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finding it difficult to maintain a healthy body weight due to loss of appetite.reducing lung function making breathing harder.Other symptoms might include a troublesome cough, poor appetite, chest pain and disturbed sleep patterns. Flare-ups usually reduce oxygen in your blood further and can make these symptoms worse. This can cause fluid retention in your legs and tummy, which can be uncomfortable. Reduced lung function may result in low levels of oxygen in the blood. It can become uncomfortable to breathe if you lie flat, so you could try sleeping in a fairly upright position. Any exertion, even just changing your position, talking, or eating, might make you feel out of breath. Your lungs become less efficient as long-term lung disease develops. After each flare-up, or exacerbation, their lung function doesn’t quite get back to the level it was before and breathing becomes more difficult. This is particularly true of interstitial lung diseases, such as IPF.įor those in the final stages of a lung condition, breathing becomes noticeably worse. Some people’s breathing might get worse much more quickly, over weeks or months. The most common symptom is feeling increasingly out of breath. Most long-term lung conditions get gradually worse over several years. Experiencing these symptoms doesn’t necessarily mean someone is close to death. But it’s not always easy to predict when life will come to an end.Įach person’s experience at the end of life is different. Other tests can be used to assess the state of your lungs and to try to determine what the underlying cause of your bronchiectasis may be.As people reach the final stages of long-term lung disease there are often typical physical changes. If the scan shows that a section of airways is actually getting wider, this usually confirms bronchiectasis. In a healthy pair of lungs, the bronchi should become narrower the further they spread into your lungs, in the same way a tree branch separates into narrower branches and twigs. This produces a very detailed picture of the inside of your body, and the airways inside your lungs (the bronchi) should show up very clearly. Further testing HRCT scanĬurrently, the most effective test available to diagnose bronchiectasis is called a high-resolution CT (HRCT) scan.Ī HRCT scan involves taking several X-rays of your chest at slightly different angles. A computer is then used to put all the images together. If the GP suspects you could have bronchiectasis, you'll be referred to a doctor who specialises in treating lung conditions (a respiratory consultant) for further testing. If the GP thinks you may have a lung infection, they may take a sample of your phlegm so it can be checked for bacteria. You'll also probably have a chest X-ray to rule out other, more serious, causes of your symptoms, such as lung cancer. The lungs of people with bronchiectasis often make a distinctive crackling noise as a person breathes in and out. They may also listen to your lungs with a stethoscope as you breathe in and out. The GP will ask you about your symptoms, such as how often you cough, whether you bring up any phlegm (sputum), and whether you smoke. You should see a GP for advice if you develop a persistent cough so they can look for a possible cause.