When to use a neb?

My GP loaned me a neb while i have a chest infection. Not sure whether to use it tonight. My peak flow is 440 but i am quite wheezy. I'm trying not to use it if i can help it, but the phloegm on my chest is making me wheeze. I have used my blue spray 3 times. The wheezing goes for a short time but then comes back. Should i use my neb? Will it suppress my wheeze?

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Dear Julie,

a peak flow of 440 means little without knowing what your best peak flow is.

If your doctor lent you the nebuliser, and you have nebs, and you feel wheezy I would use it. What did the doctor tell you to do? Nebulising makes me feel awful, but it stops the wheeze. I think the only thing you need to be extremely cautious about is if your peak flow continues to go down. Don't assume that the nebuliser can take the place of a doctor or Hospital , if you start to have an attack or get worse you must get help. Many people here have nebulisers, I do, but I always use mine in a protocol agreed with my doctors, or I actually call them and we work out plan. So sometimes, I will use a nebuliser 4Xday for a week in conjunction with prednisolone. However I always have strict instructions to call if things get worse. If I was feeling bad and it was late at night and hadn't previously spoken to the doctor I would use the nebuliser, but if things got worse I would call the hospital, If they stayed the same I would then call the dr the next day and let them know I needed to neb.

I am not sure this is helpful, its just what I would do.

Cheers

ri

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Thanks for your prompt reply. The doctor told me to use it as a smoke alarm. My best at the minute is 450, so 440 is ok. Its just the wheeze. I've been inhaling steam from the kettle. This seems to be helping. I'm going to keep this up. I'm feeling really tired now so i will go to bed once i've inhaled more steam.

My doctor told me to use it if my peak flow goes low or if i'm really wheezy. Its not to bad, so i'm going to keep going with the steam for a while. I really don't want to use my neb unless i really have to.

BIg thanks

Julie XX