Embolization for hemoptysis

[Jeana Lynn]

Is embolization only used for acute hemoptysis? Or can it be used for frequent recurring hemoptysis? I keep getting hemoptysis and it is not due to an infection. I am not taking any blood thinners at this time either. Has anyone Embolization or another method of treatment that reduced the number of occurrences?

 

[jricci]

Hi Jeana Lynn,
Sorry to hear that you’re having to deal with hemoptysis. Things have calmed down for me since starting Kalydeco, but I struggled with it for years. I did have a bronchial embolization done years ago because the episodes were increasing in frequency and it was the hope that the procedure would find the culprit vessels and help to prevent future episodes. Unfortunately it didn’t help much, but it does for some people. If you do end up getting one, let me know and I can give you an idea of what to expect. Hope things have improved for you since you wrote this post.

 

[ToriMom]

Hello Jeana Lynn,
My daughter (now 16) has had a lot of issues with hemoptysis. I was at my wits end about a year ago when I read something about birth control pills helping some CF females with this issue. I started to observe that yes, in fact my daughter DID have more frequent episodes during her menstral cycle. There was a presentation at one of the CF conferences about the potential for hormonal birth control--"the pill"--to help with hemoptysis. I can't find the reference at the moment, but I will keep looking for it. Long story short--I asked my CF clinic to put my daughter on a birth control pill. We have had a SIGNIFICANT improvement in her bleeds since then. In fact, I can't remember the last time she had an episode of hemoptysis. She uses a pill that limits her cycles to one period every three months/four per year. I really do think there is a correlation between hormones and CF females having a hard time with exacerbations. I believe hormones play a part in the gap between male and female mortality in CF.
I will add a link to an article on CF news today:
https://cysticfibrosisnewstoday.com...brosis-lung-exacerbations-in-female-patients/

Anyway....that's my two cents for now!
Michelle

 

[LeftY]

hey, im glad that i found someone with the same problem like me.
i have hemoptysis very often, lets say once a week. i was in hospital due to that because they said its because of infection(s).
after about 4 weeks it started again, and in hospital they didnt find any "leaking" or something like that, blood results were good, basically everything is good and normal but i have this crap -.-

 

[erock77]

How bad is the hemoptysis? I've had 6 embolizations, it's been several years since the last. I would have hemoptysis pretty regularly, but we only embolized if it got really scary. Like 10 minutes where it just won't stop gurgling and choking me, followed by repeat bouts through the day.
If it's a regular occurrence and more than just some streaking or a tablespoon it might be worth it. Obviously talk to your doctor. They don't like to do it if they don't have too, we Really don't want to do any more for me since it does block off blood flow to the lungs.
Otherwise I've given recommendations on here that have helped for me over the years when I had bleeding issues:
Vitamin K (mephyton) Rx, water-soluble ADEK vitamins for CF. Vitamin K helps with clotting.
Cayenne pepper has worked to stop the bleed within seconds. About 1/8-1/4 tsp in a cup or less of warm water is ideal. But I used to carry a little vial at all times and just toss some in my mouth if I'd start coughing up blood walking outside.
Our most recent Rx that I think has played a big role in the reduction is Tranaxemic Acid. It's experimental, I brought it to my doc after someone else wrote about it here, and my doc has passed it on to other CF docs. It has some potential clotting risks, but if it's really a problem for you it's worth discussing with your CF doc.