1. < MAC & Bronchiectasis

Dry Heaving and Airway Clearance

Posted by pled @pled, Apr 19 7:07pm

Does anyone get dry heaves when doing airway clearance? I caught a cold two weeks ago and have been experiencing the usual increase in coughing, nasal discharge and mucous. I increased nebulizing to twice a day, vibrating vest once a day, and postural drainage twice a day. Things are slowly clearing up, but for the past three days, when I am doing my postural drainage and coughing, I get a very strong dry heave sensation and I cannot complete the session. Today I got almost nothing up. This has happened to me randomly in the past, but not so that I would have to abort the mission three days in a row. I feel like it is important to try to be consistent right now. Has this happened to anyone else? Are there strategies to avoid having this feeling? Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

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pacathy | @pacathy | Apr 20 5:56am

I don’t get mucus out normally, so keep that in mind as your needs may be different. Mayo had included postural drainage in my airway clearance, but I had to stop because of reflux. Reflux isn’t a common issue for me, so it seemed the two were clearly related. Could it be that a combo of increased secretions and the position is causing gagging?
I do albuterol, hypertonic saline most days followed mostly by exercise. (Again, I don’t have secretions.) Perhaps modifying your routine to avoid supine positions a few days would help.

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Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Apr 20 11:20am

@pled I have not had the experience with airway clearance, but have never used a vest and very rarely resort to postural drainage. But, when I get a cold with a lot of nasal/sinus drainage, coughing often makes me gag - ever since I was a kid.
Maybe @pacathy has the right idea - to hold off on postural drainage for a few days. It could be you are overwhelming your irritated airways.

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1 reply
blm1007blm1007 | @blm1007blm1007 | Apr 20 9:19pm
In reply to @sueinmn "@pled I have not had the experience with airway clearance, but have never used a vest..." + (show)
@sueinmn

@pled I have not had the experience with airway clearance, but have never used a vest and very rarely resort to postural drainage. But, when I get a cold with a lot of nasal/sinus drainage, coughing often makes me gag - ever since I was a kid.
Maybe @pacathy has the right idea - to hold off on postural drainage for a few days. It could be you are overwhelming your irritated airways.

Jump to this post

Sue- I believe at one point you were doing a yoga pose (dog pose) to help with clearing the lungs. Is that your airway clearance technique that you still use....is it the only airway clearance technique that you use? What air way clearance technique(s) did you find most helpful for you?
I ask because your CT is stable, nebulizing is limited to the decision made by you and your doctor and you had a short go of it with the antibiotics and "no vest/rarely resort to postural drainage. Does that also mean you are clear of any MAC infection? I can't remember what the most recent sputum test you did reported.
Hoping I get a good sputum test report this month coming.
Barbara

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1 reply
Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Apr 20 10:02pm
In reply to @blm1007blm1007 "Sue- I believe at one point you were doing a yoga pose (dog pose) to help..." + (show)
@blm1007blm1007

Sue- I believe at one point you were doing a yoga pose (dog pose) to help with clearing the lungs. Is that your airway clearance technique that you still use....is it the only airway clearance technique that you use? What air way clearance technique(s) did you find most helpful for you?
I ask because your CT is stable, nebulizing is limited to the decision made by you and your doctor and you had a short go of it with the antibiotics and "no vest/rarely resort to postural drainage. Does that also mean you are clear of any MAC infection? I can't remember what the most recent sputum test you did reported.
Hoping I get a good sputum test report this month coming.
Barbara

Jump to this post

Well, the sputum results won't be back until probably 4th of July. I use yoga poses, brisk walking (most effective for me), huff coughing and breathing exercises, and my friend the Aerobika, depending on the day.
I would call my "routine" more of a day-to-day experiment, even after 7 years!

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1 reply
blm1007blm1007 | @blm1007blm1007 | Apr 20 10:48pm
In reply to @sueinmn "Well, the sputum results won't be back until probably 4th of July. I use yoga poses,..." + (show)
@sueinmn

Well, the sputum results won't be back until probably 4th of July. I use yoga poses, brisk walking (most effective for me), huff coughing and breathing exercises, and my friend the Aerobika, depending on the day.
I would call my "routine" more of a day-to-day experiment, even after 7 years!

Jump to this post

I sure understand "more of a day to day experiment, even after 7 years", especially for you who appears to, as for others, have a very busy day to day life. It helps me to hear your journey with all. Thank you.
Barbara

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catfish3012 | @catfish3012 | Apr 21 4:20pm

Does anyone else have trouble swallowing?
After years of hacking of mucus it feels like my throat muscles have changed.

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kstimpfle | @kstimpfle | Apr 21 4:48pm

My husband has difficulty swallowing . Last endoscopy results state there was an anatomical stricture. GI suggested speech therapy but he seems to be getting worse, not better

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