Hemoptysis - wonder what others do
Hi. I have asthma and mild Bronchiectasis, diagnosed with the latter last year. I have had small spots of blood when clearly fighting an infection on a couple of occasions. However, the last couple of days, I have had a couple of bright red blood spots (not large, but always alarming!) in my clear mucus. I don't have a cough or fever. Noticing a little chest tightness but not a lot. I usually neb with levalbutirol followed by either 3% or 7% saline (usually a mix to get to about 5% as best tolerated) in the morning plus aerobika and breathing exercises and then aerobika and postural drainage in the evening. I sometimes neb in the evening as well - if I am fighting something or have been around potential germs, which I did twice this weekend.
I have held off using the saline over the last 24-hours as don't wish to aggravate the situation. But, of course, I also don't want to make things worse by not doing airway clearance! My pulmonologist isn't the most-versed in Bronchiectasis nor readily-available. But in Maine, they are all in short supply!
Just wondering what others do or have been instructed to do with any signs of hemoptysis when it's a small amount. Thanks!
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Sue,
I have started using 7 percent saline instead of three, but now I have bloody mucus more often so I am going to use three again. Is it likely that the seven percent is causing the extra bloody mucus because it is so harsh and I cough so much more using it? It scares me every time no matter how hard I try to accept it as part of this disease! Do others have this problem with the seven percent?
Help!