Saline solution 7% vs 9%: Anyone switched?

Wow! This is news to me. The supplier may be referring to .9% or normal saline. Yes, some of us had to switch for a while when 7% hypertonic saline was unavailable, but the supply is improving.

As far as I know recommendations have not changed for those of us with Bronchiectasis or cystic fibrosis. Strong saline not only keeps mucus thinned, but it discourages mycobacteria growth in our lungs.

Have you asked your doctor? It may be time to find a new supplier.
Sue

Where do you get your 7% hypertonic saline? Do you need a prescription? My pulmonologist prescribed 3% for but it seems most everyone on this forum uses 7%. Is it available on Amazon or another distributor. Thanks for your input.

In reply to @jcwest211 I have not heard of this from my pulmonologist, at this point.

Hello @jcwest211, You can order 7% saline from Amazon, no prescription needed. You could try that to make sure it works for you. Some people find it irritates their bronchial tubes but do fine with the 3%. What works best for me is 7% in the morning and 3% in the evening. As Sue @sueinmn mentioned the 7% will do a better job thinning the mucous and inhibiting growth of bacteria. Bill

I’ll be surprised if there isn’t some confusion here, e.g., the reference to 9% is in reality intended to be 0.09. At this strength the saline solution is inadequate to do much good. My “asleep-at-switch Pulmonologist’s ignorance joined mine resulting in me continuing to have acute bronchitis flare- ups requiring antibiotic treatment to corral. I repeat myself to remind you that it was only when, on this forum I learned about 7% saline solution that I achieved some control of the situation.
As I’ve quipped before, Arthur Conan Doyle’s Sherlock Holmes wasn’t the only one who trafficked in 7% solutions

Thank you @poodledoc! I will give it a try.

Hi there Thumper. I am happy to see that you are nebbing 7% saline and I hope you won't keep cutting back because it is working for you. Some of us, unfortunately, cannot "tolerate" 7% or even 3%. Tolerate is the word doctors use when our bodies absolutely will not allow us to use a particular drug or treatment. In my case, after 10 years of using 7% and then 3%, my lungs decided that they will not tolerate either and instead, after only one inhalation, I go into what I call hiccup sob. It is horrible and goes on for long time before I can breathe again.

For a while I didn't neb any saline but about two years ago Dr McShane sent me an article comparing .9% saline to 6% which concluded that .9 is just as effective in saturating sputum and helping patients ckear it. Obviously .9% does nothing with respect to killing bacteria.

I wish I could link to the study but for some reason, probably my tech stupidity, I can't. The title of the article is " The long term effect of inhaled hypertonic saline 6% in non cystic bronchiectasis " and is available online at sciencedirect.com. It is a small study but interesting.

Perhaps someone with better tech skills will find it and post it.

The bottom line is that, for those of us who cannot tolerate 7% or 3%, .9% will do some good.

Rits @rits That is a good find. Here is a link to the article https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0954611112000431

@dee65, I augmented the title of your discussion to distinguish it from the other discussions about saline solution. But I wonder if @thumperguy is correct and that you are referring to 0.9% rather than 9% saline solution.

Can you clarify or confirm?

Hello, I am wondering what is your reaction or symptom when you found out the 7% saline solution isn't suitable? Have you ever had fever after 7%? I wonder if my lung is too vulnerable from bronchietasis that too strong the saline solution would mess up the lung causing it to weaken and hence worsen off than not using the saline.