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I've got a combination of Bronchial stenosis and bronchomalacia (as well as some stenosis of the trachea). I actually had thought all my symptoms were from the TS, but when it was found to not be as bad as previously thought they had to do a bronchoscopy and discovered the collapsing section of my Bronchs.
I was actually "twilighted" for mine and don't remember it even though I was awake. Honestly that weirds me out to this day...the idea that someone can completely blank a section of my memory, but I don't remember anything about the procedure.
~ Bob
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I'm still a bit concerned about mine, as it took me all day yesterday to finally cough something up and have comfortable breathing. I'm also wondering if seasonal allergies are entering into it, as asthma has been a problem for me this time of year at various times of my life. And the pollens are already starting up here. But you'd think on 20mg. of pred and on MTX the allergy symptoms would be suppressed?
Anne, dx'ed April 2011
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I'd say allergies would certainly aggravate it. If you have excess mucus it is going to clog in the constricted areas. I can totally sympathize as I've really struggled with breathing on my left side. Mine is weird as it's only on the left so that at least reduces the discomfort some as I always seem to have one good lung.
~ Bob
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I spend hours every day on the nebulizer trying to cough things up. Some days I can't leave the house because a mucus plug does not want to come up.
Phil Berggren, dx 2003
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Post Thanks / Like - 1 Likes
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Originally Posted by
pberggren1
I spend hours every day on the nebulizer trying to cough things up. Some days I can't leave the house because a mucus plug does not want to come up.
Can that happen, though, even if one doesn't have stenosis? I don't know that I do (I should have clarified for Bob) and you, Phil, think I might be OK because I don't have a lot of trouble with stairs or hills, unless there happens to be a clog in there, which can take a long time to get rid of! However, I can still leave the house... I just won't be very comfortable. My doc, a pulmonologist, doesn't seem to think it likely that I have bronchial stenosis, or that I need to be tested for it. Guess I need to keep pressing him about it and/or get another doc.
This same doc had me quit my allergy shots once I was being treated for WG. And tends to think I can't be having allergy symptoms, asthma, etc., because of the immunosuppressants I'm on. But here it is allergy season and I'm getting more stuffed up. Allergy shots are a moot point now since I've lost so much ground, I'd be starting over if I resumed them. So if he will not talk about allergies with me I'll have to go to my ENT or someone else. I don't accept the implication that because I'm being treated for WG I don't have allergy problems or other issues, too.
Anne, dx'ed April 2011
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You might have a tiny bit of scar tissue in your bronchials but it sounds like you don't. When was your last flare?
Phil Berggren, dx 2003
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Post Thanks / Like - 1 Likes
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Originally Posted by
Shannon
He told me not to Google the info about bronchial stenosis because he didn't want that in my head (too scary I guess). So of course I got home and Googled it immediately because I'm more of a 'knowledge is power' kind of person.
This made me smile.
Good luck with the investigations, Shannon.
Living with WG/GPA since june 2010...
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Originally Posted by
pberggren1
You might have a tiny bit of scar tissue in your bronchials but it sounds like you don't. When was your last flare?
My last flare was just recently and I'm technically probably still in it, so that could explain a lot. Right now, this morning, sitting here, I feel fine. This could change a little later in the day. Other days I wake up with a lot of stuff already collected in there.
It sounds plausible that I could have a bit of scar tissue in my bronchials without it being a severe issue. I just wonder what is getting in the way of the mucus coming up, or is it just that the mucus is super thick? Then why does it suddenly loosen up and I'm able to cough it up? You can hear it right before this happens, it gets a loose, rattly sound. The other day, this finally happened around 6PM in the grocery store, of course, and by the time I got out to my car, it was coughed up.
Anne, dx'ed April 2011
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The airways get bigger as they reach the trachea.
Phil Berggren, dx 2003
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Post Thanks / Like - 1 Likes
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Oh, that makes sense. The mucus finally breaks through into the wider area, where there is more air available to move it around and make it sound "rattly". It can be hard to tell, though, how far down the plug is in the first place.
Anne, dx'ed April 2011
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