Pulmozyme or Hypertonic Saline

[Lety]

At our last DD appoinment we saw a different doctor. He told us to change Pulmozyme for Hypertonic Saline. He said that Pulmozyme works with certain kind of mucus and we don't know what kind of mucus my dd is producing because she can't cough it out. She always swallows it. This doctor said he doesn't want to do both because I already get up at 5:30 everyday just to get pulmozyme, vest, breakfast, get ready for school and work. If he had to choose one he would choose Hypertonic. The other doctor "her regular doctor" prescribed pulmozyme. They have 2 different approaches and I don't know who to listen to. I think this board is more experienced than those doctors. please give me your opinions. DD doesn't cough much during the day. She coughs a little bit early in the morning after her vest and pulmozyme. Her X rays showed a little bit of damage as the doctor put it. Which one would you do?

 

[Lety]

At our last DD appoinment we saw a different doctor. He told us to change Pulmozyme for Hypertonic Saline. He said that Pulmozyme works with certain kind of mucus and we don't know what kind of mucus my dd is producing because she can't cough it out. She always swallows it. This doctor said he doesn't want to do both because I already get up at 5:30 everyday just to get pulmozyme, vest, breakfast, get ready for school and work. If he had to choose one he would choose Hypertonic. The other doctor "her regular doctor" prescribed pulmozyme. They have 2 different approaches and I don't know who to listen to. I think this board is more experienced than those doctors. please give me your opinions. DD doesn't cough much during the day. She coughs a little bit early in the morning after her vest and pulmozyme. Her X rays showed a little bit of damage as the doctor put it. Which one would you do?

 

[Lety]

At our last DD appoinment we saw a different doctor. He told us to change Pulmozyme for Hypertonic Saline. He said that Pulmozyme works with certain kind of mucus and we don't know what kind of mucus my dd is producing because she can't cough it out. She always swallows it. This doctor said he doesn't want to do both because I already get up at 5:30 everyday just to get pulmozyme, vest, breakfast, get ready for school and work. If he had to choose one he would choose Hypertonic. The other doctor "her regular doctor" prescribed pulmozyme. They have 2 different approaches and I don't know who to listen to. I think this board is more experienced than those doctors. please give me your opinions. DD doesn't cough much during the day. She coughs a little bit early in the morning after her vest and pulmozyme. Her X rays showed a little bit of damage as the doctor put it. Which one would you do?

 

[jpetersen]

I would get an eFlow if your concern is time spent doing treatments and do both. The "certain type of mucus" is bunk as far as I know because it breaks down white blood cells in the mucus, which is present in every CFer as far as I know. eFlow info: <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.cffatboy.com/2010/04/why-you-need-an-eflow-a-k-a-trio-and-altera/">http://www.cffatboy.com/2010/0...a-k-a-trio-and-altera/</a>

 

[jpetersen]

I would get an eFlow if your concern is time spent doing treatments and do both. The "certain type of mucus" is bunk as far as I know because it breaks down white blood cells in the mucus, which is present in every CFer as far as I know. eFlow info: <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.cffatboy.com/2010/04/why-you-need-an-eflow-a-k-a-trio-and-altera/">http://www.cffatboy.com/2010/0...a-k-a-trio-and-altera/</a>

 

[jpetersen]

I would get an eFlow if your concern is time spent doing treatments and do both. The "certain type of mucus" is bunk as far as I know because it breaks down white blood cells in the mucus, which is present in every CFer as far as I know. eFlow info: <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.cffatboy.com/2010/04/why-you-need-an-eflow-a-k-a-trio-and-altera/">http://www.cffatboy.com/2010/0...a-k-a-trio-and-altera/</a>

 

[Ratatosk]

That is an odd way to phrase it -- that there are different types of mucus. I believe amy (noexcuses) uses both because HTS and Pulmonzyme work differently. Pulmozyme is described as little scissors that cut up the bonds (liquefy the mucus). Whereas I believe HTS, helps to hydrate the lungs and make it easier to bring up the mucus.

DS so far only uses pulmozyme, which he does at night before bed. He doesn't cough either.

 

[Ratatosk]

That is an odd way to phrase it -- that there are different types of mucus. I believe amy (noexcuses) uses both because HTS and Pulmonzyme work differently. Pulmozyme is described as little scissors that cut up the bonds (liquefy the mucus). Whereas I believe HTS, helps to hydrate the lungs and make it easier to bring up the mucus.

DS so far only uses pulmozyme, which he does at night before bed. He doesn't cough either.

 

[Ratatosk]

That is an odd way to phrase it -- that there are different types of mucus. I believe amy (noexcuses) uses both because HTS and Pulmonzyme work differently. Pulmozyme is described as little scissors that cut up the bonds (liquefy the mucus). Whereas I believe HTS, helps to hydrate the lungs and make it easier to bring up the mucus.
<br />
<br />DS so far only uses pulmozyme, which he does at night before bed. He doesn't cough either.

 

[Lety]

I want to do whatever is best for her. I think I didn't explain very well on my prior message. If I have to get up earlier I'll do it. Maybe I should be doing both but this doctor said he would do just HS because 1) he didn't know the "kind of mucus" she had. Probably he mentioned the "you are aready getting up too early" just like adding another reason not to do pulmozyme and HS. I hope he based his decision on the "kind of mucus" I'm sorry but I don't trust doctors very well, I just want to know what are you all doing. I apologize for my silly grammar and spelling.

 

[Lety]

I want to do whatever is best for her. I think I didn't explain very well on my prior message. If I have to get up earlier I'll do it. Maybe I should be doing both but this doctor said he would do just HS because 1) he didn't know the "kind of mucus" she had. Probably he mentioned the "you are aready getting up too early" just like adding another reason not to do pulmozyme and HS. I hope he based his decision on the "kind of mucus" I'm sorry but I don't trust doctors very well, I just want to know what are you all doing. I apologize for my silly grammar and spelling.

 

[Lety]

I want to do whatever is best for her. I think I didn't explain very well on my prior message. If I have to get up earlier I'll do it. Maybe I should be doing both but this doctor said he would do just HS because 1) he didn't know the "kind of mucus" she had. Probably he mentioned the "you are aready getting up too early" just like adding another reason not to do pulmozyme and HS. I hope he based his decision on the "kind of mucus" I'm sorry but I don't trust doctors very well, I just want to know what are you all doing. I apologize for my silly grammar and spelling.

 

[ktsmom]

I have never heard of the "different kind of mucus" idea. The two meds work differently to thin mucus. To me, mucus is mucus so I don't know about having to choose one over the other unless one is too irritating.

HTS, from cysticfibrosis.org.au:
When Hypertonic Saline is inhaled into the lungs, the body tries to dilute the strong salt concentration. The cells lining the airways are triggered to release water. This restores the layer of moisture lining the airways, which helps the mucus to clear the same way it does in healthy lungs. You could think of it as the lungs "flushing out" the stagnant, infected mucus.

Pulmozyme:
Pulmozyme is a manufactured version of a naturally occurring human enzyme called deoxyribonuclease I. This enzyme breaks down deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), particularly DNA found outside of cells. Research has shown that the fluid in the airways of people with cystic fibrosis has too much DNA, usually caused by the breakdown of cells that are fighting lung infections. This DNA causes the lung secretions (known as sputum) to become more thick, causing breathing problems with the infections. This becomes a problematic cycle, with infections causing more DNA, and more DNA causing more infections.

Pulmozyme works by breaking down this extra DNA, helping to thin the sputum. This, in turn, helps to improve lung function and decrease the risk of lung infections.


DD was on both Pulmozyme and HTS and would still be doing both, but when she went into the Denufosol trial she had to drop HTS.

 

[ktsmom]

I have never heard of the "different kind of mucus" idea. The two meds work differently to thin mucus. To me, mucus is mucus so I don't know about having to choose one over the other unless one is too irritating.

HTS, from cysticfibrosis.org.au:
When Hypertonic Saline is inhaled into the lungs, the body tries to dilute the strong salt concentration. The cells lining the airways are triggered to release water. This restores the layer of moisture lining the airways, which helps the mucus to clear the same way it does in healthy lungs. You could think of it as the lungs "flushing out" the stagnant, infected mucus.

Pulmozyme:
Pulmozyme is a manufactured version of a naturally occurring human enzyme called deoxyribonuclease I. This enzyme breaks down deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), particularly DNA found outside of cells. Research has shown that the fluid in the airways of people with cystic fibrosis has too much DNA, usually caused by the breakdown of cells that are fighting lung infections. This DNA causes the lung secretions (known as sputum) to become more thick, causing breathing problems with the infections. This becomes a problematic cycle, with infections causing more DNA, and more DNA causing more infections.

Pulmozyme works by breaking down this extra DNA, helping to thin the sputum. This, in turn, helps to improve lung function and decrease the risk of lung infections.


DD was on both Pulmozyme and HTS and would still be doing both, but when she went into the Denufosol trial she had to drop HTS.

 

[ktsmom]

I have never heard of the "different kind of mucus" idea. The two meds work differently to thin mucus. To me, mucus is mucus so I don't know about having to choose one over the other unless one is too irritating.
<br />
<br />HTS, from cysticfibrosis.org.au:
<br />When Hypertonic Saline is inhaled into the lungs, the body tries to dilute the strong salt concentration. The cells lining the airways are triggered to release water. This restores the layer of moisture lining the airways, which helps the mucus to clear the same way it does in healthy lungs. You could think of it as the lungs "flushing out" the stagnant, infected mucus.
<br />
<br />Pulmozyme:
<br />Pulmozyme is a manufactured version of a naturally occurring human enzyme called deoxyribonuclease I. This enzyme breaks down deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), particularly DNA found outside of cells. Research has shown that the fluid in the airways of people with cystic fibrosis has too much DNA, usually caused by the breakdown of cells that are fighting lung infections. This DNA causes the lung secretions (known as sputum) to become more thick, causing breathing problems with the infections. This becomes a problematic cycle, with infections causing more DNA, and more DNA causing more infections.
<br />
<br />Pulmozyme works by breaking down this extra DNA, helping to thin the sputum. This, in turn, helps to improve lung function and decrease the risk of lung infections.
<br />
<br />
<br />DD was on both Pulmozyme and HTS and would still be doing both, but when she went into the Denufosol trial she had to drop HTS.
<br />

 

[mag6125]

Its been my understanding through my doctors that the HTS works better for some people and pulmozyme for others. The thing to watch out for with HTS is that it can make you very wheezy, especially if your daughter has Asthma. I have been on pulmozyme as long as I can remember and a couple years ago I tried HTS for about a month and had to stop because it made me so wheezy afterward that it basically made my breathing worse. For me there was no benefit and I'm happily back to my normal pulmozyme.

 

[mag6125]

Its been my understanding through my doctors that the HTS works better for some people and pulmozyme for others. The thing to watch out for with HTS is that it can make you very wheezy, especially if your daughter has Asthma. I have been on pulmozyme as long as I can remember and a couple years ago I tried HTS for about a month and had to stop because it made me so wheezy afterward that it basically made my breathing worse. For me there was no benefit and I'm happily back to my normal pulmozyme.

 

[mag6125]

Its been my understanding through my doctors that the HTS works better for some people and pulmozyme for others. The thing to watch out for with HTS is that it can make you very wheezy, especially if your daughter has Asthma. I have been on pulmozyme as long as I can remember and a couple years ago I tried HTS for about a month and had to stop because it made me so wheezy afterward that it basically made my breathing worse. For me there was no benefit and I'm happily back to my normal pulmozyme.

 

[Rebjane]

My daughter uses both Pulmozyme and HTS. They do work differently. Pulmozyme works to break up strands of mucous. HTS works to liquify the mucous, to make it easier to cough up and out. I noticed a huge difference when we started my daughter on the HTS, she had already been on Pulmozyme since she was 2 1/2 years old. The HTS she has been on since about 4 years old or so(I forget)...I noticed a huge difference with the HTS..It does make her cough at times especially when she first started.

Every CF person is different; if I had to choose between pulmozyme and HTS I would choose HTS hands down. But I didn't choose, she does both because she gains a different benefit from each drug...

 

[Rebjane]

My daughter uses both Pulmozyme and HTS. They do work differently. Pulmozyme works to break up strands of mucous. HTS works to liquify the mucous, to make it easier to cough up and out. I noticed a huge difference when we started my daughter on the HTS, she had already been on Pulmozyme since she was 2 1/2 years old. The HTS she has been on since about 4 years old or so(I forget)...I noticed a huge difference with the HTS..It does make her cough at times especially when she first started.

Every CF person is different; if I had to choose between pulmozyme and HTS I would choose HTS hands down. But I didn't choose, she does both because she gains a different benefit from each drug...