7% Saline in Nebulizer for Mac

I hope you have found an expert in MAC. I will recommend a Duke MD who is an expert if you haven't found one at UNC, Chapel Hill.

I'm using 7% Saline for about two months now with the Aerobika. I've interrupted the use of it for two to three days due to irritation in my throat but it does help me to bring up the sputum more easily than the budesonide/albuterol nebulizer. I like the idea of alternating between 7% and 3% and will speak to my pulmonologist about this if the irritation continues.

Hello Judy -
After my MAC cleared up and my asthma was well-controlled (a long journey) I had no new exacerbations for a year. With my pulmonologist's blessing, to cut back on my 7% saline nebs. First I decreased to one a day, then 5 times a week, now only twice a week. I still do airway clearance each day.
Here is the interesting part - the cut back on days came accidentally - went out of town for an overnight without my equipment. But the next day, I could still "taste" the salt in the sputum I brought up - and even a little the third day as well. That's when it occurred to me that if some of it persists in the lungs, and my body is able to clear mucus with my inhaler and no neb, maybe cutting back would be okay (for me.)
This has been my regimen for over 16 months now and I have had one (minor) exacerbation with a bad cold - managed with a single course of steroids and no antibiotics. During the exacerbation, I nebbed saline daily and continued for 4-5 days after I was symptom free, then went back to my 2 per week.
Also, if I have an asthma attack, or a tighter-than-usual feeling in my chest, I neb daily until it passes - but sometimes just enough to bring up the extra junk in my lungs.

Everyone is different, so feel free to talk to your doc about managing your care in a way that works for you.
Sue

Hi Bon, you are not going to Emory anymore? Let me know about Chapel Hill.

Thank you for sharing your experience with me. This is a new diagnosis and totally caught me off guard. After seeing a local pulmonologist, I met with a doctor in New York who spent 90 minutes with me, explaining and encouraging me not to go to the worst case scenario. He also put me on the saline nebulizer. I still have questions and worries as I navigate through this but I have an appointment at the end of May so I should get more information as well. This site has already been helpful with good practical advice and now support and understanding. Thank you again!

Should you use saline if you can’t get any sputum out?

I would say this question gets the hated answer, "It depends.. "
If you or have had MAC, 7..% saline is demonstrated to suppress the growth of the bacteria in your lungs. Even if your airway clearance doesn't produce sputum, the saline will be in there keeping the sneaky pockets of mucus from being a breeding ground .
On the other hand, I'm not sure what if any research has been done on whether it is helpful if you have never had MAC.

There is a frequently asked companion question, "Should I continue airway clearance if I don't produce mucus?"
The answer is Yes!
This will prevent mucus pockets and plugs from forming, which are an ideal breeding ground for MAC and other infections.
Are there any circumstances under which you produce mucus?

Thanks Sue. Yes, I have MAC.
I use Anoro , Arikayce, plus, Azithromycin Rifampin and Ethambutol.
Haven’t coughed any sputum since January. Bought an Inversion table, it’s useless. But I cough blood several times a week. Don’t want another bronchoscopy because my lung collapsed last time.
I have a flutter valve but it’s not helpful. What is the Aerobika I hear so much about?

I use 7% for almost a year now but I also drink 2 cups of Mullein Tea daily. I buy it from Amazon. Research it as it was used in the thirties for TB.

The Aerobika is another type of flutter valve - I prefer it to the Acapella I was originally given by the pulmonologist.