Traveling with Bronchiectasis

Since being diagnosed with bronchiectasis, I've always taken a rescue antibiotic with me on vacation, just in case. I've never had to use it... until now.

A few days into my trip to Italy, I felt a scratchy throat. I didn't have any other symptoms, but I noticed that I was producing more mucus and it was becoming darker.

I felt well so it was difficult to justify taking antibiotics at first, but after increasing my airway clearance and not seeing any improvement, I decided to start taking a 10-day supply of Levaquin.

It's possible that I just had a virus, but it's also possible that introducing the virus into my lung microbiome made certain bacteria more dominant.

Presently, there's a lot of research being done on the lung and gut microbiome. Some of it focuses on how the relationship and communication amongst the microbes can affect one’s health. It's a fascinating area of study and I think we're going to learn a lot more about it in the next five years.

On a personal note, my hyper-secretions diminished so I feel I made the right call.

​#bronchiectasis #travelingwithbronchiectasis #chroniccough