Hardly any sputum today. Plus a question

@ursala7 Laying back is the only way I can consistently get out much mucus. Here lately I've been having to over-extend my recliner and tilt my head toward the floor to get much out. I'm wondering if the vest is somehow just packing the mucus in. Anyway, I can get about 6-8 blobs out in 30 minutes. Their sizes range from dime sized to maybe half dollar sized but most of them are quarter sized. I feel like I'm working about 50% harder now than when I started all of this, and getting out far less mucus. When I first started all this airway clearance I was getting about 10 huge blobs out within my 30 minutes.

@letsjustbreathe Sounds just like me. I know I have to nebulize and vest twice a day because otherwise the phlegm is going to get thick and boggy. Sure it feels for a while like I don't have anything down there, but I know that's a fallacy and I know I have to work on this stuff every single day, most of the day long, whether it be the airway therapy or walking, or the laying back in the recliner. Exhausting. House is getting messier/dirtier every month.

@irenea8 Where do I find how to do these “airway clearance” and other infos?

@ger8
The best place is to learn from a respiratory therapist in person. If that's not available there are youtube videos demonstrating several different techniques.

Personally, I like Emily’s Technique for Huff Cough.

I am rarely getting up "blobs"; only loose mucus and pea-size occasional blob. I have MAC and Bronchiectasis so I know there is junk down there. I neb albuterol 2x/day and 7% saline 1x/day then huff cough. Also walk, use Bevespi, do percussive cupping on chest, OPEP, and open mouth breathing techniques. Don't know how to do more...

Hmmm, I don't know if I'm fortunate because I can do most any airway clearance and cough up lots of gunk, or unfortunate because I am never done clearing it out 🤨. I do find that for me breath holds, warm liquids and breathing exercises seem to bring the most up.

@mjb24
Thanks. By breathing exercises do you mean like long deep breaths, the 5, 5, 7 (or whatever it's called) , like that?
Do you get in all different lung positions?
(just recently discovered that detail. It makes sense and I think I get more when I do it)

I noticed awhile back that when I lied back at the hair salon while getting my hair washed I started coughing up gunk. I noticed the same thing when reclined at the dentist. That clued me in that I needed to lie back in my recliner to get up the gunk. I can sit upright all day long doing airway clearance techniques and get nothing up, but then lie back and it starts flowing. I guess my message is to spend extra effort just noticing if/when the gunky cough starts and tailor airway clearance accordingly.

@letsjustbreathe
you can elevate your hips a bit and have your head inclined downwards a bit and use the Aerobika while in that position. Sit up to cough it out and repeat as much as you need.

Curious - for those with mild BE/MAC, maybe there’s less to no sputum that needs to be cleared?