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Do you need to sanitize your toothbrush every day?
I am really vigilant about cleaning my equipment for nebulizing and airway clearance. What should we do about our toothbrushes? We brush our teeth multiple times a day. The MAC is probably on there. I can’t boil my toothbrush or use a new one each time I brush.
I read about soaking in vinegar. Is that pure or diluted vinegar? Should it always be left in a small glass with some vinegar after brushing and rinsing teeth? Then you have to rinse it really well afterwards (with your tap water that probably contains MAC). If you know your tap water does have MAC, what do you do?
I now have disposable cups and pot bottled water in them for rinsing my mouth as well as for cleaning my toothbrush. Am I doing too much?
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If you keep your toothbrush in an open cup or exposed in the bathroom, regardless of whether you use some sort of sanitizing device, you should be sure to keep the lid on the toilet closed when you flush to avoid aerosolized bacteria from landing on your toothbrush. Public toilets are the worst and most powerful but I'm sure household toilets also create aerosolized particles as well to a lesser degree. I sometimes hold my breath in a public restroom when I flush but a mask isn't a bad idea either.
I don't keep my tootbrush in the bathroom because it gives me peace of mind to know it's not in that environment. I store it in a bril uv sanitizer, and whether or not it's actually doing anything, it gives me peace of mind. Half of this stuff is psychological so doing whatever I can to shut out background anxiety!
Bril toothbrush sanitizer: https://getbril.com/
What happens when public toilet flushes: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/heres-what-really-happens-when-you-flush-the-toilet-180981278/
Commenting on the Lung Matters Guidelines: Just remember that these are NOT perfect guidelines. The site promotes a strict set of rules that one patient has come up with through extensive research based on her problems and her successes. The guidelines are available to everyone but not accepted by everyone. It shuns medical advice that disagrees with her. And she prevents any comments that suggest otherwise or mention the use of steroids or antibiotics or acid reducers. These guidelines are great when they work. But when you use the guidelines over the doctors advice, you can find yourself very ill. In my case, I did what she said and told the doctor no, and I quickly ended up in the hospital with pneumonia and then sepsis for following her specific advice. She is not a doctor and cannot know exactly what is going on with YOU. But she has an abundance of info that is advantageous as GUIDELINES but not to be used as a BIBLE. But her protocols on sterilizing are great and other info is very valuable.
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4 ReactionsLung matters...."when you use the guidelines over the doctors advice, you can find yourself very ill. In my case, I did what she said and told the doctor no, and I quickly ended up in the hospital with pneumonia and then sepsis for following her specific advice."
I hope you pm'd her to tell her what happened to you. I imagine if you posted that, she'd delete it as she did a couple of mine.
I had to stop reading the posts a couple years ago after she recommended a woman who was acutely ill with fevers and productive cough not take antibiotics as her doc suggested. It seemed very risky advice. We can't nebulize our way out of everything.
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4 ReactionsYes, same recommendations over and over again despite any variables someone might add. It borders on cult like behavior. So sad that people end up suffering from taking ill-con conceived advice. Ask me how I really feel!
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3 ReactionsHello, I am new to this site. Has anyone had a Mycobacterium infection in other parts of the body? I have this in my finger, and am allergic to the anti-biotics that treat the condition. Are there others that might help me?
This site is *mostly* related to bronchiectasis and NTM disease in the lungs. Nonetheless, some people get NTM infections in other parts of their body. This has been discussed here and there. Have you seen an infectious disease doctor yet? That's crucial for fighting NTM.
This might also be helpful to you:
https://www.ntminfo.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/06/NTMSupplementalGuide.pdf
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2 ReactionsI did try to post what happened and she deleted and then I deleted all my previous comments and left the group.
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1 ReactionAre you positive it is an allergic reaction(s)? I am NOT trying to be dismissive. I was allergic to all penicillin based antibiotics from 1978 thru a couple years ago. My PCP referred me to a physician( MD) who specialized in Allergies and Immunology. He told me many of the penicillin based drugs originally had many impurities. I would break out with silver dollar sized hives after taking amoxicillin or augmentin.
He wrote an order for his LVN to administer a full allergy skin test. It was negative. This is good since penicillin based drugs are important antibiotics.
Just a long thought and I’m not preaching. Good Luck!!
You are not the only person who has experienced this. That is the difference between a group that is "owned" by one individual and a group like Mayo Connect or Bronchiectasis 360 where discussion is welcomed and valued.
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4 ReactionsI'm very sorry you got that sick and that she didn't use your experience as a learning experience and caution to others.
I'm not surprised she deleted it.
I still wonder what happened to other acutely ill woman with fevers she told not to take AB's. I posted a caution to call doc soon if no improvement, but knew if I were more direct she'd delete it as she had a couple others. I didn't see follow-up, but stopped reading soon after. I'm glad you recovered.