Anyone familiar with pH balanced 7% saline, rather than acidic type?

@poodledoc That's the saline that my pulmonologist prescribed and I've been using it for a couple of years until recently when you couldn't get it anymore and now the only thing my drugstore has is a generic brand and it's not Pulmosal. Hopefully I will get back to it at some point when it's back in stock. I guess it's good. I've had no flare-ups or bugs or progression in the past 3-4 years. I hope I don't jinx myself saying that. Nan

That's what my pharmacist used to give me. The last 2 times it was something else - which really makes me cough so hard I sometimes gag. Just to show you how observant I am, never knew there was a difference.
Sue

@nannette @sueinmn : Nan and Sue, Thanks for your response. With as much hacking and coughing that most of us do on a daily basis our bronchial tubes must be constantly irritated. The last thing we need is to inhale anything acidic. Another angle to this is that National Jewish Health suggests reflux (especially Upper Airway Reflux) is often seen in conjunction with Bronchiectasis and/or MAC. So imagine even small amounts of gastric reflux making it's way into our airways where it is then re-activated by inhaling anything acidic causing even more irritation. I plan to change brands of 7% saline ASAP, my pharmacy told me the Pulmosal 7% pH+ will not be available until the end of the month. Bill

@poodledoc very interesting, I had no idea about this , will keep my eye out for Pilmosal. thanks
Heather

@poodledoc Yes, and I have reflux and I just finished listening to a three hour chronic cough conference from the European Lung Foundation (because I've had a chronic cough for four years since the 2018 flu that got me. And this is on top of the airway clearance cough that we have to do for bronchiectasis. There's an app out there now called HYFE and it measures how many times you cough in a day. It's not altogether perfect because if you go out of wi-fi range or have bad wi-fi it doesn't track as well. Anyway, even without tracking the whole day I cough anywhere from 100-300 times a day. Just depends on the day.) and there was one comment that stood out for me by a doctor/professor from the University of Manchester and that was that it's the reflux that causes some people to cough but even more so it's the GAS from the reflux that irritates the nerve endings in the throat. Very interesting. So you're right about inhaling something less acidic. I will definitely keep with the Pulmosal brand when it comes back in. Nan

I also will ask my doc to call the less acidic brand in for me.
Hey group🙋🏻‍♀️ Has anyone here (besides me) experimented with Halotherapy ( most recognized as Salt room therapy)?
I first tried it in Florida last November…it is…sitting in a (spa like room) with walls of pink salt(Himalayan salt blocks) for approximately 50 minutes, inhaling pharmaceutical grade sodium chloride that has been fed into a gizzmo(I call a Vitamixer) that feeds it through the ventilation system into the room. So basically you are sitting in a plush bean bag…being bathed in salt mist…and inhaling it. It caused me to cough a little at first, but when I left the room(hubby joined me) I could breathe well and felt good. The claims are it is good for allergies/asthma etc…and is a detoxification. I asked my ID doc what he thought of the treatment and he was leery. He said “I don’t think it is a good idea…you could contaminate yourself…honestly…when I walk in the neighborhood and inhale car exhaust, mowing & blowing debris, and common air pollution…am I not subject to contamination? I head to NJH in a couple weeks and will ask the rockstar team of docs. I am taking all the information I have on this therapy. I found that it claims to be used for Cystic Fibrosis. Also here in Charlotte NC…an oncologist/hematologist was sending children from Levine Hospital (good pediatric hospital here) for respiratory care to these salt rooms(cannot be too bad I guess) short of it…I have gone 2 times a month for the past 2 months.,,risking contamination I guess. Would like the groups opinion on this.
Regina

@cmi Regina, I've done a salt room before. I think it did it for a few months (it didn't cause any problems and I didn't get contaminated) but it was a 30 minute drive for me every time I went and I work 6 days a weeks so I stopped going. If it was here in the town I live in I would probably still go. There is a story in history (and I can't remember the details) that somewhere in Europe I believe that these men that worked in salt mines resolved their lung issues because of breathing in the salt air everyday. It kinda makes sense, though, because there is that old saying that salt heals everything so I wouldn't be surprised. And we're nebulizing with our 7% salt solution so there you have it! It certainly has kept the bugs away for me. (knock on wood) Nan

Hello Regina - It will be very interesting to hear what the experts at NJH have to say about salt rooms.

It is an interesting concept for sure, but I don't think I would consider it in place of 7% saline nebs for a couple of reasons - first, the unknown quantity of salt actually reaching deep into my lungs, second, the fact that it isn't a daily deal, and third the cost - here it is at least $30 per session. That pays for a whole month of my saline solution.

I haven't been able to find any research studies or papers, either pro or con, and don't know if it is just because the concept is new to the mainstream or what.
Let us know what NJH has to say.
Sue

Sue,
I will definitely keep the group posted on what I find out.
But….I have not stopped my daily saline nebs….absolutely would not have even considered that. I just added the salt room as an additional ( hopefully) therapy.
The nebs do not help my non-production of sputum…but I still faithfully comply. I have never been able to produce even one sample worth sending to the lab. They discovered my MAC via Bronchoscopy. They will stick me back in the “booth” for more induction attempts on my next visit.
I will write the forum as soon as they give me some opinion.
Stay well.

Regina

I have been getting the brand PulmoSal™ 7% (pH+) Bio-Balanced™ Hypertonic Saline for a few months now but the cost for 90 days has jumped to $120 - ouch. Someone posted a while back that if your Rx was worded right it could cut your cost way down, but I can not find that post. Can anyone help? I have Medicare and a supplemental. Thanks Bill