Coughing and Airway clearance

Posted by reneemc @reneemc, Nov 28, 2023

Does anyone have this experience?
When coughing to try and get something up , you can hear or feel something break up but can’t get it out? Is it still considered airway clearance if you can only bring it up but not out?

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Profile picture for blm1007blm1007 @blm1007blm1007

@ism1936 @sheila7a I was told while at National Jewish in Oct. of 2023 that I had a hiatal hernia.
I read that one should follow all suggestions given to patients for acid reflux. Have you heard this or have you been told this.???
Do you have symptoms that the doctors(s) feel you now have due to the hiatal hernia. I can't specifically say...... nor do I know if I have typical symptoms of having a hiatal hernia. Do you have specific symptoms associated with a hiatal hernia???? Do you have specific symptoms that the doctors indicate are being caused by your hiatal hernia????
They say we should not do postural drainage with acid reflux and therefore it can also somewhat apply to a hiatal hernia if it is causing certain symptoms and problems. Have you heard that? I do postural drainage and have not had any indication, specific symptoms, that doing postural drainage is causing a problem for me.
Barbara

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@blm1007blm1007
I did have acid reflux for long time. I thought I had it under control these last few years.
I notice with AC I'm belching a lot even in morning on empty stomach.
During my last endoscopy doctor found erosions and mentioned hiatal hernia.
I had a CT scan recently and Pulmonologist called me at home.
He seemed more concerned about the hiatal hernia than the fact I have more nodules(?) in lower right lung.
He said it was larger than last scan a year ago.
I'm wondering if it just looks bigger because of all the weight I lost from this lung disease.
I'm going to Google this information.
The only recommendations I've been given is the same for acid reflux.
Now I'm starting to wonder about this Mac in my lungs after listening to NJH on youtube. Are they all connected?

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When I first went to a Pulmonologist for my coughing, he first did one of those overnight acid tests with the sensors down in my throat. I ended up having reflux. When he also told me I had Bronchiectasis, he said reflux was the biggest cause of Bronchiectasis. Makes sense too. I also have a small hiatal hernia.

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Profile picture for Christine @thisoldewe

The bending over to "touch toes" is very effective... but I have wondered what I would if in public when the need arise!
Hilarious!
Thanks for the courage!

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@thisoldewe Do a little jog on the spot to loosen mucus and then bend down once or twice and then stretch a bit.. looks like you are loosening up before a drive. Nobody really cares anyway! 🙂

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Profile picture for sheila7a @sheila7a

@cd33
I've had a hiatal hernia for so long.
Can't say how many of my problems might have been caused by acid reflux or both.
I've had two dilations of my esophagus during endoscopies.
Swallowing some kind of milkshake so they could x ray.
Every test I've had mentions hiatal hernia. The only solution from any doctor was proton pump inhibitor. Sleep on incline. No tight clothing.
No food at least 3-4 hours before bed.
Bend at knees when picking something up.
The worse was having trouble swallowing. The panic that you are choking on food.
A co-worker finally convinced me if you can talk and breathe then your not choking.
The bending at knees is so important.
Once I bent at waist and I could feel the hernia slide!
When I stood up straight it took a few seconds to take a deep breath.
I suppose the hernia may cause acid reflux.

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@sheila7a interesting! When you said you could feel it slide, what exactly did it feel like? I always have a burning in my throat. I sometime bend the wrong way, I feel like someone squeezing a half inflated balloon from the middle and it’s very painful and takes a moment after straightening up for the pain and sensation to subside. I have mentioned it to my doc but they just look blankly at you! WT

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Profile picture for blm1007blm1007 @blm1007blm1007

@cd33 National Jewish in Denver believes that in many cases Acid Reflux plays a role in developing or having BE, Bronchiectasis. Had you heard that?
Overall from all I have read and heard we should not be doing the nebulizing and air way clearance until at least two hours after meals. Have you heard that?
Have you googled: Is bloating and burping related to acid reflux or a hiatal hernia?
Barbara

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@blm1007blm1007 no, yes and yes. It doesn’t matter when I do my airway clearance I am always burping after it. I do it on an empty stomache before breakfast.

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Profile picture for cd33 @cd33

@sheila7a interesting! When you said you could feel it slide, what exactly did it feel like? I always have a burning in my throat. I sometime bend the wrong way, I feel like someone squeezing a half inflated balloon from the middle and it’s very painful and takes a moment after straightening up for the pain and sensation to subside. I have mentioned it to my doc but they just look blankly at you! WT

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@cd33
You described it perfectly.
I used to have real bad acid reflux. Burning, trouble swallowing. It felt like I was choking. If I would lay down felt the burning and reflux.
Now I sleep on wedge, don't eat late, don't recline after eating.
Since AC I am belching a lot.
Sometimes wake up feeling as though food hasn't digested.
I take a PPI.

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Profile picture for sheila7a @sheila7a

@cd33
You described it perfectly.
I used to have real bad acid reflux. Burning, trouble swallowing. It felt like I was choking. If I would lay down felt the burning and reflux.
Now I sleep on wedge, don't eat late, don't recline after eating.
Since AC I am belching a lot.
Sometimes wake up feeling as though food hasn't digested.
I take a PPI.

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@sheila7a I do the same. Sleep on a wedge, try not to eat sweet stuff (which isn’t fair) lol. Like you said, lay down, instant burning in throat and I follow all the rules. I take pantoprazole but I believe it is not good to take for a long time. I will mention this hiatal hernia to my doc next visit, because I can’t see me being cured of MAC as long as this keeps happening.
I’m not even sure AC is a good thing for us. Maybe we should just be nebulising with saline and breathing without the use of aerobika?

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I was treated for MAC 11 years ago, then 2 years ago w/pseudomonas and have had Gerd and hiatal hernia for 15 yrs.
Taking Pantroprazole all during that time. I can’t be w/o it. Sleep on an incline and eating small meals helps. Amazing so many deal w/ all these conditions together. I bet there is more in common as well. Hang in there.

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I also had GERD and took pantoprazole for many years. I slept on a wedge as well. My esophagus started getting what they call cobblestone. The thoracic surgeon suggested stomach surgery so acid would not get into the esophagus. I have BE and they thought it would also help with aspirating into my lungs. I now, don’t take Pantoprazole or sleep in a wedge. The only downside is sometimes my stomach does fill with gas which is painful. It is a side effect of the surgery, but I’m so glad I did it.

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