Brochiectasis cough

Drinking really warm water when I am feeling that I may have a coughing jag really has helped me tremendously. It helps to loosen secretions so that the nebulizing can bring up more. Sometimes it works on its own to dislodge a plug that was the culprit. Doing all the things is the best bet, I’ve found.

I attach the Aerobika to my nebulizer while inhaling 7% sodium chloride. This is after I use the albuterol pump. With the airways opened and the mucus thinning, I get a lot of mucus up while I nebulize.

@formergardener, I do have an acapella, after each use I disassemble it, clean it in soapy water and put it in my Bololo.
Best wishes of great health to all of us!

That is good to know. A respiratory therapist advised me once to use the Aerobika because it can be more thoroughly cleaned, but it is good to know that there is another option.

@charisscurry You mentioned that you’ll make sure your mom gets the pneumonia vaccine. That’s important, as is the RSV vaccine. Most people will only get the RSV vaccine every two years but evidently people can receive it annually, if required.

Another option to the Aerobika is the airway clearance through postural drainage. I use the technique twice daily but I’m probably younger than your mom. I think it might especially help her if she is coughing a lot which as someone else said, could be a sign of mucus plugs.

If she can lay on her back and inhale and hold that for a count of five or so and exhale .. I really engage my diaphragm and strongly exhale to the extent you can hear the mucus rattling sometimes.

Then inhale again to a count of 5 to 10 if possible, and sit up and then huff cough. That should expel the mucus. (If it is too much to repeat the breath step twice, just try inhaling once and exhale and huff cough after sitting up. )

Depending on where her Bronchiectasis is located, lying on her side and repeating this technique might help. She may need assistance doing this. Of course this is just a suggestion, depending on one’s health and overall conditioning. Hope she feels better with less coughing.

@sueinmn I would add that we are often reminded about how important the breath hold is after inhalation and before a huff cough.

What I’ve noticed though and mentioned briefly in the earlier post, is that the exhalation of the breath before the huff cough is really a beneficial step too. The exaggeration of the expelling of the breath helps.

It shakes up the mucus. I prolong it and use my diaphragm to engage the stomach muscles and it generally results in a deep gravelly sound or rattle. I repeat the inhalation, breath hold and longer exhalation once or twice, before the inhalation that leads to the huff cough.

I’m sure others have determined what they can tolerate and what works best if they have mucus / phlegm to expel with this Bronchiectasis diagnosis. I’m sharing here for someone who might not have tried this air clearance technique.

I was never given instructions, so I’ve viewed a few videos, read comments here, and over time arrived at a method that seems to work for me, at this point anyway.

Yes, think breathing test where you're asked to keep blowing out air!