7% Saline Solution

Same here @ tiinasims...if it hadn't been for this group I would have never known about the saline solution. And one of the other most invaluable things I ever learned from here and that was from Katherine (sp?) and she taught us about being your own advocate in your journey with doctors. I can't tell you what that taught me. It first taught me to ask my first pulmonologist for saline even though he looked at me kinda crosse-eyed, so I pushed him for it and got it. And then I asked my second pulmonologist for something that was alternative and he gave me the same look so I found a functional medicine doctor and got what I want. And a good friend of mine who is probably 85 and has had bronchiectasis for years finally got 7% solution after using 3% forever and I saw her at the gym and she looked like a new person. She said she couldn't believe how much stuff she got up with the 7%. And that was because of telling her what I learned here!! There's all these smart people on here and I can't name them all but Terri (@windwalker) is a fount of information and has been for years. I would like to thank all you smart people for your knowledge and you know who you are. Nannette (Nan)

I am also so grateful for this forum and the education I’ve received here.
Many thanks!

Yes, yes. I also learned that saline solution comes in strengths other than the relatively impotent 0.9 that I'd been using forever. When I pushed the pulmo to Rx. 7% I got the sense he must have researched it a bit as he seemed to become more enthusiastic in the process of Rx'ing it for me. Don

Windwalker, isn't Flovent a steroid? My doctor has me on Ventolin as opposed to Flovent because of that reason. He said using any steroid is like throwing gasoline on a fire ( for the MAC ). I, also, am on the Big 3. I'm just curious. Additionally, I see y'all writing about saline solutions 7%..... can anyone tell me what that's all about? How do you use it and what is the purpose? Thank you all for your dedication to helping others ! Toni

Does it take awhile for the 3% to work. So far I’ve had no luck.

@toni1132 Toni - I think it depends what you want to accomplish with the saline. If it is to create a productive cough and. 3% works, go for it. If you are trying to keep MACat bay, research seems to show you need 7%, so that's what you would choose. I had not heard of the negative connection between flovent and bronch, guess it's time for some reading.

I was started on 0.9. a few years ago. Until I discovered this forum I knew nothing of 3% and 7%. I was never aware of any therapeutic response to 0.9%. When I became enlightened and got doc to Rx 7% the response was dramatic, unmistakable. Don't know about 3% but If I were you, knowing what I now know, I'd be tempted to try 7% if your doc is amenable. Good luck, Don

Are you putting it in a nebulizer? How many times a day?

Yes twice daily in a nebulizer. Don

I had to ask my pulmonary Dr to prescribe the saline to nebulize after reading about it on this forum. He prescribed the .9%, I think it was to just help thin the mucus. I requested he change the prescription to 3%, again after reading about it here. I seem to be doing ok. I just had a CT scan 1 week ago, and he said everything seems to be the same, not better but NOT worse. So as of now I’ll continue with the 3%.