The Bronchiectasis Patient Checklist Your Doctor Wishes You’d Bring To Every Appointment

If you live with bronchiectasis, you already know life can feel a bit like being the slightly chaotic star of your own medical sitcom. One minute you're doing fine, and the next you're hacking up enough sputum to qualify as a special-effects machine. But here’s the thing. Even the best doctors rely on you to tell them what’s really going on, because sadly none of them come with built in mind reading technology.

That’s where this glorious tool comes in. Drumroll please.

The Bronchiectasis Patient Checklist. It’s based on the European Bronchiectasis Guidelines, and it acts like a friendly, slightly bossy co-pilot for your health. You can download it and even share it with your care team. Think of it as the adult version of handing in your homework on time, except the teacher is your consultant and the reward is better health. The checklist is vetted and supported by:

Before I walk you through it, remember this. The most powerful thing you can do is track your symptoms and stats regularly, then waltz into your appointment with confidence, notes in hand like the organised legend you are. That is why I created the Log Book, it makes that part easy. 👉 https://www.livingwellwithbronchiectasis.com/

Why This Checklist Matters

Here are some of the gems you’ll find inside the checklist, taken directly from the guidelines. And yes, I’m giving them a little translation into normal human speak.

• “I understand what bronchiectasis is and know where to find information and support.”Translation. You don’t need a medical degree, but you do deserve proper information instead of trying to decode medical jargon at 2 AM.

  
  

• “My doctor has performed tests to find the cause of my bronchiectasis.” Because sometimes it does have a cause and sometimes it’s a mysterious guest who never RSVPs.

  
  

• “I give a sputum sample once a year.” Glamorous? No. Important? Extremely. Your sputum has secrets and your doctor needs them.

  
  

• “I know how to recognise a chest infection and what to do.” Having a plan stops panic. And trust me, knowing what your own ‘uh oh’ signs look like is a superpower. Measuring your stats daily with the log book will help highlight any irregularities.

  
  

• “When I develop a chest infection, I am given antibiotics for 2 weeks.” Not 3 days. Not 7. Two weeks. Your lungs like consistency.

  
  

• “I was shown airway clearance exercises.” If you haven’t been taught proper techniques, make noise. Loudly. Preferably with a productive cough.

  
  

• “If I get 3 or more infections per year, other treatments were discussed.” Three is the magic number. If you’re hitting it, the plan needs to adjust.

  
  

• “I was offered pulmonary rehab if I suffer breathlessness.” It’s basically gym class for lungs. Less judgement and more breathing.

  
  

• “I know what all my medication is for.” If your inhaler collection looks like a small pharmacy, you should still know what each one does.

  
  

• “I take responsibility for my health by eating well, exercising and getting my flu jab.” It’s your body. You’re the captain. Your healthcare team is the crew.

  
  

These statements come directly from the checklist you can download and share with your clinician.

They reflect what you should reasonably expect from good bronchiectasis care.

But here’s the real magic

You won’t remember all this at your next appointment unless you: write things down.Preferably not on a napkin, the back of an envelope or a random phone note titled “???” from six months ago.

Use the Log Book, where you can track:

• symptoms

• infections

• sputum changes

• medications

• exercise

• airway clearance

• questions for your clinician

Trust me, this is the stuff that improves care. And it makes your doctor’s eyes light up with joy because you’ve brought actual data instead of guessing.

Ready to Download the Checklist?

You can access the full ERS Bronchiectasis Patient Checklist 👉 here. Feel free to print it out, share it or turn it into your new fridge art.

Final Thought

Living with bronchiectasis doesn’t mean living in confusion or chaos.

With the right tools, the right conversations and a little humour along the way, you can take control of your health journey.

Now go on and be that patient who comes in prepared, confident and tracking like a pro.

Your future self will thank you. And so will your doctor.