Thanks for the info Katherine. I am anxious about the coughing because it's starting to interfere with my work. I had a weak voice to begin with. I have been on a nebulizer 3 months 4 times a day - taking budesonide and albuterol-ipratropium. I also confess I'm drinking less water than I used to - it doesn't taste as good as before...
David

Hello David, I SO know what you mean about the coughing .. truthfully it becomes embarrassing at times with people I don't know. I make a point of mentioning that I "have lung issues.. I am NOT contagious .. I do not have the flu". This is because through the years I have found people alarmed by my coughing .. so I just meet it front end by explaining .. especially in close quarters like a theatre .. plane etc.

I wonder if the nebulizer 4x a day might have anything to do with the weak voice. Am correct in understanding you are referring to a nebulizer that takes the meds and creates a mist that goes into your lungs 4x a day? I did this for thirty months just once a day with my inhaled Amikacin and found it did affect my voice some. If you are doing inhaled meds .. are you being REALLY careful about sterilizing? I have a couple of ideas if you are that I came up when I was doing it.

Also .. JUST IN CASE .. you maybe should mention to your doctor about the coughing .. just in case you either need to do MORE .. or LESS of something. I know for me with the Bronchietasis .. I have just kind of accepted it as a fact of life .. BUT making sure when I use my 2 inhalers in the am and pm .. I do my "lung hygiene coughing" and watch for the color of the sputum. If it stays consistently dark yellow for a longer period of time .. I contact my doctor because that probably means an infection. The best of times is if the sputum is clear or mostly clear.

In terms of the water .. I would REALLY suggest one thing you might do is .. get the biggest liquid container for work you can find .. I got one for my husband that was I think 40 oz or something then:
1. flavor your water with whole fruit or herbs by letting it sit overnight in the water or just squeeze the juice in your water. It really only takes a few seconds to slice a lemon in half and squeeze it in the water.
2. or a few ideas: 5 Ways to Make Water Taste Better (So You'll Drink More of It) http://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/
3. OR 20 Tips to Make Drinking Water Taste Better .. http://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-drinks/20-tips-make-drinking-water-taste-better

MAN!! I think I'm going to try some of those tips .. I'm getting bored with all this water .. have been MAKING myself drink it! Thanks for making me do the research .. I benefit!!

But remember that each of has a different journey because each of us has a different body and issues .. so you have to chart your own course and watch your own symptoms. Be our own best advocate with your doctors .. by educating yourself .. gathering all the knowledge .. digesting what applies to you .. what doesn't .. and taking the very best care of yourself that you possibly can. You WILL get through this .. keep the faith! Hope this is helping just a little bit! Sending you a Big Hug! Katherine

Thanks for your quick reply Katherine! I will use those lines with people worried about me infecting them. But the real problem at work is the cough is lessening my speech and I "choke up" when voicing more than a few paragraphs of conversation. I've been coughing for 4 months now and my pulmonologist knows my concern. She gave me a cough syrup with codeine for nighttime and that helps me sleep. She also gave me a drug called Benzonatate (Tessalon) for cough twice a day.
The voice has been a problem for 10 years. I had surgery at Mayo Clinic for nerve damage as my vocal chords don't come all the way together. So that's part of the voice weakness.
I like your tips on drinking water. I will try some of them! You have good resources.
A hug back to ya!
David

David I have no idea if this might help you .. but as with your issue .. there have been times that I just have to stop talking because I just can't! Also .. I found my voice didn't "sound like me". So being a great googler .. I just put in the name of my city and "speech pathologist" .. I'll be darned .. I came up with a name with the below bio:

"a medical speech pathologist in private practice for over 25 years. He holds a masters degree in speech pathology from Eastern Illinois University. He has completed continuing education in voice evaluation and care, fluency disorders, oral myofunctional disorders, myofascial evaluation and care, and oral motor speech evaluation and therapy. He has continued an avocational study in areas of brain science, learning science, behavior and muscle function.

He holds certification in speech pathology from the American Speech Language Hearing Association, license for speech pathology in the state of Minnesota, membership in Minnesota Speech Language Hearing Association, and membership in the International Association of Orofacial Myology. He also participates with his voice colleagues in the MN Voice Colloquium."

I made an appointment with him .. VERY interesting!! I was probably a very Uninteresting patient for him .. his usual client was opera singers recovering from surgery needing to get back to work etc .. that is the one I really remember. But he really helped me! He gave me various exercises to do on a daily basis .. it helped greatly. Now I don't have a clue if it might help in your situation since you had surgery etc .. but it might be worth checking out? Just a thought? Just keep trying to all you can to be as healthy and happy as you can! Hugs to you! Katherine

Thanks Katherine! I have been to some voice instructors and speech path people. They have given me exercises to do and I try to (some of the time! lol). I too have found the best therapy is to stop talking or indicate to people my voice is sore . They are very understanding. I live in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, home of Denny Sanford who gave the largest gift to a Medical hospital ever - $400 million dollars. So we have great doctors, and a few have even come over from Mayo Clinic!

Boy, David, it just seems like you are doing everything you can possibly do .. turning over every rock .. trying your best .. doing your best. Sounds like your best bet is just to keep doing what you're doing .. save your voice for the essentials. You are indeed lucky to have access to good doctors .. here on the Forum we hear form many people without that access who are greatly frustrated. You can count your blessings .. which sounds like you are already doing! Keep up the good work! Hugs! Katherine

Hi Katherine,
I saw your latest coughing reply. When I am in a bout of coughing, I find that chewing gum helps it calm down (or maybe it just calms me down! lol) Milk seems to aggravate it. Water doesn't help. Ice cream with a sweet topping can seem to start a coughing jag. I'm thinking maybe it's the cold sugary sensation. Anyway, different strokes for different folks!
Blessings,
David

Hello David, hmmm that is interesting! Chewing gum is not something I have tried. actually I have tried drinking water .. and SOMETIMES that does help. I am going to get myself some chewing gum! Any particular kind/type the best you've found .. or it doesn't matter .. the chewing is what works? Lately one of my worse times is talking on the phone .. really frustrating! Thanks for the tip! Hugs! Katherine