Good morning, and welcome to Mayo Connect. We are a community living with a variety of conditions, trying to help one another along the way.

It is interesting that pineapple juice helped you - I had not heard of that before. Many people use Mucinex (guaifenesin) to help thin the mucus and make it easier to clear out. If you try it, be sure to use the kind with no other medications added.

The bad news is that the scarring you have, whether from RA (yes it does sometimes affect the lungs) or another cause, is permanent and will not go away. The good news is that there are many things you can do to keep the rest of your lung tissue as healthy as possible.

Do you have a pulmonologist? They can refer you to a Respiratory Therapist who can teach you lung clearance techniques & breathing exercises that are safe for you to do. These help slow the progression of disease & improve oxygen uptake so you feel less weak & tired.
Airway clearance helps get the mucus out and keep it out - very important because infections breed easily in the hidden recesses of damaged lungs. Breathing exercises strengthen & improve the efficiency of your remaining healthy lung tissue.

Have you been referred for respiratory therapy?
Sue