7% Saline Solution

Cynthia, your question pulled my "talkie cord", resulting in the following. This is a letter I just sent to a brother-in-law who also deals with lung problems, I think Bronch.

Like you I'm a customer of a pulmonologist. Also like you I'm noticing gradually increasing shortness of breath. Diagnosed with both bronchiecstasis as well as myco avium complex (MAC). For over two years I've been using a Respirtec Percussion Vest airway clearing device (aka my Thumper). I do it twice daily along with saline inhalation at the same time using a nebulizer. Currently using 4 ml. of a 7% strength saline. For most of the 2 plus years I've been at it, I was using a much weaker 0.09% strength simply because the pulmo doc started me on and, upon his departure, it's what his replacement continued. My naivete remained constant unitl I discovered the Mayo Clinic "Connect" discussion forums, one of which is focused on Bronch and Mac. There I discovered that saline is available in higher strengths to wit: 3% and 7%. I soon wrote a detailed letter to my Pulmo doc and he agreed with my rationale for Rx'ing the 7% concentration. The rationale: in addition to bringing up impressively more mucous, I've learned that the 7% solution is capable of actually killing bacterial lung infections.

I'm hoping my "beefed-up" regimen will result in something tangible like less frequent flare-ups; a flare-up being defined as beginning to run a fever (which makes me feel unmistakably sick) and enduring another round of antibiotic treatment to put things right at the presumed cost of decimating the microbial health of my gut. For the past many years I've not been able to get past the 5 month mark before I get the chills and sweats again, but I'm determined to improve that routine.

This experience over the past several months has impressed me with the virtue of educating myself about the vagaries of my ailments. I've found the Mayo Clinic forum very helpful in achieving a modicum of knowledge.

In Health, brudder

Don, I also use a percussion vest, mine is the SmartVest and I think it helps. I know they make a 9% sodium chloride and I ask my doctor about prescribing it but she would not but didn’t state why. Some people make their own saline but I am afraid I would not have everything sterile enough. I make fermented water and milk kefir and fermented vegetables to help restore the good bacteria in my gut because I take antibiotics the first ten days of every month to try to keep the bugs beat down but I still have bad flare ups several times a year. It is so nice to have people to discuss our issues with that really understand. Thanks for your response.

Cynthia, how do you describe your flare-ups?

The last two have been low grade fever, chills, night sweats, then it goes to severe pain in my right lobe with lots of coughing and lots of extra mucus. I had MAC in 2012 and took the big three for 24 months and have been clear since 2014. However, it appears it has reared its ugly head again. I am waiting on test results from Mayo to be sure exactly what it is. Flare-ups prior to the last two were severe coughing, chest pain and increased mucus and of course no energy. I have bronchiectasis also. I have been on maintenance antibiotics about 3 years and that has lessened the flare-ups. Don, I am new to the site and so thankful to be a part of caring people with so much knowledge. I will have lots of questions but hate to ask something that has already been addressed. Do you know if there is a way I can search for a specific thread on a subject before asking the same question again?

@cynthiajewell7 Hi Cynthia. I nebulize the albuterol first because it will open the airways to allow the saline to reach more places in the lungs.

@cynthiajewell7 When you first pull up the Mac and Bronchiectasis site, you will see three blue blocks with titles in them. The first block says 'Discussions' you can click on that and scroll down through many topics and then click on one that interests you. Another way is to type in the box at the top of this page (the one with the magnifying glass) and type in a key word) for example: 7% saline, or pseudomonas, etc. Are you looking for something in particular at the moment?

Thank you Terry for the information, I think I have figured out how to search now. I am still trying to learn how to maneuver the site so thank you for your help. The reason I was questioning albuterol use is because it makes me so nervous and shaky that I can’t stand how I feel. I do have other questions but now that you have shown me how to research the site I think I will be able to find answers. 😊

Atrovent HFA..... Cynthia, my doctor has me on Albuterol for during the day hours and Atrovent HFA for night time because of just that. He said I wouldn't have the "jitters" with the Atrovent. You may want to ask your doctor about that? Hope this helps.

Thank you and I sure will, I hate these jitters.

@toni1132 and @cynthiajewell7 My doctor switched my albuterol to levalbuterol. It is albuterol without the stuff that gives you the shakes and bad nerves. Plus, I have SVT, superventricular tachycardia which causes my heart rate to sky-rocket; so, my dr didn't want the albuterol to bring that on. You might want to ask your dr about switching it out for you. I have found that many of us in this group also suffer with rapid heart rates.