Just diagnosed with Bronchomalacia. Is anyone else experiencing thi

Posted by vmorton @vmorton, Jul 10 9:49am

I was just diagnosed with bronchomalacia. This is a condition where the trachea begins to collapse. For me this is caused from 40 plus years of coughing and airway clearance from having Bronchiectasis since I was 16 (I am 74 now). It is very scary. Is anyone else experiencing this?

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Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Jul 11 7:52am

@vmorton Hello, I have not been diagnosed with this, but was a little familiar since a friend had it. Here are some papers on it from Mayo specialists:
https://www.mayoclinic.org/medical-professionals/pulmonary-medicine/news/expiratory-central-airway-collapse-is-challenging-to-identify-and-underdiagnosed/mac-20510151
https://www.mayoclinicproceedings.org/article/S0025-6196(20)30258-5/fulltext
It looks like there are some treatments available, and more emerging. Are you being treated at Mayo or another lung center that specializes in complex cases?

irenea8 | @irenea8 | Jul 11 8:45am

Do you mind sharing how you were diagnosed and what were your symptoms? So sorry you are having to deal with this.

vmorton | @vmorton | Jul 11 11:29am

No problem. I experienced feeling an obstruction in my throat that at times prevented any flow of air. It was quite scary. I knew there was something wrong, so I saw my pulmonologist and explained my symptoms. My pulmonologist reminded me that they saw some narrowing in my trachea back a year ago when I had a broncoscopy. She said that NOW my symptoms reveal even more narrowing which warranted the diagnosis of bronchomalacia.