Has anyone had this?

Welcome to Mayo Connect. I’m sorry you need to be here, but believe you’ll find it a helpful source of support and information.
We have a wide range of experiences here from those of us with mild bronchiectasis without MAC who are relatively new to the diagnosis (2+years) to people who’ve dealt with both for many years.
If you can tell us a bit more about your situationand the questions you have, I think you’ll get the support you need. Where are you being treated? Most of us have had success with docs and centers who see a lot of patients.

I had a bronchoscopy because I couldn’t get a good sputum for the culture for MAC and other bacteria. They were negative, to everyone’s surprise. They used a small amt of fluid to obtain it, but the purpose wasn’t lavage to clear a plug. It was easy with very mild sore throat. I did spike a fever 36 hrs afterwards. I emailed the doc I saw and she thought I’d picked up a virus. She (and literature) said fevers in first 24 hrs would be suspected nosocomial infection.
Everyone was wearing mask then but there were a lot of people around.
I also have mild asthma and mild bronchiectasis (per Mayo and Penn; local docs said moderate as I recall) which is well controlled on advair and nasal sprays for drip. I only cough and don’t wheeze. I use an albuterol nebulizer in morning as part of airway clearance.
Some people here have had severe asthma for a long time if you have specific questions.

Has anyone experienced bronchoscopy with lavage? I have bronchiectasis and possible Mac. In addition, I have asthma as well.

I have had lots of bronchoscopies with lavage since 2016. I am always dry as a bone and couldn’t spit if my life depended on it. I have had MAC ( notice I write have had), aspergillosis, pseudomonas, bronchitis, pneumonia, cancer, and RSV. Having a bronch is good if you can’t give a culture and nothing to worry about I don’t think. My MAC is finally gone after diagnosis in 2016. - treatment with the Big 3 and Arikayce, and then finally gone in 2022. MAC was tough to get rid of - for me. A bronch is a good and safe diagnostic tool. Wishing you well. Irene5

I have had lots of bronchoscopies with lavage since 2016. I am always dry as a bone and couldn’t spit if my life depended on it. I have had MAC ( notice I write have had), aspergillosis, pseudomonas, bronchitis, pneumonia, cancer, and RSV. Having a bronch is good if you can’t give a culture and nothing to worry about I don’t think. My MAC is finally gone after diagnosis in 2016. - treatment with the Big 3 and Arikayce, and then finally gone in 2022. MAC was tough to get rid of - for me. A bronch is a good and safe diagnostic tool. Wishing you well. Irene5

Irene-
Am I interpreting your post correctly.
You had MAC starting in 2016 and didn't go on antibiotics until approximately 2021....although you made it through aspergillosis, pseudomonas, bronchitis, pneumonia, cancer and RSV. WOW and WOW
Were you on different antibiotics each time???
Were you on antibiotics on and off with all that?
I remember reading that either you or the other Irene thought maybe the pseudomonas was due to cleaning out p trap pipes...was that you??? Between putting boiling hot water, dawn dishwashing detergent and bleach down all the drains I hope my p trap pipes are without much pseudomonas.
A determined survivor you are.
Barbara

Hi Barbara- I was diagnosed with MAC in 2016 by bronchoscopy. I probably had it around 2010 onward because that’s when I noticed I was not feeling well. I was still teaching . I started on the Big 3 in 2016 and was on them until 2022. The Arikayce was added in 2019 I think. In August of 2022 when the MAC was finally gone the gift of aspergillosis was added. I was mostly on Vfend for that. Then came RSV in 2023 and pseudomonas in spring of 2024. Each of these gifts required a hospital holiday because of my compromised immune system and a few complications that kept my wonderful doctors on their toes. I am not the person who got anything from pipes as far as I know. Working in moldy school buildings from 1971 till 2014 is probably the number one reason I started with lung issues. Or because we lived at “chimney” level in Berlin, NH for 15 years while the paper mill was there giving us yellow snow! Just delightful! I do my best to put one foot in front of the other, pray a lot for others in this crazy world of ours , and keep a positive attitude as much as possible . I’m grateful for every day. I would never have chosen any of this for my retirement ( I had plans), but I trust the good God who has the bigger picture. God bless. Irene5

It may have been the other Irene regarding the p trap pipes.
Regarding school buildings....I believe my immune system was at a low ebb my last year of teaching. It was that year that we came back to a building that had all types of unhealthy materials used for the building remodel. The odors were unbearable let alone the dust they left behind in the classroom which of course Teacher had to clean before the children arrived. So for me that is just one of life's happenings that probably was gradually setting me/my lungs up for what happened...BE., Bronchiectasis.
Yes one foot in front of the other and one good hour, hopefully, to another.
Yes is it so important, the need to think of the bigger picture.
Barbara