Bronchiectasis

DOUBLEDEE777 · Joined: 03 Oct 2018 Posts: 1

I am so happy to have found this forum posting. I am a triathlete who transitioned to aquabike this year and even competed at worlds in Denmark in July I had a serious illness three years ago and developed pleurisy secondary to pericarditis. I thought it was behind me and although I have noticed a decrease in my performance and speed I assumed it was a result of getting older. I am almost 56. I recently got sick and it turned into pneumonia pretty quickly. After 11 days on antibiotics i was still running a fever and feeling very tired and weak A ct scan revealed my bronchiectasis. I have been competing in tris for 8 years. But with this diagnosis I was worried this was the end of my tri career, this gives me hope.

StevieW · Joined: 25 Jul 2007 Posts: 666 Location: Perthshire

I've just stumbled across this thread. I am lifelong asthmatic and was diagnosed with Bronchiectasis about a year ago after a series of chest infections that lead to a chest x-ray and CT scan. After about six months of consultations and sputum tests, I was told that I have a resident colony of microbateria intercellulare and was prescribed a 2 year course of 3 antibiotics to be taken Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
The meds had an almost immediate effect, and this past summer, I had my best ever season in triathlon participating in 6 sprints, with my best ever results. More importantly, I haven't felt this well in years.
My Consultant was very pleased to hear about my training levels even though I don't do masses in comparison to the distance guys, and he reckons this is a good way to reduce the infection risk with Bronchiectasis as it keeps the mucous moving.

Good luck to everyone with this condition.