10 yrs ago I was diagnosed with a patch of lung cancer and had to have a weekly injection at a set time,I have finished the treatment and had lots of scans, its still there, they not sure, cant see any thing, not sure and on this occassion they diagnosed me with Bronchiectasis. I have been taking Mucodyne tabs to thin the phlem for a few years,Seretide 500 accuhaler once a day. no better when I saw the consultant a few months ago he wrote to my dr asking him to give me 6mths supply of Azithromycin 500mg, 1 on mon 1 on wed and one on fri. In the first month I felt the difference and not so much phlem but now I seem to have more phlem and cant get rid of it, I can feel it,I cough and cough sdometimes alomost chokeing and hard to breath. I am due to see him again in two weeks for another scan and check up,has anyone got any ideas or may be have some meds that are helpful to them?
You don't mention if your consultant referred you to a respiratory physiotherapist to teach you how to do lung clearance and show you various gadgets i.e. flutter: acapella. Once you have learned the techniques you will be expected to do them yourself once or twice a day.
You could also ask about nebulising saline (isotonic or hypertonic). It is good he has put you on prophylactic antibiotics.
Good luck
cx
Ask your doctor to ask the radiologist reading your scans to consider whether you have a low grade non Hodgkins ("Malt" lymphoma. It:
* is a non-aggressive form of cancer; it does not necessarily even need treatment in many patients
* causes increased sputum, so maybe worth treating if you have it and it is contributing to your sputum/cough/exacerbations (infection onsets)
* shows like, and can be confused with lung cancer proper
* is easily treated if confined to a single site (as seems likely given you have apparently had the one shadow on your lung for a long time without it presumably showing elsewhere) with low dose/low impact radiotherapy
* is easily missed by average pulmonologist/radiotherapists (it's not that common but not rare) even having taken a biopsy - mine was until I got to a quality lung defence team
* needs a complete multi-site biopsy sample to be examined by an aware and on-form microbiologist (some biopsies are 'quick and dirty' to minimise the risk of a leaking lung - painful, but recovered from fully in a matter of tens of minutes)
Other thoughts, if you can get yourself clear of the infections for a few weeks then ask your pulmonologist whether it is worth trying a course of steroids (prednisolone). Your sputum production may be the result of excessive bronchi inflamation that could be reduced by steroids.
I'm not a medic - just someone who has been down many lanes in the path to a bronchiectasis diagnosis(!) and who reads around the subject, like many of us on this forum.
Hi Steve, thank you for your reply, I am going to see the consultant on 15th of this month and have made a note re non hodgkins to ask him, will let you know the out come.
My husband has Bronchi and has just come out of hospital after 7 weeks. They have put him on Azathmycin and i thought
they said Mon Wed and Fri but the box says every dsy is this
normal
Hi Jeannie
Most bronchiectatics that are taking Azithromycin are on 1 Mon, Wed and Fri but I do know some bronchs who take it every day. You might want to check with the pharmacist or your prescriber as it could be either.
cx
Ho Colalot
Got my A and Z mixed up he is on Azathioprine every day. Joe has just come out of hospital after a very long stay. I.V. etc but
spikes in tempreture and very high inflamation levels, but has
R..A. as well. Anyway they had to use tazizan and gentamycin
(Can not spell these things ). But then devdloped vasculitus in
left eye so got 3 days I.V. stroids and then these Azathioprine. Then came home and had a fall. Other then that all well
My husband was put on these tabs, mon,we'd,fri about 3 months ago first month and a bit we thought great but his chest soon became bad again, so tomorrow he's back to see specialist.