A quirky manifestation of bronchiectasis

@paxmundi
Hello! I do not have the same difficulties as yourself, but I am wondering: why do you take the guaifenesin "occasionally". I have found this to be very helpful in 'moving' the sputum much easier.
I take 600mg twice a day. Without it, I am coughing more, and struggling with 'glue'-like mucous. The guai keeps things more liquid.
You are already drinking lots of water, perhaps this would prove helpful for you too.
All the best.

Hi there, I wanted to tell you that I too have a delicate trachea. I am 75 and have had bronchiectasis since I was 16. As a result of so many years of coughing and clearing my throat I have developed tracheal mylasia, which is a collapsing trachea. It is moderate at the moment, but it does cause some difficulty. I cannot lean my head back after eating or drinking or it will cause me not to be able to breath. Very scary when it happens. I do not take guaifenesin, but instead take muscinex. It really helps to keep the phlegm thin. I hope that helps.

Age 19 to 73....you have learned how to manage. When people ask me how I am doing because of the BE with MAC I tell them I am managing. That is about it, managing.
I had not heard of stacking breath so I looked it up. I guess it is just another "tool" to help with mucus in the lungs. Since you did not mention nebulizing or use of the Aerobika, and said "the only things I have done", I take it you are unable to do either...... nor postural drainage???
I am sure you have experienced much throughout the years....an illness such as yours, BE etc. etc. sure challenges us.
Barbara

You also have learned how to manage as @ paxmundi. I guess we all eventually learn how to manage lung illnesses, at least I hope so. For some it is too much of a challenge, we are all different in how we are able to emotionally deal with things and need all the help we can get in many ways.
I believe that the Brand Muscinex has guaifenesin labled on it.???
With or without guaifenesin it sure does help us when we are able to keep the mucus THIN!
Barbara

Thank you for responding, Barbara. I have used Aerobika intermittently with some very mild huffing, but this has never brought up secretions. I cannot tolerate saline. The very warm water, which I drink all day long, and the mostly liquid diet is how I have kept the secretions flowing without having to cough. I am on a very short leash with that protocol because I have to guard against coughing and need to keep the secretions thin enough so they just go through me without coughing or can be spit out without a lot of force. So warm water and diet is how I have managed the mucus in my system. I haven’t found another person on the site that has a similar strategy yet and was curious if there were others.

I probably should take this more often. I will try it and see if it also helps. I watched a webinar on bronchiectasis posted on this site by a Dr. Meretsky from the University of Connecticut Medical School and he said there were no studies showing that guaifenesin helps, but so many here say it does, that it is worth a try. Thank you!

This is very interesting as in the past, before my massive hemoptysis, I used to cough so violently that tears would run down my face and I could feel something funny happening in my trachea. It could have been something akin to what you are describing. Hope you are managing and thank you so much for responding.

Is there any difference between generic guaifenesin and Muscinex?

Thank you for your reply.

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