Pulmonary function tests aren’t the same as tests for gas exchange and don’t really measure how well oxygen and carbon dioxide move at the alveolar level. Instead, they look at how air flows in and out of your lung, how fast it goes in, how much air you can take in, and how quickly you can blow it out.

 

In bronchiectasis, the bronchial walls are damaged, especially the elastic and muscular parts, so they can’t keep their normal shape. That makes it harder to breathe out forcefully, which shows up in the test results.

 

Glad to hear you’re happy at the beach. Being by the sea can actually feel great for people with chronic lung issues, whatever it is.

2 hours ago, simon43 said:

why would bronchiectasis produce an abnormal lung function result? The function of exchange of gases in my alveoli should not be affected by this illness.

That the exchange of gases works is measured by the diffusion capacity.

But the mucus will obstruct the bronchi, so one would expect signs of obstruction.

(Furthermore, non-CF bronchiectasis is often caused by COPD - and you don't have CF, you would be dead already)

Later,  the chronic inflammation leads to fibrosis, so one expects signs of restriction (the lungs are not that elastic anymore) and impaired exchange of gases.

 

Pulmonary function tests can be helpful for documenting baseline function and for monitoring disease progression. Bronchiectasis causes airflow limitation (reduced forced expiratory volume in 1 second [FEV1] with reduction in the FEV1/FVC ratio); the FEV1 may improve in response to beta-agonist bronchodilators. In more advanced cases, progressive fibrosis may result in decreases in forced vital capacity (FVC), evidence of a restrictive defect on lung volume measurements, and a decreased diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide (DLCO).

 

BTW I  looked what Google (specifically Wikipedia) says about bronchiectasis, and I wouldn't think it's that clear-cut if I read that.

It says clubbing is a rare symptom - and when you look up clubbing,  they give you 20 conditions that can cause it.

 

Anyway, your therapeutic consequences (NAC, clean air, etc) are certainly good.

Don't forget vaccinations against pneumococcus (once) and influenza (every year).

(A CT scan would tell you if you really have bronchiectasis, but even if you don't, these are good therapeutic measures)

 

PS I just see @PPMMUU was faster

@PPMMUU and Lorry - thanks very much for your explanations.  Indeed, my exhaling ability is reduced, but the degradation has not changed in 25 years.  I have never had a CT lung scan - since the doctors that I previously consulted in the UK and Thailand all stated that there was nothing wrong with my lungs and no further investigations were therefore necessary!  I do keep up to date with the various vaccinations against pneumonia (13 and 23), and flu etc.

 

Right now at Khanom Beach, my bronchitis from the smoky air in Laos some 3 weeks ago has almost disappeared and my lung mucus is minor and thin, so all good news 🙂

On 5/9/2025 at 2:37 AM, simon43 said:

@PPMMUU and Lorry - thanks very much for your explanations.  Indeed, my exhaling ability is reduced, but the degradation has not changed in 25 years.  I have never had a CT lung scan - since the doctors that I previously consulted in the UK and Thailand all stated that there was nothing wrong with my lungs and no further investigations were therefore necessary!  I do keep up to date with the various vaccinations against pneumonia (13 and 23), and flu etc.

 

Right now at Khanom Beach, my bronchitis from the smoky air in Laos some 3 weeks ago has almost disappeared and my lung mucus is minor and thin, so all good news 🙂

So glad to hear that the OP is doing better near the beach, with an ocean breeze blowing "inland". How is that away from the ocean breeze in Jomtien/Pattaya?

 

Even as a smoker, I found the air pollution (car exhausts) in those places comparable to the "burning season" up north. Remedy: OP staying near the beach 24/7?

On 5/10/2025 at 9:50 PM, swissie said:

So glad to hear that the OP is doing better near the beach, with an ocean breeze blowing "inland". How is that away from the ocean breeze in Jomtien/Pattaya?

 

Even as a smoker, I found the air pollution (car exhausts) in those places comparable to the "burning season" up north. Remedy: OP staying near the beach 24/7?

I think the sea air down here in Khanom is a little cleaner than my condo in Jomtien.  I'm inclined to stay down here since I have room for my ham radio antennas 🙂

On 5/2/2025 at 7:38 AM, simon43 said:

I've found that the intelligence level of 'Dr Google' seems to depend upon that of the person asking the question.  Ask a stupid question, get a stupid answer.  But ask a specific question, based upon your own scientific research etc, and Dr Google can certainly help to identify possible causes, diagnoses etc.

Well done.  Dr Google / AI is excellent, and yes, you have to know how to ask the question.   At worse, you'll get pointed in the right direction, possibly, probably a few.

 

But beats the uncaring, pill pushing docs that seem to only want to treat symptoms, not caring about the causes.   It amazes me how brainwashed some medical professionals are, and how I seem to actually know and can diagnosis things a bit better then them, without the 6-8 yrs of Uni & internship at hospitals 

 

If listening to half the docs out there, I'd probably be on dialysis, as kidneys & liver couldn't process half the crap they've prescribed to me.  Which I've smartly ignored their advice & pills after a wee bit of research.  

14 hours ago, KhunLA said:

Well done.  Dr Google / AI is excellent, and yes, you have to know how to ask the question.   At worse, you'll get pointed in the right direction, possibly, probably a few.

 

But beats the uncaring, pill pushing docs that seem to only want to treat symptoms, not caring about the causes.   It amazes me how brainwashed some medical professionals are, and how I seem to actually know and can diagnosis things a bit better then them, without the 6-8 yrs of Uni & internship at hospitals 

 

If listening to half the docs out there, I'd probably be on dialysis, as kidneys & liver couldn't process half the crap they've prescribed to me.  Which I've smartly ignored their advice & pills after a wee bit of research.  

See @Sheryl's advice above. 

 

Google (non-AI) often gives laymen a reasonable idea about a disease they have,  but just as often it leads in the wrong direction. 

Example: every farang tourist who gets Dengue here, will Google it. Many than think they can never visit the tropics again, because a second infection will be life threatening. If they would look at the outside world, instead of the phone screen, they would see billions of people living in the tropics, not 2 or 3 weeks but a whole life... somehow this is possible

 

AI on the contrary is just crap, a typical product of the enşhittification of the internet

14 hours ago, Lorry said:

See @Sheryl's advice above. 

 

Google (non-AI) often gives laymen a reasonable idea about a disease they have,  but just as often it leads in the wrong direction. 

Example: every farang tourist who gets Dengue here, will Google it. Many than think they can never visit the tropics again, because a second infection will be life threatening. If they would look at the outside world, instead of the phone screen, they would see billions of people living in the tropics, not 2 or 3 weeks but a whole life... somehow this is possible

 

AI on the contrary is just crap, a typical product of the enşhittification of the internet

I would add that the  AI now available in the public domain is optimized or designed for medical diagnosis.

 

AI simply summarizes whatever web content  the search terms evoke, with no scientific understanding guiding the process.