Caffeine use to assist AC

Posted by snoei @snoei, Aug 16 7:55am

Does anyone with bronchiectasis notice that using caffeine helps with airway clearance? I was diagnosed with mild bronchiectasis April '23 and am still trying to figure out what works best for me. Thought I had an adequate routine until 2 episodes of hemoptysis in late July. I normally do decaf unless I am having a low energy day. Thanks for any thoughts.

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@sueinmn

@snoei Funny you ask that, as I sit reading Connect with my morning coffee in hand. I have essential tremor, and my neurologist suggested stopping caffeine a couple years ago. I weaned off and quit, but then a friend who "must" have her 2 morning cups came to stay for a while. I could not resist the lovely aroma, and had my single mug of cafe au lait, then we went for our walk. Without even having used my saline neb or Aerobika, I was coughing up mucus.
So over the next few days, I experimented - as long as I took my Primidone (for the tremor) before breakfast and only had one cup, the coffee loosened the mucus without worsening the teemor. Green tea did not have the same effect. When we were on the road, if I missed my morning coffee, my chest was tight by evening. If I drank a vente form the coffeeshop, my tremor worsens.
Personally, I found my "sweet spot" - one cup of coffee in the morning. I get to keep my 50+ year little vice, I get the caffeine boost, I do have easier airway clearance, and it doesn't worsen my tremor.
Airway clearance is a constant experiment for me - for now, this works.

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So decaf didn't work?

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@km6

So decaf didn't work?

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Never have liked decaf - or diet soda, so I didn't try it. My body likes a little caffeine.

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@km6

So decaf didn't work?

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so caffein pills work ?

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@bsi15

so caffein pills work ?

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See this article.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10970276/
In addition to the caffeine, it is one of the polyphenols in coffee.
Some hospitals are now mor liberal in allowing coffee to patients.

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My pulmonologist says that caffeine acts as a bronchodilator. The only time I can bring up any mucus without force, is after my one cup of caffeinated coffee in the morning.

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Caffeine is a mild bronchodilator and last 2-4 hours. That would help people with mild asthma and help get mucus out, beneficial in bronchiectasis patients. It also helps with respiratory muscle fatigue.
It doesn’t act as quickly and has a weaker impact than albuterol.
I was going to post the studies, but they’re pretty old. There’s info on google asthma sites, too.

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@pacathy

Caffeine is a brochodilator, though a weak one and improves PFT’s for short periods of time. I thought I remembered that from nursing days and did a very quick look. This study was done for asthma patients.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7053252/

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Caffeine alone may be an effective bronchodilator when used on a short-term basis;
however, a relatively large regular dosing of caffeine (eg, one to three cups of strong
coffee every six hours or less) would be required for significant, sustained bronchodilation,
since caffeine is a relatively weak and short-acting bronchodilator.
-----------------------------------------------------------
Caffeine is a drug that is very similar to theophylline. Theophylline is a bronchodilator drug
that is taken to open up the airways in the lungs and therefore relieve the symptoms of asthma,
such as wheezing, coughing and breathlessness.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Caffeine also helps lower respiratory muscle fatigue and can temporarily improve lung function
-----------------------------------------------------------
up to two to four hours
--------------------------------------------------
Cochrane's systemic review from 2010, 7 randomized trials of 75 people with mild to moderate asthma ...
-------------------------------------------------
5 mg/kg body weight of caffeine achieved a peak bronchodilator effect within 2 h and lasted for six hours.
-------------------------------------------

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@sueinmn

@snoei Funny you ask that, as I sit reading Connect with my morning coffee in hand. I have essential tremor, and my neurologist suggested stopping caffeine a couple years ago. I weaned off and quit, but then a friend who "must" have her 2 morning cups came to stay for a while. I could not resist the lovely aroma, and had my single mug of cafe au lait, then we went for our walk. Without even having used my saline neb or Aerobika, I was coughing up mucus.
So over the next few days, I experimented - as long as I took my Primidone (for the tremor) before breakfast and only had one cup, the coffee loosened the mucus without worsening the teemor. Green tea did not have the same effect. When we were on the road, if I missed my morning coffee, my chest was tight by evening. If I drank a vente form the coffeeshop, my tremor worsens.
Personally, I found my "sweet spot" - one cup of coffee in the morning. I get to keep my 50+ year little vice, I get the caffeine boost, I do have easier airway clearance, and it doesn't worsen my tremor.
Airway clearance is a constant experiment for me - for now, this works.

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That’s so cool!!! I’ve not taken notice. I don’t drink coffee everyday so I will have to be aware to see if I get the same benefits. Thanks for sharing

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Caffein can increase mucus, so I would not recommend it for long term use.

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@helen1000

Caffein can increase mucus, so I would not recommend it for long term use.

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If a person is sensitive to coffee or has gastritis, coffee can increase mucus in the stomach, but I could not find any study finding it increases mucus in the lungs. Coffee also includes polyphenols that relax the airways, helping us clear more mucus from the lungs,

I think possibly that opinion (caffeine can increase mucus) comes from people with "normal" lungs who may cough up mucus after their airways relax.

So, what we see as a benefit - inducing mucus clearance - others may see as an undesirable side effect.

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