Hi every one,
i had my 6 month check at the respitory clinic the other week, spent a good half an hour with the doc who was brilliant, she listened to me & gave all the answers I wanted & needed so that was great.
She has said the cause of the bleeding is due to blood vessels in the lungs bursting when I get an infection as there attached to the airways. I have bronchiectasis in both lungs & its spread all over the lungs from top to bottom. The airways that are affected look like rings as there circular & have what looks like a diamond on them which is the blood vessel. It's these vessels that burst & bleed when I have an infection. Was good to find out the cause & now she said she will be keeping a close eye me & has got me on a four month review instead of a six month one. Being sent for loads of tests over the coming months to find the cause of the bronchiectasis as still not known. Had bloods & next week going for a full pulmonary lung function test, all go here lol.
Well I hope every one is ok & your all smiling & laughing, take care all & hope to speak to you soon :0)
it was good to hear that explanation because when i cough up blood it really frightens me. thanks for that and hope the tests go well for you
Hi!
I have bronchiectasis in my right lung, when i coughed blood doctors can't find any infection. Just told me that i might need an operation if i get big hemorrhage again. I don't cough blood since last winter, hope it won't happen with anybody ever again x(
I am so pleased for you Dave, answers and a doc who listens? wow..you hit the jackpot..
good luck with all the test, and is there ever a proven cause of bronchiectasis?
hi dave, I have attempted to reply twice but something goes wrong each time. what i'm wanting to say is at last there is someone else out there with dry bronchiectasis. I am ignorant apart from receiving leaflets and disc from the lung foundation and these sites. everyone seems to have wet bronchiectasis and no one until now had dry. I have never had mucas in the two months since being diagnosed. my chest hurts alday long and the wheezing stopped 2 weeks back, exhaustion seems to be lifting. dave what does it mean when they say dry bronchiectasis, how does that differ from the others? please answer soon, I'm in australia.
i have dry bronchiectasis too. it's mean no mucus in lungs.
Hi Dave so pleased you have found out the problem at least it is being delt with now, and i wish you good luck. This is just a
Quick hello to you and anyone else i know reading your page as have not been on as Joe in hospital 2 weeks now with this bloody psudamona and is quite poorly so will speak again when thngs settle good luck to everyone x
gotta love spending quality time with your doc.
especially when they explain everything and answer your questions.
good luck with all the tests and let us know how they are.
breathe well
Hi dancing queen,
it was brilliant to find the cause as I was starting to think it might be due to something else so yeah it was a relief. I was frightened when I first coughed up blood but just got used to it to be honest & now I know the cause & it can be sorted with antibiotics. The doc said if the bleeding lasts for more than 15 mins then I need to call an ambulance & get to A&E, even if it stops as they might be able to help, will see what happens.
Hope your well & feeling strong, take care & speak soon :0)
Hi larrylarry,
the doc couldn't give me a reason for the bleed at first until I had a CT scan with dye, then it showed the blood vessels next to the airways which would burst when I had an infection. She said to just keep an eye on the bleeding in the future. Not sure if I could have an operation on my lungs as the bronchiectasis is so widely spread in both lungs.
Well I hope you're well & I hope you don't get anymore bleeds, take care & keep smiling :0)
Hi nanooskar,
thany you :0) it really was refreshing to speak to someone who had all the answers & was willing to listen & willing to help, there are some Drs out there with some compassion :0).
As for a cause of bronchiectasis there are a few, whooping cough, measles, mumps, lots of chest infections & cystic fibrosis as a child can all cause it. Sometimes they can't find a cause so it's a funny old disease!
If they find out my cause I'll let you know, take care & keep smiling :0) speak soon.
Hi Pamela,
i too get chest & back pains on a daily basis & I too don't suffer with excess mucus (thankfully). I get shortness of breath whilst walking or when over doing things but I don't get the wheezing. There is so much information on bronchiectasis out there Pamela but everyone is different so you can only take bits that are relevant to you circumstances otherwise panic can set in ! The thoracic society site is useful but to be honest the best source is a specialist who you can talk too, it takes time to get the answers you need & want so hang in there & keep pestering for the answers.
Like larrylarry said dry bronchiectasis is the term used for people who don't produce mucus but get other symptoms like we both do.
Hope you well & I hope I have helped in a small way, take care & stay strong, speak again soon :0)
Hi jeannie,
thank you for your post :0)
sorry to hear Joe is unwell, fingers crossed he will get better quickly & will back on his feet very soon.
Take care jeannie & give Joe our best wishes & let him know we're thinking of him.
Keep smiling & stay strong, speak again soon :0)
Hi Stixlabushka,
thank you for your comment :0)
It is great to finally get some answers & to get some help, it really does help knowing your not alone & just being ignored which seems to be the problem with a lot of suffers of this disease.
I will let you know the test outcome once I've had them all, till then take care & keep smiling & stay well :0)
When i was ~13 years old i had pneumonia, i think this is the cause of my bronchiectasis. Did you have something in your childhood that may be cause of yours ??
I don't know if it is the cause so much as the trigger Larry, but I have had multiple bouts of severe Bronchitis since nov-dec 2013. I was told by GP's (4 of them)..it was asthma, COPD, nope..got it wrong..Asthma..nope..not COPD, seasonal allergies; tested for pertussis( whooping cough) on 3 different occassions..anyway..I requested referral to private respiratory doc ( my income is aged pension only) and result 1 was COPD , had CT scans, result 2 Bronchiectis.. back to see him in 2 weeks for final Dx...I also have high rhuematoid factor..and I understand that the conditions can go hand in hand.. Good luck with your life's path Larry!
I have read others reports saying that although it reads dry it does noot mean that the mucus is still in the lungs, this confused me. I am starting to feel better after 2 months and even went out to a resturant last night. however we sat outdoors in the fresh air. In Queensland the weather is mild and the resturants and cafes spill oout onto the sidewalk. I am tired this morning with a headach, but OK. I have not yet had a specialist appointment.
Thankyou for responding, take care Larry
thankyou for your help to so many, I will take your advise, not yet seen the specialist. I am a pensioner and we have free hospital services, so the waite is some time. I have been discharged 8 weeks ago, and ony now picking up. I expect to hear from the hospital in a month from now. As I did my spine in 2 years ago I use a motorized scooter to get about, but the effort requied to get the scooter in and out the car brings on shortness of breath, and excited talking can do the same. The wheezing has slowed right down. Last night I laughed and laughed and although I coughed which sounds like a smokers cough, it was great to be back in life!!!
God keep watch over you Dave.
Hi larrylarry,
too my knowledge I only had the mumps as a child but my mum said I used to suffer from a lot of colds until I had my tonsils out.
Hopefully the tests will find the cause but you can also have undiagnosed bronchiectasis so will wait & see.
I also had high rheumatoid factor few years ago (had tonsillitis), it's reaction to inflammation or infection. my rheumatoid factor went to normal when i got rid of infection. your rheumatoid factor will go low, don't be worry about that. Good luck you too!