Can anyone give me tips on collecting a sputum sample for culture

Do you use albuterol and sodium chloride by neb? An Accapella or Aerobika device and huff cough helps following the breathing treatment. I’ve also found that using Mucinex thins my mucous and makes it easier to cough out.

@sharonednaramsey Thanks for your reply. I do not use nebulizers at all. I have just the puff albuterol. I also have a flutter devise that has never helped at all. I have used mucinex but not in trying to get sputum. I will try to use all of the things I have and see if that helps as I have never done before and see what happens. Thanks
Elaine K

I find the easiest way to get a sample is take the jar and put it at the edge of the shower. Nice long hot shower. Then as soon as done sit on edge of tub and force cough. Only way I can do it

@laneyk I use the Aerobika nebulizer with 7% saline twice per day. The biggest inconvenience is sterilizing-which is a process. When I was diagnosed with MABC, my pulm Dr immediately got me nebulizing and wrote scripts for the saline. It not only helps produce sputum, it helps clear your airways. Clearing your airways can reduce AFB counts. I have read 2 research studies that showed at least 25% of people cleared NTM by nebulizing with 7% twice daily, the down side is the study size was only 25, so not highly conclusive. Univ of Portland is or will be studying this with 100 participants with MAC and not on the big 3. I believe the study was to start in 2025. it will be interesting to see the results.

@westcottkm3040 no long hot showers with MAC . That is a source of MAC

@kathyjjb I see doctor this week and I will mention this and try to get started with this. This sounds like a good idea that I’m interested to try. Thanks so very much. Where did you get the Aerobika? I’m sure I can find at Amazon. Thanks

@reneemc apparently Mac is everywhere. Dirt, hot tub, air. If I can’t have a nice hot shower there is no point in life. I will take my chances with that. Lol

@westcottkm3040 As @reneemc said, it's true that hot showers are a source of MAC. I believe that is where I may have gotten my MAC. If you want to be safe, you might want to look into getting a filter for your shower. Companies like Safe Water and others sell these. In lieu of that, you can make sure you have a shower head that does not aerosolize or spray a fine mist. The holes should be as big as possible. That can help but not completely eliminate MAC. One thing that I also did was turn my water heater up to at least 130 degrees as suggested by Dr. Falkinham, a prominent MAC researcher. His articles are referenced in other posts on this site.

Thanks. Great info

@laneyk I got my first one at NJH and I thought it was about $80? Unfortunately, I melted it using a micro steam bag when sterilizing. I added minutes without adding extra water-big mistake. Allied medical sells the Aeroclipse set which is just a nebulizer. When I went to NJH they wanted me to use the entire Aerobika OPEP with the manometer. This has a built-in flutter mechanism and the manometer measures exhale-for optimum use. After melting it, I purchased another from Allied Medical (can google). I also purchased an OMBRA compressor. I liked the OMBRA since the tubing can be changed along with tiny filters. My first compressor was a cheap rental (few bucks per month), the tubing was not changeable, and it had no filter. Good luck and let me know if you have any additional questions.