Finally identified my long-term illness (Bronchiectasis), thanks to Dr Google :)

[simon43]

(long post, but maybe useful information for other forum members).

 

No, it's not a case of looking through an online list of diseases and saying "I've got that and I've got that!". I am very sure that I have finally identified what has given me poor lung health for the past 25 years, thanks to the state of my toes!

 

Why haven't the doctors in the UK and Thailand been able to identify this condition? Because (IMHO), they have been totally useless, failing to identify very well-known symptoms of this disease, symptoms that are not hidden away from sight.

 

So what is Bronchiectasis)?  It is basically widening of the bronchial airways, such that excess amounts of mucus can build up in these, causing breathing difficulties (in some cases), and especially causing infections such as bronchitis, thanks to the build-up of bacteria in these retained mucus lumps, which would normally be coughed up from the airways.

 

I always wondered why the x-rays and lung function tests that I previously had never showed anything wrong with my lungs' abilities to exchange gases (respiration).  That's because there is nothing wrong with my alveoli function, and I don't get short of breath.  The problem lies with my lung bronchi, which collect large amounts of very sticky mucus, because these airways are wider than normal and the body's natural function is to coat the airways with sticky mucus to catch bacteria etc.

 

I had sputum tests which never found any bacteria etc. But the doctors failed to pick up my comments about excessive amounts of mucus!  "You're fine, no problem" was their comment time and time again 🙂

 

So I got together with Dr Google to research different kinds of lung illnesses, such as asthma, COPD and so on.  My symptoms excluded these illnesses, but Bronchiectasis fitted the bill exactly.  In fact, I'm reassured that it's Bronchiectasis and not COPD. COPD leads to progressive narrowing of the bronchi, and that surely can't end well.  Bronchiectasis is widening of the airways, and is not progressive if it's controlled by removing the excessive mucus.

 

The final er... 'killer' symptom of Bronchiectasis was 'clubbed toes'.  My friendly online doctor flashed up images of normal toes and clubbed toes that Bronchiectasis patients typically have.  WTF!  My toes are like that and I thought everyone had toes like that........ (I don't go around staring at ugly feet and I assumed that my ugly toes were just normal).

 

The causes of Bronchiectasis could be down to asthma, lung infections etc.  In my case, I recall getting very sick after working in a damp, underground, unheated office that had been empty for many years.  My UK doctors could find no cause for my ill-health and I assumed that it might be down to aspergillosis fungal spores in the room.  But lung x-rays never found any lung shadows etc and my lung function remained relatively normal, apart from regular bronchitis, pneumonia and explosive coughing fits that physically drained me.

 

On the advice of my UK doctor, I moved to the hot/humid climate of Thailand, and that certainly helped, but smoky air pollution would still cause flare-ups, as happened last week when I went to visit smoky Luang Prabang.

 

A forum member suggested that I try N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine tablets to thin the mucus so that it can be coughed up, and I'm very grateful to him because this certainly helps.

Now that I'm pretty sure that I've identified the illness, I can concentrate on methods of coughing up this excess mucus, such as by using the thinning medication and 'huff' coughing. (I've been trying that and it helps).

 

I won't bother asking a 'real' doctor to confirm my diagnosis, 'cos me and Dr Google do seem to have identified the culprit 🙂

 

 

 

[NickyLouie]

Let us know if you "discover" any other Google illnesses, it's really horrorshow when all those symptoms show up in search.

 

 

[swissie]

General Advice: Everybody wait for "Sheryls" reply.

[simon43]

1 hour ago, swissie said:

General Advice: Everybody wait for "Sheryls" reply.

Yes indeed!  Having suffered from this condition for so many years, and having met with 'blank looks' by every single doctor whom I have consulted in the UK and Thailand, I'm pretty confident (with my scientific hat on), that the diagnosis by Dr Google is correct.  (The part that actually convinced me are my clubbed toenails!)

[swissie]

20 minutes ago, simon43 said:

Yes indeed!  Having suffered from this condition for so many years, and having met with 'blank looks' by every single doctor whom I have consulted in the UK and Thailand, I'm pretty confident (with my scientific hat on), that the diagnosis by Dr Google is correct.  (The part that actually convinced me are my clubbed toenails!)

I too have consulted Dr. Google. I was amazed how many varieties of clubnails there were. (including pictures).
As mentioned above, we all should patiently await "Sheryls" assessement.

Otherwise we run the risk that contributors here will classify clubnails are harbingers of cancer, cholera and tropical yellow fever.

I just hope that certain contributors here can await "Sheryls" assessement, avoiding endless and pointless speculations.

[Pouatchee]

this machine is designed specifically to help coughing... if you can find or order one in thailand

it's called aerobika and you can google it

[simon43]

1 hour ago, Pouatchee said:

this machine is designed specifically to help coughing... if you can find or order one in thailand

it's called aerobika and you can google it

Thanks!  I know about this type of device and will soon order one of these from Amazon!  I already have the contraption where you have to suck a tube to force 3 balls to rise as high as possible (maybe you know the one).

 

Since returning to Jomtien Beach on Sunday, my bronchitis and excess mucus is much reduced 🙂

[simon43]

7 hours ago, swissie said:

I too have consulted Dr. Google. I was amazed how many varieties of clubnails there were. (including pictures).
As mentioned above, we all should patiently await "Sheryls" assessement.

Otherwise we run the risk that contributors here will classify clubnails are harbingers of cancer, cholera and tropical yellow fever.

I just hope that certain contributors here can await "Sheryls" assessement, avoiding endless and pointless speculations.

But do those with club toenails also have bronchitis and pneumonia flare-ups, and cough copious amounts of mucus from their lungs for the past 25 years? 🙂

 

[Pouatchee]

7 minutes ago, simon43 said:

I already have the contraption where you have to suck a tube to force 3 balls to rise as high as possible

 

I have that one too... but it is not designed to help cough whereas the aerobika one's purpose is just that... I was given one after a few serious pneumonias followed by influenza type A and RSV virus contracted simultaneously

[impulse]

14 hours ago, simon43 said:

The final er... 'killer' symptom of Bronchiectasis was 'clubbed toes'.  My friendly online doctor flashed up images of normal toes and clubbed toes that Bronchiectasis patients typically have.  WTF!  My toes are like that and I thought everyone had toes like that........ (I don't go around staring at ugly feet and I assumed that my ugly toes were just normal).

 

Years ago, back in West Texas, I had a great doctor who always wanted to examine my feet.  I say he was a great doctor because he would actually spend time with patients and listen to us, while most of my doctors would shuffle me out the door in 5 minutes or less with a wild guess what pills I should buy and come back if they didn't work.  (He also warned me against taking any shots made in France.  Said he'd rather swim in sewage.)

 

I always wondered if he just had a foot fetish.  Maybe not?

 

[Sheryl]

I do not share your confidence in "Dr. Google". It is not designed to yield accurate medical diagnoses, it just kicks up whatever on the internet contain the key words - with no regard for relative importance or even accuracy,.

 

Surely over the years you have had chest Xrays, I assume these were normal? And pulmonary function tests? Assuming yes to both and both normal, bronchiectasis is unlikely and, if present, would be mild (if severe PFTs would normally be affected).

 

But if you want to be sure, a high resolution CT  will definitely tell you if the bronchi are abnormally dilated.

 

Bronchiectasis does not directly cause clubbing of the toes.  When it occurs in bronchiectasis it is due to chronic hypoxia and would also affect the fingers. I think you'd know/ doctors would have spotted it  if your oxygen levels were low.

 

Many possible causes of clubbed toes including idiopathic. 

 

 

[AgMech Cowboy]

21 hours ago, simon43 said:

My friendly online doctor flashed up images of normal toes and clubbed toes that Bronchiectasis patients typically have.  WTF! 

Well, shucks, Simon. I thought you were on to something regarding 'our' toes.  I hope you've solved your problem with this diagnosis.  As for me, I'll just continue to try and not grip the ground with them and building calluses on the ends of the 3rd & 4th toe of my left foot.  (It all started when I picked up playing golf 25 years ago).

We do have some ugly feet. I was working a rig a few years ago and most people wore flip flops or crocs in the quarters.  One man (on my management team) had some of the straightest long toes I'd ever seen. I didn't know men could grow such toes. He was Australian, so I notched it up to living bare foot or wearing flip flops near the beach all his life. 🤣 Lucky dude

[Globalres]

23 hours ago, simon43 said:

(long post, but maybe useful information for other forum members).

 

No, it's not a case of looking through an online list of diseases and saying "I've got that and I've got that!". I am very sure that I have finally identified what has given me poor lung health for the past 25 years, thanks to the state of my toes!

 

Why haven't the doctors in the UK and Thailand been able to identify this condition? Because (IMHO), they have been totally useless, failing to identify very well-known symptoms of this disease, symptoms that are not hidden away from sight.

 

So what is Bronchiectasis)?  It is basically widening of the bronchial airways, such that excess amounts of mucus can build up in these, causing breathing difficulties (in some cases), and especially causing infections such as bronchitis, thanks to the build-up of bacteria in these retained mucus lumps, which would normally be coughed up from the airways.

 

I always wondered why the x-rays and lung function tests that I previously had never showed anything wrong with my lungs' abilities to exchange gases (respiration).  That's because there is nothing wrong with my alveoli function, and I don't get short of breath.  The problem lies with my lung bronchi, which collect large amounts of very sticky mucus, because these airways are wider than normal and the body's natural function is to coat the airways with sticky mucus to catch bacteria etc.

 

I had sputum tests which never found any bacteria etc. But the doctors failed to pick up my comments about excessive amounts of mucus!  "You're fine, no problem" was their comment time and time again 🙂

 

So I got together with Dr Google to research different kinds of lung illnesses, such as asthma, COPD and so on.  My symptoms excluded these illnesses, but Bronchiectasis fitted the bill exactly.  In fact, I'm reassured that it's Bronchiectasis and not COPD. COPD leads to progressive narrowing of the bronchi, and that surely can't end well.  Bronchiectasis is widening of the airways, and is not progressive if it's controlled by removing the excessive mucus.

 

The final er... 'killer' symptom of Bronchiectasis was 'clubbed toes'.  My friendly online doctor flashed up images of normal toes and clubbed toes that Bronchiectasis patients typically have.  WTF!  My toes are like that and I thought everyone had toes like that........ (I don't go around staring at ugly feet and I assumed that my ugly toes were just normal).

 

The causes of Bronchiectasis could be down to asthma, lung infections etc.  In my case, I recall getting very sick after working in a damp, underground, unheated office that had been empty for many years.  My UK doctors could find no cause for my ill-health and I assumed that it might be down to aspergillosis fungal spores in the room.  But lung x-rays never found any lung shadows etc and my lung function remained relatively normal, apart from regular bronchitis, pneumonia and explosive coughing fits that physically drained me.

 

On the advice of my UK doctor, I moved to the hot/humid climate of Thailand, and that certainly helped, but smoky air pollution would still cause flare-ups, as happened last week when I went to visit smoky Luang Prabang.

 

A forum member suggested that I try N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine tablets to thin the mucus so that it can be coughed up, and I'm very grateful to him because this certainly helps.

Now that I'm pretty sure that I've identified the illness, I can concentrate on methods of coughing up this excess mucus, such as by using the thinning medication and 'huff' coughing. (I've been trying that and it helps).

 

I won't bother asking a 'real' doctor to confirm my diagnosis, 'cos me and Dr Google do seem to have identified the culprit 🙂

 

 

 

 

23 hours ago, simon43 said:

(long post, but maybe useful information for other forum members).

 

No, it's not a case of looking through an online list of diseases and saying "I've got that and I've got that!". I am very sure that I have finally identified what has given me poor lung health for the past 25 years, thanks to the state of my toes!

 

Why haven't the doctors in the UK and Thailand been able to identify this condition? Because (IMHO), they have been totally useless, failing to identify very well-known symptoms of this disease, symptoms that are not hidden away from sight.

 

So what is Bronchiectasis)?  It is basically widening of the bronchial airways, such that excess amounts of mucus can build up in these, causing breathing difficulties (in some cases), and especially causing infections such as bronchitis, thanks to the build-up of bacteria in these retained mucus lumps, which would normally be coughed up from the airways.

 

I always wondered why the x-rays and lung function tests that I previously had never showed anything wrong with my lungs' abilities to exchange gases (respiration).  That's because there is nothing wrong with my alveoli function, and I don't get short of breath.  The problem lies with my lung bronchi, which collect large amounts of very sticky mucus, because these airways are wider than normal and the body's natural function is to coat the airways with sticky mucus to catch bacteria etc.

 

I had sputum tests which never found any bacteria etc. But the doctors failed to pick up my comments about excessive amounts of mucus!  "You're fine, no problem" was their comment time and time again 🙂

 

So I got together with Dr Google to research different kinds of lung illnesses, such as asthma, COPD and so on.  My symptoms excluded these illnesses, but Bronchiectasis fitted the bill exactly.  In fact, I'm reassured that it's Bronchiectasis and not COPD. COPD leads to progressive narrowing of the bronchi, and that surely can't end well.  Bronchiectasis is widening of the airways, and is not progressive if it's controlled by removing the excessive mucus.

 

The final er... 'killer' symptom of Bronchiectasis was 'clubbed toes'.  My friendly online doctor flashed up images of normal toes and clubbed toes that Bronchiectasis patients typically have.  WTF!  My toes are like that and I thought everyone had toes like that........ (I don't go around staring at ugly feet and I assumed that my ugly toes were just normal).

 

The causes of Bronchiectasis could be down to asthma, lung infections etc.  In my case, I recall getting very sick after working in a damp, underground, unheated office that had been empty for many years.  My UK doctors could find no cause for my ill-health and I assumed that it might be down to aspergillosis fungal spores in the room.  But lung x-rays never found any lung shadows etc and my lung function remained relatively normal, apart from regular bronchitis, pneumonia and explosive coughing fits that physically drained me.

 

On the advice of my UK doctor, I moved to the hot/humid climate of Thailand, and that certainly helped, but smoky air pollution would still cause flare-ups, as happened last week when I went to visit smoky Luang Prabang.

 

A forum member suggested that I try N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine tablets to thin the mucus so that it can be coughed up, and I'm very grateful to him because this certainly helps.

Now that I'm pretty sure that I've identified the illness, I can concentrate on methods of coughing up this excess mucus, such as by using the thinning medication and 'huff' coughing. (I've been trying that and it helps).

 

I won't bother asking a 'real' doctor to confirm my diagnosis, 'cos me and Dr Google do seem to have identified the culprit 🙂

 

 

 

I have COPD, diagnosed 20 yrs back and can confirm that NAC is excellent in loosening up mucus.  You can also add Mullein leaf and Boswellia 5-LOX inhibitor.  They work synergistically  you can find them all at iHerb.  An additional thing that I use for getting rid of stuck phlegm is an OPEP device.  This has saved me long time.  You were talking about controlled coughing, this device forces you to cough.  It looks like a pipe, and inside the head part is a metal ball.  You exhale into this pipe which causes the metal ball to oscillate.  This in turn apparently vibrates into your airways which forces you to cough.  I do 10 exhales every morning.  Since you get rid of a lot of excess phlegm that way, you are less prone to bacteria growing in the mucus in your lungs.  I’m surprised pulmonologists do not actually suggest this to patients with this problem.  I did ask my pulmonologist why, his reply was “not all people with lung issues are able to exhale into it properly”.  Yes, insane - right?

However I bought my OPEP device on Lazada, probably 5-6 yrs ago for a few hundred THB, imported from China.  Also bought a fancy one from Australia for US$100:-, thought it may be better.  Indeed, it looked very elegant indeed, did the exact same job and lasted me 6 months before the fancy coloured plastic bits started chipping off 😂.  
As you mentioned, it’s important to get rid of the stagnant mucus so infections don’t get hold.  Hope this info is of interest.  
 

[simon43]

40 minutes ago, Globalres said:

 

I have COPD, diagnosed 20 yrs back and can confirm that NAC is excellent in loosening up mucus.  You can also add Mullein leaf and Boswellia 5-LOX inhibitor.  They work synergistically  you can find them all at iHerb.  An additional thing that I use for getting rid of stuck phlegm is an OPEP device.  This has saved me long time.  You were talking about controlled coughing, this device forces you to cough.  It looks like a pipe, and inside the head part is a metal ball.  You exhale into this pipe which causes the metal ball to oscillate.  This in turn apparently vibrates into your airways which forces you to cough.  I do 10 exhales every morning.  Since you get rid of a lot of excess phlegm that way, you are less prone to bacteria growing in the mucus in your lungs.  I’m surprised pulmonologists do not actually suggest this to patients with this problem.  I did ask my pulmonologist why, his reply was “not all people with lung issues are able to exhale into it properly”.  Yes, insane - right?

However I bought my OPEP device on Lazada, probably 5-6 yrs ago for a few hundred THB, imported from China.  Also bought a fancy one from Australia for US$100:-, thought it may be better.  Indeed, it looked very elegant indeed, did the exact same job and lasted me 6 months before the fancy coloured plastic bits started chipping off 😂.  
As you mentioned, it’s important to get rid of the stagnant mucus so infections don’t get hold.  Hope this info is of interest.  
 

Thanks - I plan to order one asap - I'm just changing my shipping address in Thailand.

 

Sheryl, I certainly haven't noticed any degradation in my lung health over the past 25 years.  The 'flare-ups' (chronic bronchitis, excess mucus etc), were reduced in number since I left the UK climate to south-east Asia, but are definitely exacerbated by smoky air.  I have no plans to consult any medical doctors about this because a:my condition has not degraded in 25 years and b) I have little confidence nowadays in the medical profession and c) use of huff coughing, avoidance of smoky air, use of mucus thinners and use of other mucus-clearing aids seems to be enough for me to maintain reasonable lung health.  Were my illness due to COPD, I think that the narrowing of my bronchi would (by now) have resulted in shortness of breath etc.  My lung function seems almost normal, except for the excess mucus and throat infections created by the bacteria in this excess mucus.

[Grusa]

 

It has been said that he who is his own lawyer, is sure to have a fool for his client; and that he who is his own physician is equally sure to have a fool for his patient.

[Globalres]

3 hours ago, simon43 said:

Thanks - I plan to order one asap - I'm just changing my shipping address in Thailand.

 

Sheryl, I certainly haven't noticed any degradation in my lung health over the past 25 years.  The 'flare-ups' (chronic bronchitis, excess mucus etc), were reduced in number since I left the UK climate to south-east Asia, but are definitely exacerbated by smoky air.  I have no plans to consult any medical doctors about this because a:my condition has not degraded in 25 years and b) I have little confidence nowadays in the medical profession and c) use of huff coughing, avoidance of smoky air, use of mucus thinners and use of other mucus-clearing aids seems to be enough for me to maintain reasonable lung health.  Were my illness due to COPD, I think that the narrowing of my bronchi would (by now) have resulted in shortness of breath etc.  My lung function seems almost normal, except for the excess mucus and throat infections created by the bacteria in this excess mucus.

I too have lost my confidence in allopathic docs these days.  Eg, many years ago I started researching on COPD, and eventually came across NAC.  Next time for a refill of my inhalers, I asked my doc about it, and he said it was a very good idea.  Why on earth did he not suggest this himself many years earlier?  Furthermore, I started using a lung exercise device, called Airofit, used by athletes as well as people with lung issues.  I use this every day for about 15 mins.  It has increased my lung capacity, and I am able to control my breathing extremely well.  Again, I mentioned this to my doc, and he just said there are many similar devices in Thailand.  So why did he not mention this a long time ago?  The only thing he was good at was increasing the strength of my corticosteroids, which in fact, in retrospect was not necessary and in fact contributed to my bone loss.   Allopathic medicine is great for acute problems, heart attacks, stroke, broken limbs, physical injuries, but metabolic problems they tend to use petrochemical warfare to stop the symptoms.  The root cause seems to not be an issue.

i have now found a holistic doctor who uses a completely different approach and I find myself actually healing.  Yes, it takes longer time to get relief from the symptoms, but the end result is more of a cure than a bandaid.  Symptoms are really the body communicating that something is wrong,  by chopping off that communication line does not cure you.  A new symptom elsewhere will pop up instead, often called a side effect of the petrochemical drug you were given in the first place.

Best of luck to your journey of feeling better, the OPEP is certainly a good tool.  The supplements I mentioned are excellent as well.  

[Globalres]

6 minutes ago, Globalres said:

I too have lost my confidence in allopathic docs these days.  Eg, many years ago I started researching on COPD, and eventually came across NAC.  Next time for a refill of my inhalers, I asked my doc about it, and he said it was a very good idea.  Why on earth did he not suggest this himself many years earlier?  Furthermore, I started using a lung exercise device, called Airofit, used by athletes as well as people with lung issues.  I use this every day for about 15 mins.  It has increased my lung capacity, and I am able to control my breathing extremely well.  Again, I mentioned this to my doc, and he just said there are many similar devices in Thailand.  So why did he not mention this a long time ago?  The only thing he was good at was increasing the strength of my corticosteroids, which in fact, in retrospect was not necessary and in fact contributed to my bone loss.   Allopathic medicine is great for acute problems, heart attacks, stroke, broken limbs, physical injuries, but metabolic problems they tend to use petrochemical warfare to stop the symptoms.  The root cause seems to not be an issue.

i have now found a holistic doctor who uses a completely different approach and I find myself actually healing.  Yes, it takes longer time to get relief from the symptoms, but the end result is more of a cure than a bandaid.  Symptoms are really the body communicating that something is wrong,  by chopping off that communication line does not cure you.  A new symptom elsewhere will pop up instead, often called a side effect of the petrochemical drug you were given in the first place.

Best of luck to your journey of feeling better, the OPEP is certainly a good tool.  The supplements I mentioned are excellent as well.  

BTW, before anyone laughs at “holistic” doc, let me state that this dock is an MD and has a PhD in neuroscience, is well versed and educated in Chinese Traditional Medicine as well as Ayurdevic medicine.  This doc used to work in hospitals/clinics but realised that the protocols that were expected to be adhered to - did nothing at all to cure the patients.  It only kept the patients coming back for more.  Guess from a business point of view, it was good practice.

[NorthernRyland]

On 4/30/2025 at 5:43 PM, simon43 said:

On the advice of my UK doctor, I moved to the hot/humid climate of Thailand, and that certainly helped, but smoky air pollution would still cause flare-ups, as happened last week when I went to visit smoky Luang Prabang.

 

 

My uncle got bronchitis last year and it's not gone away ever since. I suspect it's a lifelong illness now. He's 73 and lives in Pai which has some of the most extreme smoke anywhere in Thailand, I'm talking days where it's 400+ AQI and thick like fog.

 

Not sure where this goes but it has seriously impacted his quality of life. He was in Pai for 23 years and made it this far.