Salt Pipe

Hi Booknut what is the difference between hypertonic saline and saline please.  I am married to a bookut

Hypertonic saline is a much higher concentration of salt.  My asthma specialist says that sometimes it can cause bronchospasm, so she has prescribed it to me with the understanding that I need to use my nebulized bronchodilator first.  So far it has helped me a great deal.

If you are married to a booknut....you must be as expert as my husband is at getting your spouse's attention when he is immersed. :-)

Jeannie isotonic saline 0.9% has the same consentration of salt as already in the human body fluids.  Hypertonic, be it 3%, 6% or 7% has a BookNut has stated a much higher concentration of salt and works by osmosis so the fluid it draws into the lungs loosens the gunk more easily.  It can, as B has also pointed out make you quite wheezy.  If my asthma is bad I use 0,9% but the hypertonic is much more effective.

cx

Thank you for your replies, I will definitely give the salt pipe a try when it arrives and hope it helps. 

Christiann, I had whooping cough and pneumonia at a few weeks old, I given 6 months to live at 3 years old, we lived in Manchester at the time and my parents were told to relocate to Kent. With the advent of tetracycline and postural drainage I survived. I was encouraged to excersise as much as possible and took up ballet, which I eventually became a teacher of. I haven't had pseudomonas and only have about one or two chest infections a year which respond to clarithromycin. I am retired now but exercise as much as I can, I do get tired and have a rest day to recover. I get wheezy and thought it was a good idea to get updated by the physio to try to keep as fit as possible. I would say to anyone of any age newly diagnosed with bronchiectasis, don't panic, I've survived it so far, so can you!

Thank you. Your message is inspiring

Well, thank you so much for your encouraging message! You must be of a strong nature! I believe I could live with only broncoectasis more easily if it weren't for those pseudomonas that make my whole condition worse.

i really hope that the saltpipe will help and I will follow your good advise of doing exercise as much as I can.....

take care! Christianne

Hi,

It sounds like you work very hard at keeping yourself as well as possible. I recently had blood and sputum tests, they came back with minor bugs. I do use a bronchodilator atrovent inhaler three times a day which makes it easier to breathe, but none of the things you have to do. I also have clarithromycin with me to take if I feel unwell. But apart from that just lung clearing. I have been lucky when I hear of all the problems others like you have. I suppose we just get used to dealing with it. There are always others worse off. Keep at it and keep well!

To start with...let me say I love your user name.  A sense of humor is what gets us through all this!  

I agree about the benefits of being proactive.  I have (mostly) terrific doctors and they did the best they could.  But there was an important miscommunication and my allergy/asthma doc did not get the info that I had been diagnosed with mild bronchiectasis in the left lung by my pulmy.    he had made light of it, saying it was so mild it could not cause all my problems.  So...we were working with a diagnosis of chronic sinusitis and asthma.  Well...I have basically fired the pulmy.  The last time I went to my allergy/asthma specialist, she took one look at me and called an ambulance.  I had a miserable few days in the hospital, mostly because of an unresponsive nurse.  However...it turned into a blessing for me. A nurse or a respiratory therapist suggested I try saline solution in my nebulizer.  That was SO helpful to me that I changed ny research to focus on "what conditions are treated with saline solution".  That led me to this group and some links that gave me a deeper understanding of bronchiectasis and as a result, I have pretty much taken charge.  I got my asthma doc to prescribe hypertonic saline and I told her i had started on n-acytlcysteine pills.  I feel like we are finally dealing with the underlying cause.  I am also happy that I can do things like breathing exercises and using my flutter valve.  The NAC pills have cut back my horrific sinus issues by at least 75%.  So...all in all..we have to depend on our doctors...but there is much that we can do on our own.  And research is key!!

Well done you getting rid of a non proactive pulmo.  

Sorry that went through by magic before I had finished!  I am glad now that things have improved for you.  What % of hypertonic do you use?  I use 7% but if my asthma is playing up and I am wheezy I use the isotonic 0.9%

Agree with you research if good as long as they are reputable sites.  I've found even after all these years I have learned so much from other folks with the same condidtion on forums such as this.

Stay well.

cx

I use 7%. My asthma doc hesitated because hypertonic can cause bronchospasm.  She wrote the script with the understanding that I would always use my bronchodilator medicine in my nebulizer before using the saline.  this has worked well for me.  The hypertonic has never caused an asthma attack for me.  On the contrary....it clears up the tightness and helps me cough out the mucus that is blocking air.

You are correct about research.  I spent the last 10 years as a librarian before I retired, teachong high school students how to evaluate websites for validity.  Reputable sites have helped me, but my best tips have come from. forums.

Hello Booknut can you tell me what hypertonic is please