Alternative treatments

@pacathy
Thanks so much for your reply and the details re your treatment. I too have been discouraged from using anything with a drying effect. I’ll check with my Dr on the next visit.

@galing I should clarify that Mayo started me on the Triple spray with Ipratropium 3 years ago. That’s when she told me pulmonologists worry about excess secretions and need to get it under control. A couple months later, a Penn frontal sinus specialist added the Mometasone rinses because despite the spray and NS rinses, I was still hoarse and when he looked, I had a significant amount yellow drainage on vocal cords. The occlusion of my frontal sinus had cleared when I finally got in to him, so the sprays were helping a lot, but needed a little more.
It seems to me, decreasing that mucus production kept the bacteria from having an environment to grow. Good luck!

I was diagnosed with bronchiectisis 2 years ago and mild to moderate MAC lung 1 year ago. Did not want to do the big 3 for fear of side effects, so did alternative therapy with support from a local alternative care clinic for about 3/4 of a year. My bloodwork improved (!), but alas my CT scan showed mild progression. So I just started the big 3 and am continuing with some of the alternative therapies simultaneously. I'm continuing with: Mullein - 30 drops, 3x day, Oregano oil - 4 drops 3x day, Licorice - 20 drops, 3x day. All drops are taken in water. I also did diathermy treatments at the alternative care clinic, which induce lots of coughing up stuff.

@marva13
do the drops help in place of the meds?

@akron3 The drops @marva13 is using are to help with breathing by thinning mucus and/or reducing inflammation. None of these is a substitute for antibiotics if you need them. Sometimes it is possible to reduce or eliminate infection with a combination of airway clearance, thinning mucus, and 7% saline nebs. Your doctors can help you decide whether doing "watch and wait" combined with those strategies is right for you.

I have tried lignosis, tiger milk mushroom and it helps. I just read some interesting lipid treatments called plasmologens that are used for brain health have applications to lungs. Heavy biochemistry read for the lipids.
Lorraine

Oh dear, Sue is going to "get on her soapbox" for a minute here.

EVERYONE CONSIDERING HERBAL, ORIENTAL MEDICINE AND SUPPLEMENTS PLEASE READ.

In general, supplements in moderation MAY be okay. But if you are under a doctor's care for any condition, especially if you are taking prescription medications or biologics, or if you regularly use over-the-counter medications like Tylenol or ibuprofen, please be aware that supplements may interact with them, increasing or decreasing their action, or possibly causing reactions ranging from mildly unpleasant to dangerous.

Keep in mind that these substances are not regulated or required to be independently inspected for purity and potency. Many may be packaged in the US, but sourced from countries where there is no oversight. There are frequent articles about the testing of supposed remedies, only to find out the package contains little to none of what is on the label, or that it may contain ingredients not listed, some of which are banned as dangerous.

Please tell your doctor everything that you use, even if you think they might not approve. This includes capsules, teas, tinctures, even regular use of skin creams or gels that contain drugs and herbs.

If you choose to use supplements and herbs, select those that have been subjected to testing and carry either the NSF or USP logo on each container. If you buy from an Oriental Medicine Practitioner, ask them where they source their products and how they insure safety.

All that said, I do use a few select supplements from time to time, but they are listed with all of my medications on each of my patient portals. And I buy certified products only, from companies that specialize in selling them, and know how to handle and store them. This means they are not the cheapest ones on the market.

@lorrainewenn With that in mind, and knowing you have had issues with hemoptysis, are you aware that there is a potential for increased bleeding from lignosis? Does your pulmonologist know you use it?

Is there any benefit from Infrared saunas? Since the process heats up organs from the inside, without steam or moisture, could this technology help bronchiectasis?

Always check with your pharmacist as well. They are very up to date on the drugs. Side effects. And possible interactions.

@sueinmn
Thanks Sue!
I mentioned it to her and she didn’t know about it as she is not trained in eastern medicine. I do not take it all the time and did not know it caused bleeding . I will stop taking it.
This forum is great!