Can Bronchiectasis result after just one run in with acute bronchitis that lasted about 3 weeks?
I read that it can occur after recurrent infections, but I only had one...acute bronchitis.
I ask this because after being diagnosed with acute bronchitis 5 weeks ago and having it for 3 weeks, my cough got MUCH MUCH better, but I still can hear/feel the "chest congestion" and purposefully cough to attempt to get rid of the phlegm in my lungs/chest.
When I do cough in the MORNING (on purpose), I cough up quite thick chunks of phlegm that are bright yellow, sometimes a greenish color (I cough about 10 chunks up each morning), and then as the day goes on, when I cough up phlegm, it is white and/or clear, less chunky, but still quite thick.
I am worried about •Bronchiectasis because 1. It's week #5 and although the cough has gotten MUCH better, I still have phlegm/chest congestion daily and 2. That morning phlegm is QUITE thick/chunky.
Can it be that I'm already seeing symptoms of •Bronchiectasis?
Could it be something else?
I'm currently taking nasonex (had a runny/stuffy nose as well...doc thought post nasal drop may be causing chest congestion still), as well as finishing up a 10 day prescription of Doxycycline (doc didn't think it was bacterial, but just in case gave me this to take...I'm on day 5). Neither seem to be signifcantly CHANGING/LESSENING my chest congestion too much.
When should I go back to the doctor? Am I not giving this enough time to "heal"? panicking?