Bronchiectasis with no significant symptoms.

@conniec Welcome to Mayo Connect. Many with bronchiectasis have issues producing sputum. Sometimes we can do it with help from a respiratory therapist. Failing that, I personally would reject antibiotic therapy without definitive results form a bronchoscopy. 18-24 months of antibiotic therapy is no walk in in the park.
What are your current symptoms? Has the pulmonologist started you on airway clearance therapy to clear your lungs?

My only symptom is very occasional (every 3 months) mucous plug. I'm not sure what airway clearance is. I tried a nebulizer over 4 years ago but it did nothing and not having symptoms, seemed useless. I have a aerobika but it has never "cleared my airways" . A respiratory therapist had me do a saline neb today to produce sputum but I didn't even cough from it.

It sounds like you must have a sputum or two positive for MAC. Correct?
It's never a bad idea to get a second opinion from docs who treat the disease every day. I went to Mayo to get a diagnosis and plan and am very glad I did.
One tip-they book out a while, but told me they often have cancellations on Mon and Tues mornings and to call. I lucked into one for the next week. Good luck!

I've never had a sputum culture done because I couldn't produce sputum and cough very seldom.
I was thinking of trying Mayo as it is pretty close to me.
I'll call them and see about getting in sometime.
Thank you for the helpful responses!

If you haven't had a sputum collected by you, RT or your doctor, I'd be very surprised that your doc plans the antibiotics. Perhaps he's planning a bronchoscopy to get it and just plans to discuss that with you after your CT.
My CT's also looked like I had MAC with trees-in-bud, ground glass and mucus plugs. The local radiologist and pulmonologist thought I had it. The Mayo radiologists and pulmonologists thought I had it. I couldn't get a sputum even with RT trying. Therefore, they did the bronchoscopy to get the necessary sputum culture. After 6 weeks, it was NEGATIVE. 😀. No antibiotics. FWIW, the Penn Med radiologist read the later CT's as probable MAC because the CT hasn't cleared. My pulmonologist said I'll have just continue to show those changes.

Conniec you said "I'm not sure what airway clearance is." That is most important to do after nebulizing. As you probably know the nebulizing is to loosen the mucus and after that it is important to do Air Way Clearance. There are several things to do under the category of air way clearance such as the breathing techniques, postural drainage, percussion clapping etc. and the important technique of huff coughing. The breathing techniques are to help get air behind the mucus and the huff cough (not a regular cough) to help get it up and out of the lungs.
By now after reading Sueinmn post you may have googled Air Way Clearance Methods.
Barbara

I did get an appointment at Mayo Rochester for August. I will have a CT scan next week and will send that to Mayo. I noticed someone said that sometimes appointments open up for Monday and Tuesday so I may try to ask about that.
Thanks for everyones responses!