7% Saline Solution

For me, the 3% version does the job!

Thanks for your message - I’m trying 7% saline in my nebulizer when I finish my 3% and I’ll know that I can expect it to bother my throat. I’m glad to hear it worked so well. I’ve used 3% for a few months and it usually makes me cough up stuff but not as much or as often as it should.

Have people had other side effects from the 7% saline?

Some people don’t tolerate 7% well, to wit: riits on this board.

If you still have some 3%, have you considered mixing it with 7% in the nebulizer as a transition ( you can mix gently and discard the excess.)

Thanks. I used all of my 3% but this is a good idea. I’m taking a few little breaks with the 7% because it irritates my throat and makes me cough while using it. I’ll keep doing this until I get used to it.
It makes me cough a lot more than the 3% did so I’ll be patient with this part of getting used into it.
Thanks again.

@kathyhg I too experience coughing using the 7% saline. Some days I can't quite finish the neb, but unlike medication where it is necessary in order to get the full dose, I figure that's fine. The purpose of the saline is to irritate the lungs to bring up the mucus, so if I'm doing it, the job is done. I do try to get as much as possible because I know the saline also helps suppress the MAC, but hey, you do what you can. By the way, I also noticed I can actually taste the saltiness of the mucus several hours after the treatment, so I must be getting plenty. Also, initially I was using 5ml vials, but the last Rx was for 4ml - the pharmacist says he can even get 3ml. His take was that at 5 feet and 100 pounds, the smaller dose was probably plenty for my body. How large are the vials you are using? Sue

The vials are 4 ml so that’s probably okay. I’ll keep at it but I’m glad to hear that others experienced some challenges with this and I’m not alone.

The pharmacist (at the hospital outpatient pharmacy where I bought the saline) said that they typically sell 7% saline and don’t even carry 3%.

Hi Kathy, Like you I cough and bring up copious amounts of mucous while using it but I figure that's the goal and it's sure doing the job like nothing I experienced @ 3%. So despite the nuisance, I just keep tissues handy and welcome the impact it's having. Don

@thumperguy 7% saline is the strength necessary to irradicate avium mycobacterium (mac).

I found that 7% irritated my throat/trachea so much that I coughed up a bit of mucousy blood for the first time since. It was pretty scary and I’m sure that can’t be good. I went back to 3%, which I have been using since September without incident.

I’ve wondered if 5% might be a good compromise? It’s even harder to find than 3% though.

Any thoughts on coughing up blood? Do you get used to the 7% over time?