Help! Positive testimonials required

I am 76 and had Covid for the first time in December 2023. My doctor said I could take Paxlovid
(my son did when he had Covid), but she said it was hard on the kidneys so I chose not to.
My son said Paxlovid helped him.
It is hard to know......we always hear different recommendations.

Mary, I am no "Suzy Sunshine" but I can say with confidence that you can have a very normal life with Bronchiectasis, it just takes some mental and physical adjustments.

I will compare it to my husband, who was diagnosed with diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis in his 40's. (Oh, and he has bronchiectasis from the RA, too.) Thirty years later, he's still hanging in there! He adjusted his diet, keeps his weight down, takes his meds and exercises.

Let me start with this - I daresay we were all scared and depressed when we were diagnosed. Then we went to our computers and read DIRE stuff. But the people here can tell you, we learn to deal with it.

Let's start with living in the countryside - if you have a well, have it and your household water tested - quite likely you do not have NTM in your taps, so you can relax - no boiling, no shower issues, no worries about washing...
For the dust issues, we have installed HEPA filters in our house, become a no-shoes indoors, replaced carpet (over time) with wood and tile to keep the indoor environment as clean as we can. We do close the windows and run the fans on windy days to help.
As for outdoors, think of it like this - we have been walking through the air for a very long time and cannot avoid it, so we protect ourselves from concentrated exposure - dampen soil before gardening to keep dust down, wear an N95 mask when clouds of dust cannot be avoided (like mowing lawn, helping cut hay or raking leaves) and generally be sensible.
As for water sports - I swim in outdoor pools and salt water. I paddleboard in fresh water lakes. If I was at a thermal springs I would most likely use it - just double up my saline nebs for a few days to wash anything out of my lungs.
Reinfection - many of us in this group have found 7% saline nebs and daily airway clearance keeps us safe. I have remained infection-free for over 4 years, and only had a couple of exacerbations that required short-term treatment. I introduced an acquaintance at church to 7% saline last winter and her husband calls it a miracle - for the first time in 11 years her chronic cough is minimal, and she has not needed treatment with antibiotics for a year.

Long-term Maintenance - now that I have been infection-free for a while, I use a mucus thinner to keep mine flowing and not sticky. I use my inhaler twice a day. I do airway clearance once every day, or twice if slightly congested, using saline first about 2-3 times a week to keep down bacteria in my lungs. Airway clearance takes 10 minutes (20-25 on neb days) which I do as I am at my computer. I wash my Aerobika & Nebulizer daily & sterilize once a week.

If you are having trouble coming to terms with the concept of a chronic condition, it might be helpful to seek out short-term counsel. But rest assured that a normal life is entirely possible - it just may have a few features you hadn't envisioned before.
Sue

Mary, I am no "Suzy Sunshine" but I can say with confidence that you can have a very normal life with Bronchiectasis, it just takes some mental and physical adjustments.

I will compare it to my husband, who was diagnosed with diabetes and rheumatoid arthritis in his 40's. (Oh, and he has bronchiectasis from the RA, too.) Thirty years later, he's still hanging in there! He adjusted his diet, keeps his weight down, takes his meds and exercises.

Let me start with this - I daresay we were all scared and depressed when we were diagnosed. Then we went to our computers and read DIRE stuff. But the people here can tell you, we learn to deal with it.

Let's start with living in the countryside - if you have a well, have it and your household water tested - quite likely you do not have NTM in your taps, so you can relax - no boiling, no shower issues, no worries about washing...
For the dust issues, we have installed HEPA filters in our house, become a no-shoes indoors, replaced carpet (over time) with wood and tile to keep the indoor environment as clean as we can. We do close the windows and run the fans on windy days to help.
As for outdoors, think of it like this - we have been walking through the air for a very long time and cannot avoid it, so we protect ourselves from concentrated exposure - dampen soil before gardening to keep dust down, wear an N95 mask when clouds of dust cannot be avoided (like mowing lawn, helping cut hay or raking leaves) and generally be sensible.
As for water sports - I swim in outdoor pools and salt water. I paddleboard in fresh water lakes. If I was at a thermal springs I would most likely use it - just double up my saline nebs for a few days to wash anything out of my lungs.
Reinfection - many of us in this group have found 7% saline nebs and daily airway clearance keeps us safe. I have remained infection-free for over 4 years, and only had a couple of exacerbations that required short-term treatment. I introduced an acquaintance at church to 7% saline last winter and her husband calls it a miracle - for the first time in 11 years her chronic cough is minimal, and she has not needed treatment with antibiotics for a year.

Long-term Maintenance - now that I have been infection-free for a while, I use a mucus thinner to keep mine flowing and not sticky. I use my inhaler twice a day. I do airway clearance once every day, or twice if slightly congested, using saline first about 2-3 times a week to keep down bacteria in my lungs. Airway clearance takes 10 minutes (20-25 on neb days) which I do as I am at my computer. I wash my Aerobika & Nebulizer daily & sterilize once a week.

If you are having trouble coming to terms with the concept of a chronic condition, it might be helpful to seek out short-term counsel. But rest assured that a normal life is entirely possible - it just may have a few features you hadn't envisioned before.
Sue

Hi Mary,
I was diagnosed with bronchiectasis about 15 years ago and with MAC just prior to the pandemic. I am choosing not to take the antibiotics due to fear of the side effects. My pulmonologist and I are taking the "wait and see" approach which has been working out, thus far. I nebulize, use an Aerobika device, do airway clearance and use a compression vest daily. I have incorporated these treatments into my daily routine (about 40 min) and it works well with helping me expel mucus from my lungs. I lead a relatively normal lifestyle. I eat a mostly plant based diet, go to the gym 4 times per week and take water aerobics class in an outdoor pool. Most importantly, I do my best in maintaining a positive attitude. One thing worth mentioning is, in the beginning of my illness, I had a very bad cough and a lot of mucus in my lungs, From this group, I learned about Nebulizing with 7% hypertonic saline which made a huge difference. The saline creates an uncomfortable environment for the MAC bacteria and research shows it slows the growth. Airway clearance helps with getting rid of mucus build up. I cough a lot less now and don't have to worry when being out in public. This is a brief rundown of my experience, which I hope sheds a bit of positive light. Everyone is different however. Just know, it is possible to lead a good life despite these conditions. I have learned so much from this support group . Stay with us! I wish you well.

Have you been nebulizing 7% since 15 years ago or during pandemic? I can't tolerate 7% and even 3% irritates me. I produce so much mucus every day. (2 tablespoons yellow/green ) .

My dr. never mentioned anything about saline and I did not find out about it until I started tuning into this group and read the research. I started with 3%, just to test it out and it was well tolerated. I graduated to 7% around May of 2023 and have been using it ever since. I use it once a day. Thankfully, I have no problem with it. It sounds like you are getting your mucus out which is a good thing.

Thank you for explaining. Do you use Albuteroal or Levalbuterol before saline?