Airway clearance and how I feel throughout the day

Have you tried AD app (autogenic drainage) available for no charge on app store? That helped me a lot. Before that I often spent 45 minutes and still coughed during the day. Awfully exhausting. I use AD app after 2 puffs symbicort, NAC with 650ml of water, 7% saline via nebulizer. After about 5-10 minutes, I use the app. I also try to keep well hydrated during the day. I hope this helps.

I can't avoid it because my lungs produce mucus during the day. If I take a shower I get more mucus; if I go out in the wind I get more mucus; if I exercise I get more mucus etc etc. At least in my case, I don't think it is possible to "get it all out" and not have any more until night time. I don't have trouble producing it at all though the 3% makes it quick! I use the vest afterwards and nothing else ever comes out....until later anyway. Maybe we are all different that way. I don't know. I just know I go through a ton of kleenex.

Can someone explain the AD app? How can something like that work? What is it exactly!?

After my first late morning airway clearance, I generally feel clear of mucus during the day. But it takes time and is about the same amount of mucus each day. I spend about 45 minutes to one hour total. 7% saline and then many rounds of the Aerobika both sitting at first and then lying in different positions. The majority of my mucus will NOT come up unless I am using the Aerobika lying on my back with hips elevated and head slightly down. Then sit up to breath in a certain way that vibrates the mucus to expel and repeat all this several times. Then lying on each side using Aerobika at least one time each. By the time my early evening clearance is done I have a small amount of mucus to expel. The vast majority is the first clearance. My body is used to the routine. Some days the mucus is very loose and expels more easily than other days. But what works for one person may not work for another. But you might try the different positions.

You pose a good question, Scoop!
Same with me, mucus all day no mater what I do. Plus I have a Crazy Cough non- stop through out the day. Every 45 minutes on average and always bringing up mucus. My nose fills up as well. Tissues galore in every basket in the apartment. I take one puff of Albuterol.... wait a few minutes and neb with saline. I'm on a low dose right now. .09%. Then I use the Aerobika Device for 10 minutes then sanitize equipment and gargle with warm salt water. I don't do it a second time....because in the beginning, I felt the process made me cough more. Maybe I need to try it 2x p/d. I'm dealing with the tissues but can't tolerate the Constant Cough much longer, going on 6 months on and off. I need to work with a Respiratory Therapist to check me.
Frankie160

I occasionally cough through the day despite the airway clearance twice a day, etc. I recently watched a video on ACTs by a respiratory therapist at the Mayo Clinic and I’m doing the autogenic draining and other techniques he reviewed as well as the “lung squeeze” at night that I read about on Lung Matters facebook group. I think they are helping to reduce coughing during the day and at night when I go to bed.

I know that I should have been doing these for the last 4 years but there is so much to learn about managing this (I have Mac). I go through periods when I get complacent and then I get back into a learning mode and learn everything I can and I am in that mode now.

Can you tell me where to find the video by the Mayo Clinic respiratory therapist?

It was in a recent NTM lecture series and it is on YouTube now. Hope this works.

From the app itself:
The Autogenic Drainage app provides a customizable timer with voice commands to aid in doing autogenic drainage. Autogenic drainage is a breathing exercise that is used to clear mucus from the lungs in people with lung disease. Autogenic drainage requires no equipment and is done entirely through controlling your breathing.

This app contains a default autogenic drainage session that was customized by a person with cystic fibrosis and also contains a fully customizable session if the defaults do not work for you. You can customize the length of every inhale, exhale, time holding your breath, and total number of breaths in each phase of autogenic drainage. Hit start and voice commands tell you when to breathe in, hold, and breathe out. The timer also displays how long your session is, the current breath number, and how many breaths you have remaining. The app also contains a reference section.

This app was designed to the specifications of a single person with cystic fibrosis and was developed as an aid in doing autogenic drainage for people with cystic fibrosis or perhaps other lung diseases. This app was not developed by doctors, respiratory therapists, or any other medical professional. This app is not intended to replace any existing medical treatment and should be only used as an aid to people already doing autogenic drainage or those eager to try it.

One thing I've found useful it to measure a.m. mucus. How? Use a specimen cup which has ml measurements on the side. Instead of using tissues cough into the cup. When you're done, voila, you know how much you've coughed up. This way you can keep tabs on how much you're bringing up. When the amount is more than your baseline, perhaps you're having an exacerbation and need to reach out to healthcare team. Flush the coughed up gunk and save cup for next time.