Hi all, I have a question. While this a MAC site, I know many have bronchiectasis and MAC. I am getting sort of depressed with all this mucus. Today I started coughing up in the car at 10:30. That lasted for at least a half hour. Later, I did my usual clearing at 2:00 pm, probably for an hour. To me, I have a lot of sputum. I feel I can't go anywhere, at any time without worrying I am going to start hacking and coughing up stuff. It is totally gross. Yesterday I had to step outside of a restaurant to cough. I am on a nebulizer with saline and aberterol in the morning, and I vary my ABX for 14 days every month. I drink lots of water. Does anyone take any natural remedies to tame the abundance of sputum? I have read about certain natural Chinese products that claim to help reduce mucus and congestion, but am nervous to try untested, unrecommended things. I realize that many have the problem of difficulty eliminating the sputum. I just wish I didnt have so much, so often. I have to add that all the forced coughing and clearing is exhausting. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thx. Fondly, Mary Jo

@maryjo2sell, Mary Jo .. this IS MAC AND BRONCHIECTASIS .. that is why it is named that way .. BECAUSE the two go so DARN hand in hand! I can ONLY speak for myself .. BUT I was BLESSED through my careful research and "due diligence" to find a Homeopathic Practitioner who is ALSO a practicing Pharmacist (for 19 years!). Her story was that in the last year of pharmacy school they learned about Homeopathy .. she was intrigued .. BUT had student loans to pay off. WHEN she could afford to .. she then went for Homeopathy schooling. I initially went to her for migraine. In time I was about cut in half the 4x a day preventive prescriptions PLUS now rarely have migraines. When I was diagnosed with all these lung issues .. she now knows me so well she is able to prescribe what are called "remedies" .. no prescriptions that help me immensely.

Mary Jo, you do NOT want ZERO sputum production is my understanding .. you WANT to get up any/all bacteria OUT of your lungs and the sputum lung clearance gets the bacteria out. I just wanted LESS sputum.

SO .. all I can say is BE CAREFUL who you choose .. make SURE they are certified .. But try to find a Homeopathic Practitioner? My Homeopathic Practitioner is! http://www.homeopathicdirectory.com/ . I can only say I have been greatly helped with my lung issues .. PLUS general health by Homeopathy!

Interesting article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dana-ullman/homeopathic-medicine-euro_b_402490.html United Kingdom England’s Royal Family has been homeopathy’s strongest advocates, thereby confirming that this system of natural medicine is not some “new age” therapy. There are five homeopathic hospitals working within the National Health Service, some of them with a two-year waiting list for non-emergency visits to a homeopath.

According to a House of Lords report (2000), 17 percent of the British population use homeopathic medicines (11). The respect accorded homeopathy and homeopathic practice by British physicians is evidenced by a 1986 survey in the British Medical Journal that showed that 42 percent of physicians referred patients to homeopathic doctors (12)
.. Numerous surveys over the past 150 plus years have confirmed that people who seek homeopathic treatment tend to be considerably more educated than those who don’t (1). What is not as well known is the fact that homeopathic medicine is the leading “alternative” treatment used by physicians in Europe...and growing numbers of the citizenry.
And despite homeopathy’s impressive popularity in Europe .. In other words, approximately 100 million Europeans use homeopathic medicines (6). ..

I was wondering what the homeopathic practitioner suggested that you take for migraines and lung issues. I needed a push to go to this type of professional and you just provided me with one. Thank you. I know that it is necessary to be evaluated in person but just wanted to know what was prescribed for you. Terry

@128128terry11t, Terry, working with a Homeopathic Practitioner is a bit like working not only with a doctor BUT also with a therapist .. because they work with the WHOLE person. For mine it involved an initial I think 2-3 hour "chat" .. discussing not only my full medical history but also my life in general. After her evaluation of me she ordered for me a "remedy" that I was to take. Over the years as my health needs have changed .. the remedy has changed. She now knows me so well that I only see her annually and we work primarily by email or phone. It is a very personal approach .. but trust me .. she is the first one I contact when things get tough! By the way .. I ALWAYS list my Homeopathic Remedy with my meds on my Medical List. PLUS when I discussed this with Dr. Aksamit .. I could CARE LESS about Western Medicine scepticism! As I told him "I may not understand just how Homeopathic Medicine works .. BUT I also do not understand how when I turn on a light switch .. the light turns on .. Homeopathy .. electricity? I really don't care .. if they work .. I don't need to understand them! If my migraine prescription use is now down 50% .. that is all the proof I need!" Hope this helps you! Hugs! Katherine

@katemn You
go girl!
 

Thank you so much for the reply. I will look up a practitioner. I do realize it is very important to get that all out. I have had this disease for years now. I use my Aerobika faithfully. In fact, compared to some, I am lucky mine comes out so easily. I feel badly even complaining, so I usually just suck it up. Just sometimes there is just so much, it seems my day is very short, because I spend most of it hacking and spitting into Kleenex. My husband doesn't say anything, but I am sure at times, it is very annoying. thanks for the support of the group. All take care. Fondly, Mary Jo

Maryjo2sell.....do you have GERD? I ask cause I do.....and when I drink too much fluid....more than 6 ounces an hour...and /or eat too fast or too much....I cough and get more mucus.tdrell

@katemn Katherine, your comments about migraine piqued my interest. I had terrible migraines through my adult life. They finally started abating pre-menopause and finally went away with menopause. My daughter unfortunately inherited them from me. During my mothering years I was afraid to see employment because I would be missing work at least 4 days a month from them.
What have you taken for them? My daughter uses imitrix which absolutely does help but something preventative would be great. I was an ergot for a while but that upset my stomach that it was as bad as the migraine! Then one doctor put me on phenobarbital -- 5 a day! That didn't help, so I just had to suffer until menopause. I am curious to know helped/helps you so I can tell my daughter. Oftentimes when she has one she will call me because sometimes just talking helps and she knows I understand.
JK

@contentandwell, JK, I still take Imitrix with me when I travel .. barometric pressures etc affect me .. but I RARELY need that standby!

Below daily preventives are what works for me: My understanding is Corgard is for heart and Topamax is for seizures BUT the side effect is that they help migraines. Two things .. my best friend also has migraines .. neither of these prescriptions help her! Different body chemistries. BUT I would also say .. Topamax has been heaven sent for me! Topamax has helped me more than any other med I have EVER tried! I have had migraines since childhood .. REALLY bad around my periods. Was SO hoping they would depart with menopause .. no luck .. ZERO improvement to speak of! Not everyone would want to take preventive meds daily .. BUT if they suffer ENOUGH from migraines .. they will! That is WHY I researched and sought out Homeopathic .. the LESS meds I could take into my body .. I felt the better! I hope this may be of some help! Hugs! Katherine

CURRENTLY daily: Nadolol (Corgard): 20 mg in pm and Topamax: 50 mg in am and pm
PREVIOUSLY daily: Nadolol (Corgard): 40 mg in pm and Topamax: 100 mg in am and pm

I know you asked Katherine this question, but I have suffered with migraines since I was eight years old, and I am just shy of 70, so that's a lot of migraines. I was finally prescribed a beta blocker, but since my blood pressure is low, that was not a good choice. Then a doctor prescribed Elevil which I took for over ten years. It was a Godsend for me. When I went through menapause the migraines became fewer and further between each previous one. I don't take it anymore because I am on other meds for neuropathy and, of course MAC, but Elevil was truly a migraine "fix" for me! Anyone who has suffered through headaches gets how much a person's life can be controlled by them. Anyway, Elevil was my drug of choice. Hope this info helps. I am sorry your daughter inherited them. So did one of mine and one grandson!! Genetics is highly over rated! 🙂