A bronchoscopy procedure leads to new ‘adventures’ on my journey

My adventure continues. At this point, regular readers might be thinking, “What now?” Some may even pause to make some popcorn before reading further.

I was surprised when I was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in 2017, because I had led a relatively healthy life. Deciding to be positive on my journey was absolutely the right choice for me, and it has served me well over the years.

During a routine clinic visit on April 1, I asked for a refill on an albuterol inhaler because I’d been wheezing a little. That’s not necessarily unusual for me during the spring allergy season. After listening to my lungs, the physician assistant told me she wanted me to have a bronchoscopy.

I’ve stopped counting the number of bronchoscopies I’ve had since my bilateral lung transplant in July 2021. During a routine surveillance bronchoscopy in December 2022, doctors noticed that my left primary bronchus (bronchial stem) had narrowed. My healthcare team made several attempts to train my bronchial stem to remain open by using a technique called balloon dilation, but they were unsuccessful. So the decision was made to place a stent.

At that point, my bronchial stem had narrowed to 3 mm when it should’ve been 12-14 mm. Doctors placed a stent in May 2023, and it remained there until that December.

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How it went

The results of my recent bronchoscopy were fine. The bronchial stem maintained an appropriate size, and nothing of concern was noted.

Then, about seven hours after the procedure, everything changed. We were at church when I got the chills and my entire body began to vibrate uncontrollably. My wife, Susan, got me home.

I previously had this type of experience twice following a bronchoscopy, so I knew what to expect as it began that afternoon. But this episode, which continued for about 24 hours, set a new benchmark for me.

The sudden onset of chills eventually consumed my entire body and was followed closely by a rising body temperature. The chills became debilitating. Susan covered me with quilts on the couch, but it did little to help. Nausea and vomiting struck randomly throughout the night, and the chills continued into the next morning. My fever reached 101 F before returning to normal the following day. Over the following weekend, I experienced general fatigue.

What happened

First, there was no issue with either the bronchoscopy procedure or the anesthesia. Having experienced this before, it’s more likely that my body recognized something as harmful and tried to fight it. I want to be clear that these episodes have not occurred following every bronchoscopy. As bad as I felt, it was just another part of my journey.

My care team called me on the evening of Easter Sunday, which was unusual. The reason soon became clear: One of the lower respiratory cultures collected during the bronchoscopy had been sent to the lab, and by Sunday, it indicated a moderate growth of Streptococcus pneumoniae. I am now on a 10-day course of Augmentin 875 (amoxicillin/clavulanic acid) and have to get labs done in a week.

I’m not sharing this to scare you away from bronchoscopies, which are a necessary surveillance tool, as demonstrated in this case. They allow my care team to observe the health of my lungs up close. As noted above, the procedure was routine. Thankfully, the bacterial growth was found early and is being treated. Keeping my lungs healthy is how I can make every breath count.

Note: Pulmonary Fibrosis News is strictly a news and information website about the disease. It does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on this website. The opinions expressed in this column are not those of Pulmonary Fibrosis News or its parent company, Bionews, and are intended to spark discussion about issues pertaining to pulmonary fibrosis.