Bronchiecstasis and ventolin

[Alice70]

Hi ,happy Easter to all if that is possible under the circumstances, I am asking us bronc how ventolin works for them ,as I find it does nothing for me,I am wondering is this is because the mucus on my chest stops it getting to the places it should. How do others feel about ventolin ,also it makes me wonder if my other chest medication reaches the parts of lungs that it should because of mucus acting as a barrier

[Patsy164]

Hi Alice I normally take about 6 puffs before it does anything then sometimes not at all especially if mucus is stuck in the throat. I would try it anyway in case it eases it.

Rather annoying keep clearing the throat. Normally happens to me when I eat. Hope you can ease it. X

[Alice70 in reply to Patsy164]

Ah I have only ever taken two puffs Patsie ,ineed to try and take more onlything is it gives me cramp ,carnt win lol ,I also get a lot of mucus in my throat ,I think this is owing to a nasal drip

[Patsy164 in reply to Alice70]

I agree it can give you awful cramp. I think I have nasal drip as mucus seems to be getting worse. Do you take azithromycin? It’s playing havoc with my stomach 😩

[Alice70 in reply to Patsy164]

Yes Patsie I take 250 mg three times a week ,the only side effect I get from them is a bit of noise in my ears ,what preventer are you on ,I'm on trimbow two puffs morning two puffs evening ,I feel as if I need two puffs three times a day

[Patsy164 in reply to Alice70]

Alice I also take seritide or equivalent and spiriva. I take it you have asthma too? Same dose azithromycin as me. I use a spacer too it does help.

[Alice70 in reply to Patsy164]

Patsy idont have asthma ,I have mod emphysema caused through smoking ,I believe bronchiecstasis though hasnt to do with smoking

[crashdoll]

Hi Alice. Do you use a spacer? I feel better since I started using mine.

My bronch. consultant said ventolin is good for us to open the airways before we do airway clearance techniques.

[Alice70 in reply to crashdoll]

No I dont use a spacer ,I use spacer for my Trombow ,I'll have to get one ,is your clearance technique huffing then cough ,what other inhailer do you have crashdoll

[crashdoll in reply to Alice70]

I only use ventolin. I do the full active cycle of breathing technique, use my flutter device and nebulise hypertonic saline.

[Hidden]

Hi Alice. Ventolin is not a standard treatment for bronch, because as you have noticed, it often does nothing for the basic condition. Bronchiectasis management is chiefly daily emptying of mucus and antibiotics for an exacerbation.

Having said that, if there is asthma with the bronch, ventolin can help with opening the airways which the asthma constricts. It can also be useful in opening the airways to help expel the mucus. Also it can be nebulised before nebulising an antibiotic as this helps the ab to get deeper into the lungs.

I nebulise ventolin and saline once each day and this helps me to empty my lungs. I hope that this helps.

[Alice70 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks littlepom ,I must look up bronchiecstasis management ,I havent been looking after my chest the way I should have Iately iam struggling with my breathing

[Hidden in reply to Alice70]

It happens to us all. The feeling of mucus in the throat and breathlessness is usually because the mucus has been left lurking down there. Some of it blocks the airways and stops us getting the air in and out and some of it works its way upwards where it sits at the top of the lungs then gets into the throat. This can be particularly noticed when eating. Unless there is masses of it and the need for an antibiotic I’m afraid that it is a case of working very hard to get it all out to prevent it happening.

We would think that with most of us stuck in the house there would be plenty of time to do this. Somehow it is difficult to make the effort and not having our usual activity routine can mean that we are not shaking it free as we usually do simply by moving around and a certain amount of ennui sets in when it comes to doing the drainage.

This creates a vicious circle where more and more slowly gets stuck in there and builds up until we are very uncomfortable.

I have been trying to do exercise classes on youtube. Joe Wicks has a nice little routine for seniors and his exercise where you lean forward and swing the arms from one foot to the other is a great gob shifter.

[Alice70 in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for this common sense reply

[stillmovin]

Hi there. I don’t believe ventolin helps with bronchiectasis and mucus shifting. It never had in my case. Sometimes GPS and chest physios suggest it but most bronchiectasis sufferers don’t benefit from this sort of rescue inhaler. I have been prescribed it a few times in the past when having that tightness in the chest which I am learning is mucus that is very sticky and therefore not shifting. I try to drink lots of water but it’s not always easy to remember to do that. Food influences my mucus thickness. Dairy, bread, biscuits and chocolate especially. It’s a difficult thing to manage and you need quite a bit of self-discipline. Don’t worry about letting the doctors know what doesn’t work for you. Bronchiectasis is still a grey area for a lot of GPs.

[Alice70 in reply to stillmovin]

That's how I feel lately tight chest more breathless ,funny thing I have been thinking that chocolate is making me produce more mucus thanks for reply

[Carnival567]

They tested me with ventolin at my last lung function tests and it had no effect at all. I have bronchiectasis and obliterative bronchiolitis. I find Trimbow quite good, two puffs twice a day.

[Alice70 in reply to Carnival567]

I take Trombow to ,find it quite good ,just lately feeling more breathless ,no infection

[Izb1]

Hi Alice, I spoke with the consultant about using ventolin as it always makes me cough and does nothing for the bronch. He said that it opens the airways and as I have bronch my airways are already open and changed me to Seretide (it took a few inhalers to find the right one) and I find that somedays I dont need it and some I do, it depends on if I can clear the mucus x

[inhaler1]

Hi,Alice70.

I have found that ventolin is not giving relief from Bronchiecstasis flare ups, and so making me panic when no relief.

I recently attended Chest Clinic and was changed to Fostair to be used twice daily as well as during flareups, this seem to be working well so far, i still use ventolin in the nebulizer along with atrovent when neccessary.