When do you do your airway clearance treatments?

It's an app that coaches deep breathing, holding, huff cough, etc. I also find it helpful.

Ok, @deestrada I have a slightly different issue, I wake up dehydrated and hungry, and I just don’t want to wait to eat/drink until after A/C, it’s too uncomfortable for me, and so it is not something I will stick long term. So, I eat/drink when I rise, then I wait two hours and do my morning airway clearance. I do my second A/C around 9 pm, a couple hours after dinner, and a couple hours before bed. I think for all of us, we have to find a schedule that makes sense for us long term. If doing A/C first thing in morning doesn’t work for you, experiment with other options. There is scant data on A/C so no one can really tell us (with any certainty) what is optimal, even 2x a day is not something all NTM experts advise (McShane suggests once a day A/C with a session of exercise) so while A/C is important and something we should all be doing, there is no one way to do it. Experiment, how can you best accomplish getting a morning A/C session in without disrupting your appetite. Maintaining your weight is key, and I would not want to see you eating less to do A/C first thing in the morning, when there is nothing to support that doing it later in the morning isn’t just as effective. I do think it is important not to eat or drink 2 hours before A/C so for those having coffee, etc. right before (hopefully not during) A/C, I would recommend rethinking that approach, @mjb24.

I was recently at NJH and their recommendation was on an empty stomach, before breakfast and dinner. Due to my daily schedule, I usually do at least 2 hours after both meals.

In your readings of areas of Mayo Clinic Connect you will hear the words "We are all different.
For myself it has taken me quite a while to understand everything. The key is to learn as you go by finding the information you need and the routine that is best for YOU.
Nebulizing by itself is not Air Way Clearance. There are different things one can do that fall under what Air Way Clearance Techniques are. Autogenic Drainage is one, Active Cycle Breathing is another and Postural Drainage is another. Some people do certain Yoga postions to help with air way clearance, clearing the lungs of the mucus and mucus plugs.
However with Postural Drainage people must be aware of the fact that it is not best for people with Acid Reflux.
As you are probably realizing, much of the information on this thread can be found by searching the internet.
Hope you are finding all you need. There is much on all of this information on other threads on this Mayo Clinic Connect and hope you are able to find them. It does take time and that is a precious commodity.
Barbara

There is an app that coaches this? I am having a hard time learning on my own.

If you do a google search there are fantastic videos on autogenic drainage, mostly from Australia, where it is described in detail so you can understand the logic of it. The app is most valuable, I think, after you have a basic understanding of what it’s about.

Hi paxmundi-
I just found this one. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kC-H8fFzZes
What do you think about it? I was impressed with her full discussion.
Sounded logical about how often one should or should not be doing the coughing throughout the day. I may have been doing it too much, don't know for sure because I feel fine but do feel I have more mucus. So I might have overdone the clearing in between the nebulizing sessions and the clearing afterwards.
Hope you are doing well and all good with the pulmonologist etc.
Barbara

Thank you Barbara for this video. It got me wondering about my nebulizer sessions in the morning. I find I don’t have much mucous in the morning now and the 7% sodium chloride makes me cough violently often to the point of vomiting. When I don’t get much up that first treatment, later I seem to be experiencing more phlegm during the day. I’ve started delaying my first treatment until after breakfast and getting into my day. But even that isn’t consistent with ease of phlegm removal initially. I use the aeobeka and a SmartVest additionally. Now Im wondering what is best for me.
Diane