How much do you cough up during treatments

Ender

New member
This is what we're here for right hehe...

Ok well I haven't done any sorta chest clearance in quite a while (a few years) and tonight I was alone, and decided to go crazy, and see how much i could get out. So i did my HS...and the autogenic drainage for about 30 mins (i feel wiped)

Anyways, during that time, I managed to cough up about half a cup of plegm (maybe a bit more). I am so freaking amazed right now. I can't believe that much stuff was in my lungs! How i do function! What is normal for you guys when you do clearance? I realize it has been a LONG time since I've done anything like this, but this has really woken me up.

I guess the main reason I don't do it as much is cause it's so freaking HARD. My lungs and stomach are kinda sore now. I feel better though. I'm gonna try and make this a 3 time a week kinda habit or something, at least when my dad's home. I don't wanna have to put him through this hahha

Anyways, just thought I'd share and see what others experiences are <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

Kiel
 

anonymous

New member
i probably cough up about 3/4 cup, maybe a little less, every time i do it. and i am now doing it every night. i went about 6 months where i only did it maybe 5 times and i went to the doc and my pfts had dropped 4 points in 3 months, so i decided i better tighten up.
 

gsplover

New member
I do air way clearance twice a day. I get up about 1/4 cup between the 2 times. But the air way clearance also allows me to brig stuff up all day. If I don't do it, I don't cough or bring anything up.
 

anonymous

New member
I do about 1/3 a cup. How do you do autogenic drainage. Is that just laying with your feet above your head. SAme as postural drainage?
 

princessjdc

New member
Wow, I NEVER cough any mucus up, never have and I do my treatments/percussion 2 times a day. Ill cough on purpose to move the stuff around, but nothing comes up. Im curious what autogenic drainage is also.
 

LouLou

New member
I've been coughing stuff out since I was 2. Of course, then it was only when I had an infection and now I have a chronic cough. Mornings with Vest 2-4 TBSP. Acapella during day at 10 and 3 1 TBSP. Evenings - nothing. Anyone else ever say their cough 'has gone to sleep'.. that's what I call it.
I use bathroom dixie cups to spit into. Good because I can really gauge if I'm getting more up than usual or less (in the case of oil of oregano - not sure what it did but long story short I had shortness of breath and wheezing so I stopped it - 2 wks. later I was 90% back to normal, 2 mo. later I'm fine - I might try it again when I'm sick but never for an extended period).
 

Emily65Roses

New member
It depends. My therapy and my Pulmozyme get up a little bit of stuff, but it's really the HS (that I <i>just</i> started) that's getting up mounds of crap. I have to make sure I have a cup nearby for every HS dose, because I get it <b>at least</b> 1/4 of the way full. Gross! <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">
 

anonymous

New member
EEEEEEWWWWWWW Emily Gross and Cool!!! I'm waiting on my HS, it's back ordered or something. well I got the 10 actually but not the 3 (thats whats ordered). Then hopefully i will cough mounds of junk too!

littledebbie
 

Jane

Digital opinion leader
My son started HS when he first got admitted 4/15. He was hucking up about a 1/2 cup of chunks 3 times a day. It was amazing. I was totally fascinated thinking if that much was coming out how could he breathe at all?

Keil, when Josh first started HS he was coughing so hard he pulled muscles in his back. He had to take motrin before each treatment. He coughed so much-it was literally gut wrenching. All the nurses (who had never seen anyone do HS before would come running to the door-horrified). He coughed and gagged and threw up and cried and yelled ow....lots of drama. It gets better, all worth it if you get rid of that much junk!

Jane
 

anonymous

New member
My son just did his first HS today, he coughed up a bunch of stuff, (he does the vest and pulmozyme, and tobi daily and never coughs up anything unless sick) He hates it, but I think he is just uncomfortable with it. I hope this is the next huge thing in CF!!!!!<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 

Ender

New member
Autogenic drainage is hard, but its good for people like me that don't like using devices and stuff. You can use it anywhere without anything.

Ok so here it is. You take a small breath...hold it for 3 seconds, and then blow all the way out as much as possible. Take in another small breath, hold for three seconds, and then blow out as much as possible. Do this until you start to feel stuff comming up.

After you feel stuff moving, you take a bit of a bigger breath, like maybe half, or a bit less....hold for three seconds, and then blow all the way out. Repeat until you feel it in your throat. After that, huff, and then cough. It's pretty amazing.

You can take a break whenever you want, the trick is NOT to cough until the end, otherwise you gotta start over. It can be hard. Sometimes i feel like coughing after the first couple of times, and i really gotta hold it in. It's also a crazy work out for your stomach and lungs. I find that after a bout of that, I am sweating, tired and just drained. It probably isn't for everyone.

Good luck eheh

Kiel
 

dying2live

New member
Autogenic drainage is lots of hard work and I get tired doing it after about ten minutes. I was taught to do it years ago but have the vest and aucapella now but there are times where they still don't get it out and I can feel it sitting there so I do some Autogenic drainage and it moves it out fast. Just sit up strait and use those stomach muscles.

Katie
 

anonymous

New member
THanks for the info autogen. drainage. I will try it. Sounds to me like what happens when I exercise. Exercise usually makes me cough up junk, unlike the vest, but sometimes I'm to tired or the weather is bad. Hopefully this works well for me. I'm majorly conjested right now, so I will be trying it soon.

John
 
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