← Return to How many times a day do you do saline nebulizer?

Discussion

How many times a day do you do saline nebulizer?

MAC & Bronchiectasis | Last Active: Nov 20 2:26pm | Replies (48)
Comment receiving replies
@scoop

Met with pulmonary recently who reiterated the importance of twice a day airway clearance in mild+ bronchiectasis. The goal is to make it a habit so it's not optional. They also stressed that exercise does not replace actual airway clearance. Next time I'm in I will ask for reasoning behind 2x day. I suspect it has to do with functioning of the diseased lung; pockets fill up approx. every 12 hours and lungs benefit from clearing out those pockets and behave more like normal in between clearances.

Jump to this post

Replies to "Met with pulmonary recently who reiterated the importance of twice a day airway clearance in mild+..."
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Nov 14 10:50pm

I gave e this answer on another discussion yesterday- different doctors, different protocols. Both my pulmonologist and Dr Pamela McShane, UT at Tyler accept exercise as an alternative to other airway clearance methods AS LONG AS EFFECTIVELY MINIMIZING OR ELIMINATING EXACERBATION and the CT is stable or improving. In other words, I only do other methods if I can't exercise or am ill. This kept me exacerbation-free for 22 months, even when I got Covid in September and cared for sick grandsons in October.

VIEW AND REPLY
kdiago1564 | @kdiago1564 | Nov 19 7:40am

@scoop @sueinmn

I appreciated both of your comments on this topic because most days I'll do airway clearance 2x a day but some days I only do it once (using 7% HS). The CT scans are a bit difficult to understand because I've shown improvement in one area but slightly more BE in another with mucus impaction. I think more than anything 2x a day AC provides me with peace of mind that I'm doing my best.

Even with mild BE, I'm paranoid about its inevitable progression and hope to do everything possible to limit that. The one big area that I'm lacking on is consistent aerobic exercise. It's super hard for me to fit everything into my day as a working mom but I need to try to do it even if it's just 15 minutes.

Appreciate you both.
Kate

VIEW AND REPLY