← Return to Two bits of good news!! (and nebulizing with saline)

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@windwalker

Hello Marellen! Most of us with bronchiectasis and/or mac infection use nebulized saline in conjunction with our antibiotic treatments. It is considered good lung hygiene, sort of equal to washing your hands, only it's lungs. NIH (National Institute of Health) did studies that showed what strengths of saline killed specific strains of bacteriums. 7% was specific for Avium Bacterium which is mac/ntm. There is a chart that lists those, I will dig through my files and look for it. My Mayo dr had put me on the 7% saline back in 2013. I tested negative for mac by 2014. Mayo drs are held in the highest esteem worldwide, so take my drs choice of 7% as Gospel. I still nebulize saline to this day to keep my lungs clear. I have not read your link to the article yet, but I will. I think the lower % saline may work ok especially for those on the newer meds like Arikayce, I don't know for sure. For those who cannot tolerate the 7%, then go lower, some os better than none in my opinon. All I can say is; back when I first joined this group years ago, hardly anybody was on the saline. Between myself and a few others who preached constantly that we all should be doing it; most in our group here now use it. I will tell you this, when I first became a Mentor for this group; there was a lot of virtual hand-holding. Many members were so sick, crying, and scared. The symptoms of active mac infections can be quite miserable. I have noticed that as more and more of us started using the saline, the level of misery has gone down, and people are starting to test negative for mac.

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Replies to "Hello Marellen! Most of us with bronchiectasis and/or mac infection use nebulized saline in conjunction with..."

windwalker…….thank you for the post. It always gives us a little ray of hope. Personally, I'm plagued with pseudomonas as I have been for over a year. Have done the toby for more than a year -- still positive for pseudomonas. Going to try it a while longer, I guess. It is discouraging. The constant coughing and phlegm is quite embarrassing and hard to work with if you're going out at all. With the pandemic, I could clear the whole WalMart store in 3 minutes. Ha! Therefore, I don't go in, of course. Thanks again for all you do.

I was diagnosed with chronic bronchitis (copd) in Oct 2010 and put on inhalers. I had a ct scan soon thereafter which showed bronchiectasis. 7% saline and an acapella were added to my treatment regimen. I think it is important for those diagnosed with bronchiectasis to find a pulmonologist who specializes in or has an interest in bronchiectasis. Because such pulmonologists are hard to find, one who treats copd is the next best choice. We need pulmonologists who are familiar with excess mucus.

National Jewish also recommends 7% saline twice a day for our lung disease.. I have read the same info on many sites saying the same thing..I sometimes can’t tolerate the second dose, so I will use 3% instead with my Colistin..thanks for th3 info Terry