advice

[Numptybrain]

Sorry after my last detailed post I forgot to ask. Has anybody had an induced sputum? I have bronchiastasis and can’t get sputum up no matter what they do or give me I’m on the medication and respiratory physio tried in hospital so that’s what’s planned next.

[Hidden]

Having looked into it , induced sputum is just a tecnical term for the patient inhaling hypertonic saline which loosens the sputum. There are quite a few people with bronchiectasis on this forum who do this at home as a daily treatment. I nebulise isotonic saline but others use hypertonic. I don't quite understand why your medical team haven't given you this as a matter of course. Bronchiectasis is a complex condition. You really need to be under the care of a bronch specialist because GPs and general respiratory consultants know very little about it. Look at the website of your nearest big teaching hospital. Find the name of a bronch specialist. Take it to your GP and insist on a referral.

[Numptybrain in reply to Hidden]

I’m getting it done at hospital using an Ultrasonic Nebulizer so they can get deeper and hopefully get everything up that’s been harbouring, unfortunately I’m just one of those people that something isn’t working properly and I can’t get it up even though I cough daily. I have bilateral pleural effusion and pericarditis so it also doesn’t help.

Wendy xx

[Hidden in reply to Numptybrain]

Quite a few of us have ultra sonic nebulisers. They are good. It is difficult to know if you have been taught a management regime to expel the mucus. I hope that the intention is to give you a nebulizer to keep at home so that you can incorporate its use into your daily routine. Bilateral pleural effusion is one of the problems which can arise in bronch, especially if an exacerbation ( infection) has got out of hand and this is why we have to work very hard to clear the mucus every day. Like you I also have a heart condition.Good luck. I hope that the neb can help to clear your chest and that you will be able to continue with it and with daily clearance breathing and clearance teqniques to keep you well.

[Numptybrain in reply to Hidden]

I’ve got a nebuliser but I think I need a better one as haven’t had respiratory rehab yet and with having brittle asthma in the past I just thought I’d need same nebuliser.

Thanks

Wendy x

[Hidden in reply to Numptybrain]

Asthma with bronch does make it all more difficult and complicated. See how you get on trying to shift it with the ultra sonic. Good jet nebulisers are very efficient. I have a mesh neb because it is almost silent. Ultra sonic nebs are newer tecnology but probably not suitable long term for us because they create heat and are not suitable for nebulising antibiotics.Have they tried giving you carbocysteine to thin the mucus? Or N-Acetyl Cysteine which can be taken as pills or effervescent tablets and my consultant told me this week that if one is in hospital it can be given in nebulised form. I wish we could get it to neb at home.

I hope that helped.

[Numptybrain in reply to Hidden]

yes 2x 3 daily. Can I ask what nebuliser please as it’s a mindfield. I don’t know what to look for at all so mine is probably unsuitable

Thanks

Wendy x

[Hidden in reply to Numptybrain]

Mine is a Pari ebase. I have had it for some years. It creates a very fine mist which 'floats' deep into the lungs. It is good for nebulising antibiotics which could become part of your treatment. The jet nebulisers create bigger droplets so need the force that you see and hear to get the med into your lungs.I have about 4 others but the Pari is my favourite. The respiratory department at the hospital should give you a nebuliser if you are going to neb saline every day. It is probably a good idea to ask the other bronchs on the forum which neb they like best. Not copd members because they don't tend to nebulise antibiotics and the nebulisers that they have might not be suitable the thickness of the solution.I cannot tolerate carbocysteine but have been taking NAC for about a week and I am pretty sure that is working better.

[Numptybrain in reply to Hidden]

Where I am in northeast hospital nebulisers always have been in very short supply with high demand so everyone buys their own, I did years ago when my brittle asthma was out of control over 30years ago and sadly nothing has changed since then

Wendy xx

[Hidden in reply to Numptybrain]

It's nice to have your own anyway

[Patk1]

I'm on nebulised hypertonic saline.ru using lung clearance techniques Numptybrain, with aid of flutter device eg aerobika

[Numptybrain in reply to Patk1]

Yes I am too but no joy.

Wendy

[Patk1 in reply to Numptybrain]

Perhaps there's just not much there x

[Alberta56]

Like Patk I was wondering if you really have that much sputum to bring up. At the last ELF Conference they were talking about a mysterious condition called Dry Bronchiectasis. I wish I could find out more about it. Not all of us bring up yards of sputum. xxx

[Numptybrain in reply to Alberta56]

I definitely must be one of them because believe me I’ve tried everything even salt water gargle daily nebuliser with saline 3x daily corbesteine 2 tablets 3 daily and now they want the induced sputum to see what’s lurking, I know I have their kleb going on that they can’t beat but I’m permanently on antibiotics as well as taking low dose.

Wendy xx

[Alberta56 in reply to Numptybrain]

No-one seems to know much about this condition. I wish some clever person would research it. xxx

[Hidden in reply to Alberta56]

My consultant in Bham from the 1982 was researching it from the 1970s. Most of the treatments which we have today were developed by him.The bee in his bonnet has finally resulted in a new drug which is being trialled right now. He trained my consultant and the good bronch consultants today all followed his research. Shamefully he has never been honoured for his work. The problem is that GPs and most general respiratory consultants get virtually no training in it and so most patients are stymied by medics' ignorance. It's so frustrating for all of us.

[Hidden in reply to Numptybrain]

I am a bit confused that they are saying that there is pleural effusion in the bottom of both lungs (which I presume they must have seen on an xray) if you might have dry bronch . It is true that some people do have dry bronch but they would not have areas of effusion showing in their lungs. Dry bronch means that very little mucus accumulates in the airways and so there is very little to get out. When did they last look at an xray. Maybe the effusion has cleared which is why there is nothing to get rid of.

[Numptybrain in reply to Hidden]

they see it on a scanner I’ve had it for over a year now and pericarditis so diagnosed with Serositis by respiratory for rheumatologist to see me possible sle lupus diagnosis

Thanks

Wendy xx

[Hidden in reply to Numptybrain]

You certainly have a lot to put up with. As it's on the scanner I doubt whether the others are right that you have dry bronch (not that I am medically qualified). All these nasty infections you have had seem to have created it.Let's hope the neb works.

[Numptybrain in reply to Hidden]

Thanks

Wendy xx

[O2Trees in reply to Alberta56]

Dry bronchiectasis? This is interesting to me as I have bronch, secondary to copd, and my lungs are completely clear and have been for several years.

[Biker88]

Have you tried a flutter device like Aerobika to help loosen mucus, an alternative is to blow through a straw into a large jug full of water. Years ago a physio would use physical percussion techniques and slap you chest, back and sides to shift mucus but they don’t do that know. Last time I was ask for a sputum sample it took me three weeks, combination of saline nebuliser and the “huffing “ technique eventually produced a small sample

[Numptybrain in reply to Biker88]

I bought a device and showed it to my consultant and the nurses who then showed me how to use it but it’s very rare even with the nebuliser and device I get anything up but I may need a different nebuliser as I was unaware there was so many different types now plus my Spirometry results were moderate severe which I haven’t had chance to discuss with consultant yet so unsure as I wasn’t a smoker but did have brittle asthma for a lot of years but now my problem is bronchiastasis bilateral pleural effusion and pericarditis so it’s all changed.

Wendy xx

[Jaybird19]

I have bronchiectasis been confirmed ay whythenshawe few years ago . I do not prouce sputum generally as lomg as i n keep taking clenil amd atrovent. Had new appontment in jan and I met a new doctor this year who sent me for ct scan . then later sent amessage to surgery that he could see some thing at base of lung indicating possible infection ? . so surgery sent me co amoxiclav- fortnights dose. i dont believe i had a n infection and was not producing sputum . i I do not produce sputum regularlyand have been classed as having atypical bronch. next appointment was cacelled as it is these days but i havent had another made yet . No point in me worrying about it . as they are supposed to obey the waiting list as you progreess along it , i believe that they have a nummber of these lists and tou progress from one to another and evemn on to further list . then can say it is being dealt with .

listen to littlepom .