Here comes the 10 page story.......<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> I'm cutting and pasting what I've done and put on previous posts to here for you to read. Not sure if all of this would apply to you, but I'm putting it all in fyi.
I'm glad to see you posting here!
<It was never explained to me that you had to force yourself to cough-It was my understanding that you just sat there on the vest, and if you coughed naturally that meant you had congestion, and great, spit it ip. If not, you were fine and I guess I thought the purpose was to just loosen mucus. When I switched hospitals they wanted to see me doing the vest. So I did what I normally do, put it on, sit there for 30 minutes, use two or three different frequencies and see if I cough at all.
Then they said there is a definate technique to the frequencies and to coughing-its not as easy as just saying well, if I cough great, if not, ok. I had to learn how to breathe in a way to force myself to cough, to do a controlled cough, and not put my airways into spasming. Like I said, the "textbook" way is-you should get up 5 spits for each frequency you do-you do 7-8 frequencies, thats 35-40 spits. Equaling about 1/4 cup of mucus per therapy. To get that mucus up, esp out of the deep airways is what keeps you living. The key to getting your pfts up, clearing your small airways and keeping lung damage to a minimum.
Heres an example of my therapy-
Start at frequency 7 for 4-5 minutes. Stop, deep breath in, (I blow out hard and fast just like a pft) Some people are worried about that giving them a spasm, so they go strong and slow when exhaling. When exhaling, put the pedal back on so your are vibrating as you exhale. Either way, whatever works best for you-it will bring up mucus. Do it 5 times in a row, giving you 5 good spits. (keep track of the spits in a cup)
Go to frequency 8/9-Do process again
Go to frequency 10/11-Do it all again-Repeat with frequencies 12, 15, 17, 20 as far as you can go. ( I only get to 18)
The whole point of physio is to get out as much mucus as you can, and get out mucus from those deep airway. Doing all the frequencies, from the little ones to the strong ones is what helps get out the deep mucus.
I hope this is clearer now, and let us know if you try it and if it helps at all!>
<<Then my doc put me on seasonal IVs, before winter, after winter, if I had a big event coming up-family wedding, stress, ect. She added Zithromax, (oral) and I think that's helped me alot. She added the hypertonic saline, that's helped me tons.
Then we made a 'timeline' of sorts. Each month a health goal was set. She wanted me to be seen by an ear/nose/throat guy, to check my sinuses, have a CAT scan of them, so I did all that. She wanted bone scans, MRIs of my lungs, me to be seen by a Gastroenterologist and have a colonoscopy/endoscopy. I now had to come in every other week to monitor my PFTs closer. Then to be seen by a high risk OB that specializes in moms with lung disease. I did all this, and it was as exhausting as it sounds. But worth it. So, most of my tests came back normal, but a few adjustments were required.
The biggest thing was, though my doc is not a , "stop all meds for pregnancy" person-she wouldn't want me to be on TOBI or other antibiotics during it. Now, I should emphasize-not only b/c antibiotcs aren't good for preggin moms, but mostly b/c she didn't want me to NEED them. But its a personal decision, and only what worked for me. So I got my PFTs to 75, and then had to hold them for 7-8 months with no antibiotics. Then, after all that-WHEW-she said we could try. All of this was over a 1.5-2 year period.
For my case, my doctors feel that its not the pregnancy itself that will be the threat-it is after. It is caring for a baby 24/7 and doing all my treatments, sleeping, not worrying about the house, ect-so getting help. They stressed to me that after birth, I have to start working back my lungs asap. So I had to shift my focus from can I get preg and carry ok, to can I handle this lifestyle. From what I've read-the only moms that do this successfully-meaning have had kids and are 40 and still going-maintain rather strict lifestyles. >>
Now we're pregnant. It took 2 months of trying. We used Robitussin and ovulation kits, and I charted too. I wanted to plan the pregnancy so that I'd be delivering in spring/summer and I'd have that warm weather in the time when my health would be at its biggest risk. Thankfully, it worked out. I am in my 3rd month now!! Feeling great, happier than ever. You asked about vitamins-I take a high quality prenatal from New Chaper Organics. Extra Vit C, Vit B complex, and Zinc, an antioxidant multi (for immune system), and Flaxseed/Borage oil (immune system and baby's brain development). I started all this way back, I think a year before we were trying. The prenatal is a great all around multi so I'll keep taking it after the pregnancy too.
I wish you both the BEST of succes in making this decision and trying and the whole process. It is such a hard decision, with emotional ups and downs. But I don't even have that baby in my arms yet and I feel so confident and happy. Wishing you the best!
