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I wonder how you do the cupping- yourself or someone does it for you. I can’t think how to cup my back or even sides by myself. My husband does it with the resuscitation cup ( got the idea from a pulmonary therapist) I do not see difference in my ability to remove any mucus and my husband is impatient. It seems our life is about me all the time and sometimes both of us are tired of this lifestyle. So I regularly use levalbuterol, then nebulize with sodium chloride, then come a vest with aerobika and finally ACB. And I only hope it protects me because I cannot produce sputum and my huff cough is dry. Today I tried exercising and walking before airway clearance but it looks I am even more dry. It’s so different for everybody.
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"You cannot force what isn't there" - words from my crusty old pulmonologist over 6 years ago. Some people have "dry bronchiectasis" and produce very little mucus.
Early on in my MAC days, I tried to clear every last bit out of my lungs - ended up with sore ribs and throat. When I saw the RT, she explained that keeping everything moving is the point, not getting every drop out. She told me trying too hard can irritate the lungs and actually produce even more mucus. She recommended stopping "as soon as the flow slows down" but not doing the airway clearance any longer than 30 minutes.
These days I neb or exercise, use the Aerobika, then try huff coughing and deep breathing for 6-8 minutes. If nothing comes out by that point, it isn't going to. Sometimes, later in the day, I can feel stuff moving and do the breathing and coughing again to get a little out. This method has kept me healthy for almost 5 years.