Coughing up Blood ( unpleasant subject! )

Caitlin,

I have coughed up blood many times and have had to have an embolization 3 times and a scope once. In 2002 I was coughing up serious amounts of blood. They figured it was between 4-6 cups. Can't really measure when its in the toilet I nearly had to have a blood transfusion. Anyway, I had been doing fine and had only a few episodes of blood until last year while I was pregnant. I coughed quite a bit again and they went in for another embolization. The only difference was this time I was put on a vent which scared the crap out of me. They sedated me for 24 hours while vented and went in two different times to stop the bleeding. A few days later my OBGYN said it was time to induce labor and have the baby because of all that was going on. IT was 6 weeks too early, but while I was on the pit, those of you who have had children probably know what this is, anyway I began couging up blood again. I was rushed up to ICU and they wanted to stop delivery, but my girl was on her way. so they put me out got her out of me put me on the vent again and scoped me to see where the bleeding was coming from. They thought it would heal on its own so no embolization was done but then a few days later after coughing up more blood they were able to go in without me on the vent and I was basically awake during the procedure. I understand how badly it scares you though. It truly is scary. My doctors tell me to call them when it is about a 1/4 of a cup. I don't know why a teaspoon doesn't seem significant for them but that is the way it is. It can be caused by coughing so hard you break blood vessels or as others have stated that you have an infection which causes the blood vessels to be closer to the surface and easier to rupture. If you have any questions please feel free to email me. tigger_babe32@hotmail.com. please put CF in the topic so I don't erase it I am doing much better now and have not had any severe bleeding episodes. Good Luck!!!

Emilee with 2 E's
 
JUST A QUICK NOTE TO LET YOU KNOW I HAVE COUGHED UP BLOOD QUITE A FEW TIMES IN MY LIFE. WHEN THIS HAPPENS GET REST AND DRINK ALOT OF WATER.
 

anonymous

New member
I coughed up 1/2 a cup two or three times. I didn't tell the doctors, as I had already mentioned it and they dismissed me, and said if i can't seem to stop it let them know (like i can control the process). Each event was evenly spaced over two or three months.

I didn't do it for a while, and then the past 10 days I cough up one or two throat fulls of blood and then it stops. But it has happened 5 different nights over the past 10 days. I read in the fourm that humidity can prompt it, or pulmozyme. Maybe i should get some overthecounter vitamin K. L-lycine seemd to work there for a bit.

My worry now is that a day or two after a bleed, i cough up blood plugs; small geletin like chunks of pure blood. Clots i suppose. Is this bad. Any suggestions?

90% of the time I cough up blood at night between 9pm and 3am.

Grendel
33/m
 

JazzysMom

New member
Grendel, You hemoptysis sounds very much like mine. I take the ADEK vitamin plus an additional 5mg tablet twice a day of Vitamin K for the clotting. The most recent episode of bleeding had blood & sputum them pure blood with clots then it dwindled down to just streaking. For me it varies, but unless I have an actual infection it doesnt last long. Just enough to scare me initially & remind me of what could happen!
 

Diane

New member
I have found that taking L-Lysine every day made HUGE difference for me. I have had 2 embolizations and still after that would bleed off and on ....but on a continuous basis. Most of the times it was when i was laying too flat ( i dont sleep flat anymore), or right around the time of my period. I started taking 3000 mg. of L-Lysine (1000mg 3 x per day) and it made a slight almost unnoticeable difference. But when i upped it to 4000 mg ( 1000 mg 4 x per day) that did the trick! Thank God <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0"> I have been taking it every day since and FINALLY i can go a month without having hemoptysis.... and can go on and have a life without being in constant fear. Im also on 10 mg of vit K ( which ive been on for years)
 

anonymous

New member
For those who are taking Vitamin K, how much do you take? Please be clear, are you taking millagrams (mg) or micrograms (mcg)? Also, I went to the health food store and picked some up, but all I could get was 100 mcg tablets. Is what you are taking pharmacutical dosage or special interms of absorbtion?

Thanks,
Lance
33/m
w/CF
 

JazzysMom

New member
In addition to the ADEK vitamin twice daily, I take 1 5mg tablet of Vitamin K twice a day so 10mg is my total for the additional vitamin K daily.
 
hay ya, i was going throught that aswell about a week ago, well if thats what u had, its best to see a doctor about it, i did, they said its nothink to worry about, because everytime u coach your vesle inside will burst so that maybe it what happened, well hope ur ok and well again, pete x
 

ccflewallen

New member
I have had three episodes of coughing up blood. Each time I went to the hospital and was put on IV antibiotics. My CF doc said that I would need to be life flighted to Vanderbilt if it happened as severe as it did the first time again. I hate the feeling, I hate coughing it up, and I hate seeing blood come out of my mouth!!!!!!!!
ccflewallen
 
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