He radiologist saw my bronchiectasis and said I should consult a pulmonary doctor. Story continues. I repeated the CAT scan with my pulmonary doc and was scheduled for a bronchoscopy. Remember, I had no cough or sputum production. Pulmonologist did a lavage and cultured what he could scrap off or unplug from my airway…it came back MAC.
To this day, with all the saline (7%) I nebulize daily, exercise, Aerobika, saltroom therapy, huffing etc…I have no sputum. The ID doctor says I am a subtype…Lady Windermere’s Syndrome. I have autoimmune markers that light up in my blood work, but to this date not RA. My genetic inheritance has me set up for autoimmune…type 1 diabetes, BRCA positive, Raynaud's, but I am diagnosed with MAC and bronchiectasis.
I hope my story helps you with some questions/answers.
I go yearly to NJH in Denver and Dr Daley says I am stable, bronchiectasis stable, and I continue with no cough or sputum. I maintain my regimen of care and practice gratitude daily.

Please stay healthy.
Regina