Weaning off of saline

Posted by kgggg @kgggg, Oct 2 4:15pm

I’ve been on 7% saline for about a year. Started at 3X a day then down to 2X a day and to 1X time a day. Now I’m using it every three days. Wondering if anyone has any experience weaning themselves off totally. It’s been great for me.

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@kgggg Why? I have been at 2-3 times per week for well over a year, increasing if I get a bug (like when I had Covid last month.) My new pulmonologist is pretty sure this is what has kept me MAC-free for going on 5 years.

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@sueinmn

@kgggg Why? I have been at 2-3 times per week for well over a year, increasing if I get a bug (like when I had Covid last month.) My new pulmonologist is pretty sure this is what has kept me MAC-free for going on 5 years.

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7% Sue?

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In reply to @sweethighland "7% Sue?" + (show)
@sweethighland

Yes. She is quite a proponent of 7% - she works with the docs at Mayo and UT Tyler in Texas - they all feels it tamps down MAC. She has been at this for 20 years and says that saline plus daily airway clearance has been a real game changer. She doesn't even want me to neb levalbuterol or budoesnide before - says my Symbicort inhaler is enough.
Here is a personal observation that led me to reducing frequency -when I went to once a day 2 years ago, the day after, when I did airway clearance, I could clearly "taste" the salt in my sputum - which led me to believe it stays there for a while.

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Does your heart rate increase with the saline?

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I use AYR gel 4 times a day. Put a small amount in each nostril. It is over the counter.

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I'm sorry but I'm afraid that I'm missing something. Getting off of saline? Is this nebulized saline for lung secretions? I know it as hyper-Sal at 3.5 % or 7%. That's what I'm assuming that this what the initial comment is about. I have COPD with bronchitis that has exacerbated to the point of being debilitating. I do have Breztri and Albuterol inhalers but I can't keep up with the secretions. Doing pulmonary toileting, ie Aerobika, postural drainage, chest percussion etc. Do you all find that the saline helps with lung health? Thank you

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@kndaustin71

I'm sorry but I'm afraid that I'm missing something. Getting off of saline? Is this nebulized saline for lung secretions? I know it as hyper-Sal at 3.5 % or 7%. That's what I'm assuming that this what the initial comment is about. I have COPD with bronchitis that has exacerbated to the point of being debilitating. I do have Breztri and Albuterol inhalers but I can't keep up with the secretions. Doing pulmonary toileting, ie Aerobika, postural drainage, chest percussion etc. Do you all find that the saline helps with lung health? Thank you

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I started with 7% a little less than a year ago - right after my bronchoscopy. I totally endorse it. It got me from where I was which was bad (realizing that everybody’s bad is different) to where I am now which is basically having very little conjestion.

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Thank you! I will start using it twice a day as was prescribed! Just have not had this much congestion especially being on Dupixent. For some reason it has stopped working …. Maybe I developed antibodies!

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In some instances Saline is a better option to all those drugs.

Good luck!

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My husband has alot of congestion in his lungs that he cant seem to bring up. He is only doing the 7% saline solution 1x/day. Maybe he needs to do it more often to bring up the mucus?

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