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How long for 7% Saline.
My nebulizing routine consists of albuterol, followed by 7% saline at least am and pm. My question is the albuterol usually takes 20-30mins, and really seems to break up the mucus. On the other hand the 7% saline would take 30-45 mins to nebulize all of it, as it is more of a solution in the vial than the albuterol. I usually try to do at least 15-20 mins. After that my throat gets so dry and sore, I’m sure from the salt in the saline. Is this 15-20 mins still effective enough? My Pulmonologist at Mayo said the nebulizing 7% saline serves two purposes, things mucus, and because of salt content makes it a inhospitable place for bacteria & viruses to inhabit.
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Good morning - It sounds to me like you got 10ml or 15ml vials of 7% from the pharmacy. the typical dose is 4ml, so you are right to stop at 10-15 minutes. Some people here put 4ml (eyeball measurement) into the neb cup in the morning and save the vial to use more in the evening. Do the same at night, then discard the rest.
Another thing you might ask your doc to try is to use 2 puffs of your albuterol inhaler, wait 10-15 minutes then neb with just the saline. For some people this works as well as the albuterol neb first.
Anything we can do to streamline our routine helps us to stay with it long term. When it becomes so time-consuming that it interferes with our lives, there is always a temptation to "skip it just this time"...
Sue
Sue, thank-you for your reply. I just checked my box of 7% Saline and it is in 4mL vials. I always time my nebulizing time with the saline and after 15-20 mins check the level left inside the cup and it’s always at least 1-2ml left in there. I believe the type of actual nebulizer you use makes a big difference also. I just started using a breath activated nebulizer so therefore there is no waste.
Sue, do most people wait 10-15 minutes after albuterol before they start nebulizing the saline? It seems that if I’m nebulizing the albuterol, you have to give it time to get to your lungs and work
Based on how I feel, the amount of time it takes to neb albuterol is long enough for it to act. I wait at least 10 minutes, but I use an inhaler , not a neb. You might want to ask your doc for an opinion.
Sue