Your input — is nebulizing only once a day okay?
I nebulize every morning, and after 2-3 hours the mucus wants to come up and I do AWC. I always get the same amount approx 1/8 cup of clear mucus with 10-12 small light yellow plugs. When I also neb in the late afternoon or evening nothing comes up , but I cough at night which wakes me up and only a tiny bit of clear mucus comes up. It doesn't seem worth it to me to neb twice a day, as I don't clear any mucus , and it keeps me up at night coughing a bit even when I neb in late afternoon instead of evening. I have stable bronch and MAC, not on antibiotics.
Any opinions?
Does anyone else only nebulize once a day?
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The main thing is to stay ahead of the mucus if you need to. My second nebulizing early evening does not produce much but it does produce some, so for me it is worth doing. My first nebulizing of the day done around 11 am produces quite a lot of sputum. Doing a second clearance the evening before reduces that "burden of mucus" the next morning. It helps me to stay ahead of it. But once a day may be enough for those who produce so little sputum or produce none the second time. I would talk it over with your pulmo. I used to do once a day but my Dr switched me to twice when i told him how much i was producing.
Thanks Irene — how much mucus do you produce?
Have you ever measured it?
I did discuss this with my pulmonologist and her take was that AWC is so different for everyone you just have to find what works and keeps you able to be consistent and not giving up. She has many patients that just won’t do AWC or only do it when they are sick.
Yes Cate I have a way of keeping track which might sound weird to some people! I think it helps to know if anything is getting worse or getting better etc. But everyone is different and some people might produce variable amounts each day. For me it is consistent at about 3 liquid ounces give or take with my early day clearance. Evening amount is just a tablespoon or two? I imagine my production is more than most people here. Pseudomonas produces more.
If I computed correctly that’s about 1/3 cup in mornings — that is a lot and good for you in measuring and keeping tabs on it! I produce about 1/8 cup in mornings and not even a teaspoon at night.
Who would have ever thought in past years we’d be spending so much time obsessed with our mucus??! LOL
Hi Cate123456, I only nebulise once a day but the other week when I think I was having an exacerbation I nebulised twice a day. I feel my "new normal" now so back to once a day. I am on the "Big 3". I think how often, when and the airway clearance technique that suits you, are all individual. The important thing is that we're doing it.
Hi everyone,
Any recommendations for a dependable and easy to clean/disinfect nebulizer?
Also for an incentive spirometer?
Thanks.
J
I heard Dr. Pamela McShane on a patient education video a couple of years ago and she recommended Wabi Baby sterilizer for nebulizer and Aerobika. I now use it daily and it's simple and saves time. Available from Amazon for less than $100.
Hi naomia,
Do you have the Wabi UV-C or the Wabi steam sanitizer & dryer? Which was recommended by Dr. McShane?
Thank you for the information!
Hello,
Does anyone have information or input regarding a waiting period to nebulize after eating? I am asking because I had a sputum collection at my pulmonologist's office and the instructions were to stop eating 4 hours prior to the collection appointment. Also, do your evening nebulizer sessions cause an increase in coughing episodes during sleeping hours?
Thank you!
That is a very good question! I should think 3 hours would be a good rule of thumb. But for me that is not always possible. My late morning nebulizing usually has only 2.5 hours after breakfast. I do not find the evening nebulizing causes coughing, in fact saline never makes me cough. But for some people it does.