Calling all established bronchiectasis mucus clearers 😬

[Phill1]

just a query to put to anyone that's been doing airway clearance for years... I'm one and a bit years into Autogenic Drainage plus using aerobica... Still fell a novice! Have colonized psedomonas but feeling good/ well at the moment...

Been plodding along nicely doing AD and fairly easily bringing up a regular amount of yellow puddly mucus

Last few days it's mostly just white froth.. With grains of white mucus ...not the usual yellow puddles

Also seems to get stuck round a bend in my neck and more difficult to cough out🥴

Sorry for the description but...

Does this happen from time to time???

Any tips from those that have been at it for years gratefully accepted... Thanks in advance x

[eleanordigby]

Hi Phill. I’ve been doing AD since diagnosis, 20 years now, though as my bronch has got worse, I’ve tweaked it to suit my needs (with the help of RBH’s physios). Do you sit upright? I find it’s much more effective now that I lie on my side (15 mins each). I do a couple of mins upright after each side.

Anyway, to answer your question, yes sometimes it goes well, other times it’s so thick & sticky it’s almost impossible. Do you drink plenty? That makes a huge difference. The colour of mine, with no infection, varies from very pale yellow to dark yellow. Infection = green.

I know exactly what you mean about it seeming to disappear! The physios explained you can get the stuff so far up, but then it can slip into an adjoining airway. They say not to worry, it’ll come up later, as you move around, but I find this incredibly frustrating!

When you do your breathing, it’s very important to pause for 2-3 seconds at the top of the breath (whether at breathing or huffing stage). That allows the breath to get behind the stuff, which helps move it up

If I think of anything else I’ll let you know!

[Phill1 in reply to eleanordigby]

Thanks for response ED.👍

..I do drink plenty/ take a NAC daily & lie on my side ...and pause for a number of seconds at the top of breath .

Thought I'd got a routine/ cracked it ... Then it goes to pot 🙄🙄...these past few days it's been a bit stickier /stuck & frothy whiter .🥴.. ... & Irritatingly Feel it coming up during the night Don't know if I should be pleased that the mucus color is white rather than yellow...? Or is the yellow stuff still down there🤔

Main thing is I fell well 🤞🤞🤞

[O2Trees in reply to Phill1]

I have the frothy white stuff and its hard to cough up -and for me this is from reflux, acid getting into the airways. Just a thought.

[Phill1 in reply to O2Trees]

that's interesting...I do have a bit of reflux.. 🙄. Have been trying to live with it.

. Maybe I should try Treating it 🥴

[Phill1 in reply to O2Trees]

hi again

Just wanted to thank you so much for your post ...which has been a godsend

Started taking Gaviscon Advance 3x daily and things have improved 😁

Back to coughing up Puddly pale yellow mucus and reflux much better.

Had previously been on PPI's but they didn't seem to work for me ... Don't know why...so tried taking Gaviscon regularly instead.

This forum is great ....you rescued my Xmas! .. Thanks again 👍

[eleanordigby in reply to Phill1]

That’s brilliant, and proves just how helpful this forum is. Well done O2Trees 👏🏻

[Phill1 in reply to eleanordigby]

Thanks ED… so true x

[Lfcpremier]

Main thing is you feel well! Consultant always says to me go on how well you fe. 💕X

[Phill1 in reply to Lfcpremier]

wise words ... Thank you! 😁

[Alberta56]

I produced white sticky mucus when I had covid. I don't know why.