Beating Bronchiectasis: How I Went from Diagnosis to Full Recovery in Just One Year

by Daniel Pecaut, Michael Jung (Foreword)

Beating Bronchiectasis is one man's personal story of overcoming hopelessness in the face of rapidly-deteriorating health and being written off by the best doctors. Forced to take full responsibility for his own recovery, he researches and creates his own demanding plan to get back what he lost. The only question is: Will it work?

During one particularly bad winter, Daniel's health started deteriorating rapidly in a downward spiral that lasted months. This free fall lasted until a life-altering appointment at the Mayo Clinic gave him the diagnosis: Bronchiectasis.

But their only advice for him going forward was, "Don't get sick."

Realizing his doctors had written him off, Daniel went into denial. His situation was dire--he was dying. But if he wanted to live, he had to take control of his health. Daniel built a healing dream team, including a medical concierge, and started moving slowly but surely on the journey to optimum health.

As his story progresses, Daniel describes in great detail the tips and treatments he learns along the way. He describes how he found them, how he used them and what each of them did for him. The combined results of which were life-changing.

After 18 months of following his regime every day, he regained his vitality and energy. Instead of waking up exhausted after sleeping for 14 hours, he now felt rested after eight. Instead of getting winded while walking, he could comfortably run a 10K (6.2 miles) in an hour. He increased his lung capacity and cleared out the mucus in his lungs and sinuses. In the end, he was finally able to breathe deeply and easily once again.

His resounding victory is proof that you don't have to lie down and suffer in the face of debilitating illness.

Genres: Health

102 pages, Paperback

Published November 11, 2016

About the author

Daniel Pecaut is a Harvard graduate whose insights have been featured in the New York Times, Money Magazine, Outstanding Investor Digest, and the Omaha-World Herald.

He has worked in investing for 30+ years and is Chairman and Chief Investment Officer of a successful investment firm, Pecaut & Company.

Reviews

[Vicki Parker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Disciple to manage bronchiectasis

I have had bronchiectasis for 34 years. This is the first I have read anything pertaining to the management of my disease.

[Jeff Bobula · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book because my father has bronchiectasis and he went outside the "hospital norm" to try and cure the illness on his own. This book was greatly beneficial to him and has assisted him on his road to recovery. He suggested I skim it to get a better understanding of what he faced and is still facing. He's made marked improvements since utilizing some of the techniques mentioned in this book.

Since the main content doesn't apply to me myself (the reason I gave 4/5), I did want to mention I really aligned with the portion of Daniel's experience at the Zen retreat that helped him realize he needed to take matters into his own. I've never taken one but it sounds incredibly helpful. I meditate daily and am working up to a retreat/community - even if it may bring up painful experiences, Daniel wonderfully illuminates how helpful and illuminating these practices can be.

There are lots of helpful tips of what helped Daniel tame bronchiectasis in the book, but he makes special mention that he's not a doctor and is only sharing his experience. From what my Dad mentions, a lot of the techniques and specialists Daniel uses seem to be pretty expensive, so they may not be accessible to all people (my father wasn't able to utilize every aspect of what the book covers, but has utilized enough that it was massively helpful in his current recovery).

The writing in this book is simple, straightforward, yet not-at-all dry. It happens to be a very entertaining and personal read even to someone like myself that is not experiencing this issue personally and knows next to nothing about most health matters.

It is definitely very readable by all, but highly, highly recommended to read if you are facing bronchiectasis. Even if one tip of what Daniel mentions he's tried helps you, the cost of this book is worth that alone.

As mentioned, my father has made remarkable improvements in the past year, and I think he and I both owe Daniel a huge thank you for being so fastidious in his mission to beat this issue, and so generous in sharing his experience.

So, thank you Daniel for helping my father. Best of luck to you, and to anyone reading this book facing this issue for themselves, or someone they love that is encountering it. I would read any future books written by Daniel based off of this book. It reads like a self-discovery adventure thriller while simultaneously being an extremely helpful how-to for taking the serious issue bronchiectasis by the reins to try and tame it.

[Becky Voorheis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Useful elements I took away from this book: 1) You have to be your own advocate with the medical system (I’m learning this the hard way as well); 2) there are accessible, affordable ways to take control of getting well (nebulizer, nasal lavage, exercise, meditation, diet); 3) you can’t have it all - if you’re going to prioritize getting better there are several things you have to *not* spend time doing, including important things that bring you joy like spending time with friends and traveling.

What bothered me about this book: 1) it felt very tone deaf and elitist to suggest that people stop working or cut back their hours. While for most every other one of his approaches in the book he acknowledges that it might not be possible or desirable for everyone (herbal supplements, acupuncture, etc) he never says a word about not working being out of most people’s reach. 2) he makes his journey sound like a piece of cake. Yes, he emphasizes the time and willpower he committed to getting through but according to his recounting he never once made a wrong decision, never picked a health care provider that didn’t work out, never had a clinician say no to him, never had a single friend or family member abandon him during his struggle, never wavered from or questioned his plan, and generally never had a single set back. To me, that made it hard for me to connect with the author and detracted substantially from the authenticity of his narrative.

[Sharon Miller · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am very glad I read this short and accessible book. As I share the author's diagnosis: it was very healing, psychologically, to witness another individuals ordeals in managing and dealing with a rare, and hence: poorly understood ailment. All of us who live conscientiously with disability, from Crohn's Disease to Cancer, we all know how it is to play the games of verisimilitude that "normalcy" and a Darwinian bullying pecking order demand. We are all very good at playing that game, even if we are privately sick (In so many more ways than one) and weary of such pretense. The ways in which the weak survive, they ways in which the strong are poisoned everyday today, we all live with disability: it is the new humanity. Our religions and ethical paradigms have yet to catch up. But for now, for me, if we are to be true to out compassionate better angels, there is much work to be done. For all of us. I am grateful to the author of this book for laying out a vulnerable and honest portrait of the difficulties of living with extensive scar tissue on the lungs, and also how to deal with infections when the adaptive body's response is actually harmful rather than helpful. (I live with chronic infections, and mucosae that are too thick to be advantageous, and are actually quite sticky and harmful.) This book full of practical practices is both accessible and informative and I would recommend it to anyone who deals with similar and the same issues.

[Barb Dalton · Rating 5 out of 5]

This gives me hope!

Although I take issue with a few of the things in this book, I plan to incorporate many of the author's suggestions into my daily routine. I've just recently been diagnosed with Bronchiectasis and am tremendously encouraged after reading this book!

[Darlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was helpful to read about another person's journey with bronchiectasis to add to my own arsenal of resources. Being a spousal caregiver I cannot eliminate other responsibilities and just focus on myself, but I am motivated to try some new approaches and to stay devoted to my own daily checklist for wellness. I highly recommend the leading respiratory hospital National Jewish Health in Denver, CO for those seeking expert advice.

[Kris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Breathe

It would be nice if we could all take a year off and get ourselves healthy. I incorporate a healthy diet for the past 10 years and I still got bronchiectasis. Its the dry version, but it still is bothersome. I will try a few new tricks thanks to this book.

[michaelpark · Rating 5 out of 5]

From a fellow sufferer

Brilliant book very informative,well written,I shall be taking some of your tips on board .Thank you I feel it may alter my life.

[Linda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I changed my rating from 2 to 4 stars after I realized I am using many of his techniques now. So he had a good influence on me even when I didn’t think I liked the book.

[Denise De · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent read. Useful information and a reminder that we need to take responsibility for our health.

[Pat Stanford · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh

A friend recommended this book after hearing me cough with a long term sinus infection. I really didn't get much out of this "book" except that I should pay better attention to mucus producing foods and get more sleep. I get that 8 hours is what everyone should shoot for, but I haven't had 8 hours sleep in decades. I might try the nebulizer next time though.

[Adam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I started on Bronchiectasis Herbal treatment from ultimate health home,the treatment worked incredibly for my condition,I used the herbal treatment for almost 5 months, it reversed my Bronchiectasis condition,I recommended this ultimatehealthhome@gmail.com to anyone who needs help.

[Deana · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very little helpful info

While this may be an inspiration to take charge of your health, there is little truly useful info. Disappointed in content.

[Betsy Zimmerman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative

Very well written. Encouraging and helpful. Got great information and feel motivated to do better for my health. Great read!

[Abdullah Mothana Obadi Ali Al Yemen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story