struggling with coughing and daily mucous

[V1burnuM]

I was diagnosed in 2015 with asthma and bronchiectasis after being diagnosed the previous year with Rhuematoid Arthritis. The first few years I coped ok and had a positive attitude but since 2019 I have been really struggling to accept that this is my life now. I cough up copious amounts of mucous everyday and afterwards feel so tired I have to have a nap quite often in the morning. My breathing is not good and I get short of breath easily. This summer has been particularly difficult as pollen is so high. I have spent a lot of time indoors on my own which doesn’t help but hate going out where people might hear me coughing up the mucous. Especially with covid, people are very wary of a person coughing. I had to explain myself in the Doctors surgery once as another patient was worried I was contagious. My consultant gave me inhalers which don’t seem to help a lot and basically said it’s good I’m getting it up everyday. Any advice would be gratefully appreciated. Especially ways to expel the mucous.

[Mooka]

You may get more help with this on the king conditions community. I don’t get a lot of mucus so can’t help much except to say are you taking carbocistene?

[V1burnuM in reply to Mooka]

I tried that but didn’t find it helpful, I have allergic rhinitis and found it made my nose drip constantly. I had two chest infections earlier in the year and was given doxycycline which really helped, I stayed well for about three weeks after each course, it was so good not to be coughing up all this muck every day. My Rhuematoid consultant tells me it is one of a few antibiotics that also contain an anti inflammatory and he thinks that worked well for my chest. My chest consultant is now considering long term antibiotic treatment but that seems wrong if I haven’t got an infection. Both recent sputum tests have been negative.

[Mooka in reply to V1burnuM]

I have in the past taken co-trixamol and Azithromycin three days a week. At one time I was taking both on alternate days. Both were prescribed by my respiratory doctor as preventatives. Like you I have an autoimmune disease. I think it is quite common for people with Bronchiectasis to be prescribed Azithromycin to take regularly. Have you seen a physio to go through chest clearance. Have you taken the antibiotics for two weeks each time? Doxycycline doesn’t help me much. It could be the same infection returning as you are not getting rid of it completely. When I was getting regular infections I hardly ever produced a positive sputum sample. It turned out to be pseudomonas a bug that lives in the corners of your lungs waiting to party as soon as you finish the antibiotics. Could you ask your doctor to refer you to the respiratory physio to help with the clearance. They can also advise on whether a device would help. I am assuming that you respiratory doctor specialises in Bronchiectasis? If you haven’t seen a physio look up active cycle of breathing on YouTube. I hope something above helps as it sounds miserable for you at the moment.

[V1burnuM in reply to Mooka]

Thank you for your advice, it’s good to hear from someone with an autoimmune condition as well. I have been told that my nasal problems are caused by RA damaging my nose lining. Similarly my chest problems also caused by inflammation. Your remarks about the sputum tests agree with my thoughts, both my infections were caused by the same bacteria and I was only given one week of antibiotics each time in spite of me asking if that was long enough. I have seen chest physio and do my exercises twice a day. I’m afraid that I’m not doing much other exercise at the moment as Pollen has been so high for so long and I’ve lost my motivation to go on my treadmill. It’s very hard to find anything positive at the moment. Seeing chest consultant again in September hopefully, she has said they will do something to help me get my life back so I hope they can. Thanks again.

[Mooka in reply to V1burnuM]

The protocol for people with Bronchiectasis is two weeks antibiotics. Ask your consultant to advise your GP of this. Or print it off and take it to them. If you are In U.K. it may be worth giving BLF a call. I have two weeks supply of antibiotics at home all the time for infections. I also have sinus problems which doesn’t help with the infections. I suspect your infection is the same one coming back due to only having one week at a time. Good luck with your appointment.

[Patk1 in reply to V1burnuM]

A lot of us r on azithromycin - anti inflammatory antibiotic constantly x

[Karenanne61]

I too cough a lot and understand how embarrassing it can be, especially under the shadow of covid. If I'm out with my daughter and husband they carry on chatting but say people must think they're heartless, but there is nothing they can do. Following an app at the lung tx clinic I'm going to try a morphine derivative for the breathlessness and cough. Don't know if that's something your consultant would consider.

[V1burnuM in reply to Karenanne61]

I think that was mentioned at one of my appointments, I will ask next time I go. Do you cough up a lot of mucous as well? Sometimes it takes a couple of hours to clear but then anything can set it off particularly changes in temperature, used to be awful in the chiller section in the supermarket. I don’t go there now, send my husband instead.

[Karenanne61 in reply to V1burnuM]

I very rarely cough up anything. Even with an infection very little comes up. Like you temperature changes can trigger coughing, as can air pressure changes, pollution, smells, steam, movement etc. My husband does the shopping too! 🙂

[V1burnuM in reply to Karenanne61]

Have you noticed a link with food or anxiety? I’ve become very anxious about the shortness of breath which makes it a lot worse. Also indigestion seems to set of the coughing.

[Karenanne61 in reply to V1burnuM]

I've not noticed a link with foods but if I get anxious I have to pay close attention to my breathing.

[Patk1 in reply to V1burnuM]

I wear a scarf wrapped loosely so breathe in warm air x

[Lapis5]

Try using saline w a nebulizer twice a day to reallly get it out. I shower after and cough it out but most people i have heard don't do this but it works well but it is exhausting. Also a vest. will help you get it up and then get the bulk of it out twice a day. See a Pulmonologist if you haven't yet. I drink hot water w lemon and honey in the am too to get it. going .. all these things give some temporary relief from non stop mucas i find except at night when i sleep. it never stops now but i have Pseudomonas colonized and am on strong PIK line IV antibiotics.

[Ozzie3]

I would strongly recommend inhaling nebulised hypertonic saline (4 or 5mls of 6 or 7% saline) twice a day. I do this and and cough up all my sputum each time I use it. I then don't cough in between. Speak to your doctor about this - it is a very common treatment for bronchiectasis. Since starting it, my lung fuction has improved and I feel much better.

[Patk1]

So sorry Yr struggling so much.it is hard.do u use an aerobika and active cycle of breathing,+ dedicated sessions to empty lungs x