Salt Pipe
Posted , 10 users are following.
I have had bronchiectasis for 64 years, I recently saw a respiratory physiotherapist, the first one since I was a child. She was very helpful and went through the active breathing excerises to clear lungs, but also suggested a salt pipe. I wondered if anyone here has tried one and was it any good. I have ordered one and will give it a go but it would be interesting to hear your thoughts. Thanks.
0 likes, 20 replies
BookNut HC58
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jeannie4243 BookNut
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BookNut jeannie4243
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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. :-)
cofalot jeannie4243
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cx
Samantha_P HC58
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sue00942 HC58
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christiann74538 HC58
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I can't give you any information about saltpipe....but I wondered, how do you do having this illness so many years? Do you have pseudomonas? Do you take a lot of antibiotics? And how do you feel after so many years being ill?
i wish you all the best and hope the experiment with the saltpipe is positive!
Christianne
HC58 christiann74538
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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!
LarryLarry HC58
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christiann74538 HC58
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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
cofalot HC58
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Not had any experience of the salt pipe and don't know any bronchs who have mentioned it, so can't help with that. Like you I have had bronch since I was a baby and from the same cause as yourself - whooping cough and double pneumonia. I nebulise bronchodilator followed by hypertonic saline 7%, then 28 days on and 28 days off nebulise Tobramycin. I have always managed my bronch along with the medical bods. I have asthma too. Over the last couple of years I have been colonised with HI and so am plagued with freqjuent infections. Intolerant too to many abs. Do you use a prophylactic ab eg Azithromycin.
Pleade let us know how you get on with the salt pipe - I would be most interested and hope it is very beneficial for you.
love cx
HC58 cofalot
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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!
cofalot HC58
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Have you found any of the PEPs help you at all?
cx
BookNut cofalot
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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!!
cofalot BookNut
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cofalot
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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
BookNut cofalot
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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.
jeannie4243 BookNut
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