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Caffeine use to assist AC
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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HI @sueinmn, please see this link
https://ntminfo.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/Guide-for-Patients-with-NTM-Infections-2019-09.pdf
Food like red meat, coffee, candy, banana, cabbage,milk, cheese, yogurt all increase mucus. Will it be a benefit?
Same with dairy. My 3 week no dairy resulted in no decrease in mucus so dr. told me to resume. He said dairy only applies to some people not all people yet people pronounce it as a fact for all.
The title of page 25 of the Patients Guide is "Foods that may affect mucus production" - that does not mean it will happen in every case - as @liz440 reported, dairy products don't affect her mucus, and in that she agrees with Dr Pamela McShane in her airway clearance webinar
( https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VEYK67nld_o)
The original list , "30 Foods That Cause And Reduce Mucus Production" ("https://lunginstitute.com/foods-that-cause-and-kill-mucus/) refers you to an article called "The Anti-mucus Dirt"
(https://lunginstitute.com/anti-mucus-diet/)
Here is where life gets interesting!
The first list says PINEAPPLE is a food that may reduce mucus production.
The second article, on the same website says "Having increased histamine levels can cause your body to make more mucus. For example, bananas, strawberries, PINEAPPLE, papaya, eggs, and chocolate may increase histamine levels."
Even within one website, the experts don't necessarily agree.
So we need to be very careful when making any blanket recommendations - every body is different - like Liz found and I have found, dairy isn't a trigger for us - so we eat it.
Also, many times, I believe people don't differentiate between mucus production in the lungs and mucus expectoration. The mucus is there - if coffee helps us get it out, great. But the average person doesn't want more mucus to come out - they expect their lungs to take care of it silently.
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3 ReactionsTo me, dairy does increase the mucus.
Well - everyone is different. 🙂
Thank you Sue. I think it is helpful when we don't make statements that imply certain things are bad for everyone per se. Dairy has heath benefits as do probiotic yogurts so if you can eat it without ill effects then you benefit too. Prednisone has helped many of us when necessary for asthma etc so it is not always good to be scared away from it when benefits outweigh negatives.
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2 ReactionsTrue, "undesirable side effect",,,,that would be for me with having a small hiatal hernia. My understanding with Acid Reflux you should stay away from caffine....and as well with the a Hiatal Hernia..... The Hiatal Hernia can cause an acid problem and as well an overproduction of mucus....from all I have read. Have you heard this or come across my understandings in your reading Sue???
Do you make your own cold brew?
Yes 1 lb of coffee in a,Toddy breweer, steeped 24 hours I've been doing it for over 20 years.
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1 ReactionI bought the premade unsweetened Starbucks cold brew from the market, But then I was worried about the water used. Thank you.