HTS/Prednisone problems...

M

MCGrad2006

Guest
So as some of you may know, I have been kinda sick lately. I had my sinus surgery about a month ago and feel like I have been sick ever since. I started prednisone (5 day burst), zyvox and cayston two weeks ago. A week later, I was worse, although I had felt MUCH better on the prednisone. It was like holy prednisone...my body loved it...and then BAM I was back down coughing again. It was miserable. So I started back on prednisone and changed the abx to Levaquin and Tobi. Again, I felt better. Less coughing, less exhaustion (course thats a side effect of the steroids...but who cares...I felt good...lol).

I am noticing now that I am tapering off the prednisone again, my cough is bad...BUT only in the morning. I am not coughing at night and after 9(ish) AM I hardly cough at all. It starts off tight/wheezy but then develops into a more junky cough(a good sign?). It is almost as if the 'exercise' I receive from constantly dry hacking helps to loosen the cough. The problem is I really can't do much in the way of my job until my cough settles down.

I am thinking of stopping the HTS (because I do that in the AM only) at least for a few days...but I am also considering prednisone longer term. I am so confused and aggravated. I just want to feel better and be able to do my job. I have some promising leads for a full time teaching position, but if I am coughing til the end of the school year, that won't make a good impression.

To those of you who use prednisone long term...what do you notice for side effects? How high is your dose? Does it make a big difference for you? Have you ever tried to taper off and have this problem of coughing sooooooo much?

Has anyone out there stopped HTS for the coughing reason? I know that the coughing is good because I am getting stuff out, but to what extent. Also what time of day do you use the HTS? Maybe I should do it after school?? But then I feel sticky in my lungs until I do the treatment...
 
M

MCGrad2006

Guest
So as some of you may know, I have been kinda sick lately. I had my sinus surgery about a month ago and feel like I have been sick ever since. I started prednisone (5 day burst), zyvox and cayston two weeks ago. A week later, I was worse, although I had felt MUCH better on the prednisone. It was like holy prednisone...my body loved it...and then BAM I was back down coughing again. It was miserable. So I started back on prednisone and changed the abx to Levaquin and Tobi. Again, I felt better. Less coughing, less exhaustion (course thats a side effect of the steroids...but who cares...I felt good...lol).

I am noticing now that I am tapering off the prednisone again, my cough is bad...BUT only in the morning. I am not coughing at night and after 9(ish) AM I hardly cough at all. It starts off tight/wheezy but then develops into a more junky cough(a good sign?). It is almost as if the 'exercise' I receive from constantly dry hacking helps to loosen the cough. The problem is I really can't do much in the way of my job until my cough settles down.

I am thinking of stopping the HTS (because I do that in the AM only) at least for a few days...but I am also considering prednisone longer term. I am so confused and aggravated. I just want to feel better and be able to do my job. I have some promising leads for a full time teaching position, but if I am coughing til the end of the school year, that won't make a good impression.

To those of you who use prednisone long term...what do you notice for side effects? How high is your dose? Does it make a big difference for you? Have you ever tried to taper off and have this problem of coughing sooooooo much?

Has anyone out there stopped HTS for the coughing reason? I know that the coughing is good because I am getting stuff out, but to what extent. Also what time of day do you use the HTS? Maybe I should do it after school?? But then I feel sticky in my lungs until I do the treatment...
 
M

MCGrad2006

Guest
So as some of you may know, I have been kinda sick lately. I had my sinus surgery about a month ago and feel like I have been sick ever since. I started prednisone (5 day burst), zyvox and cayston two weeks ago. A week later, I was worse, although I had felt MUCH better on the prednisone. It was like holy prednisone...my body loved it...and then BAM I was back down coughing again. It was miserable. So I started back on prednisone and changed the abx to Levaquin and Tobi. Again, I felt better. Less coughing, less exhaustion (course thats a side effect of the steroids...but who cares...I felt good...lol).
<br />
<br />I am noticing now that I am tapering off the prednisone again, my cough is bad...BUT only in the morning. I am not coughing at night and after 9(ish) AM I hardly cough at all. It starts off tight/wheezy but then develops into a more junky cough(a good sign?). It is almost as if the 'exercise' I receive from constantly dry hacking helps to loosen the cough. The problem is I really can't do much in the way of my job until my cough settles down.
<br />
<br />I am thinking of stopping the HTS (because I do that in the AM only) at least for a few days...but I am also considering prednisone longer term. I am so confused and aggravated. I just want to feel better and be able to do my job. I have some promising leads for a full time teaching position, but if I am coughing til the end of the school year, that won't make a good impression.
<br />
<br />To those of you who use prednisone long term...what do you notice for side effects? How high is your dose? Does it make a big difference for you? Have you ever tried to taper off and have this problem of coughing sooooooo much?
<br />
<br />Has anyone out there stopped HTS for the coughing reason? I know that the coughing is good because I am getting stuff out, but to what extent. Also what time of day do you use the HTS? Maybe I should do it after school?? But then I feel sticky in my lungs until I do the treatment...
 
K

kirstynkoffs

New member
Hi Caitlin
Just a thought, why not try actually bumping up the HTS while you are on the pred and your airways are opening up. It might be you just have heaps of gunk that needs coming out? Maybe a longer session before bed and just a quick One in the morning so you aren't too drained for work? The other thing that I have noticed with hts is I find it works better and I have less of a barky hacking cough after it if I am WELL hydrated before doing my treatment. Not just with fluid but ensuring a have an electrolyte drink before AND during the treatment - something with at least 600 mg of sodium. Not sure if this helps but hope you find a solution soon.
 
K

kirstynkoffs

New member
Hi Caitlin
Just a thought, why not try actually bumping up the HTS while you are on the pred and your airways are opening up. It might be you just have heaps of gunk that needs coming out? Maybe a longer session before bed and just a quick One in the morning so you aren't too drained for work? The other thing that I have noticed with hts is I find it works better and I have less of a barky hacking cough after it if I am WELL hydrated before doing my treatment. Not just with fluid but ensuring a have an electrolyte drink before AND during the treatment - something with at least 600 mg of sodium. Not sure if this helps but hope you find a solution soon.
 
K

kirstynkoffs

New member
Hi Caitlin
<br />Just a thought, why not try actually bumping up the HTS while you are on the pred and your airways are opening up. It might be you just have heaps of gunk that needs coming out? Maybe a longer session before bed and just a quick One in the morning so you aren't too drained for work? The other thing that I have noticed with hts is I find it works better and I have less of a barky hacking cough after it if I am WELL hydrated before doing my treatment. Not just with fluid but ensuring a have an electrolyte drink before AND during the treatment - something with at least 600 mg of sodium. Not sure if this helps but hope you find a solution soon.
 
K

kirstynkoffs

New member
Hi Caitlin
Just a thought, why not try actually bumping up the HTS while you are on the pred and your airways are opening up. It might be you just have heaps of gunk that needs coming out? Maybe a longer session before bed and just a quick One in the morning so you aren't too drained for work? The other thing that I have noticed with hts is I find it works better and I have less of a barky hacking cough after it if I am WELL hydrated before doing my treatment. Not just with fluid but ensuring a have an electrolyte drink before AND during the treatment - something with at least 600 mg of sodium. Not sure if this helps but hope you find a solution soon.
 
K

kirstynkoffs

New member
Hi Caitlin
Just a thought, why not try actually bumping up the HTS while you are on the pred and your airways are opening up. It might be you just have heaps of gunk that needs coming out? Maybe a longer session before bed and just a quick One in the morning so you aren't too drained for work? The other thing that I have noticed with hts is I find it works better and I have less of a barky hacking cough after it if I am WELL hydrated before doing my treatment. Not just with fluid but ensuring a have an electrolyte drink before AND during the treatment - something with at least 600 mg of sodium. Not sure if this helps but hope you find a solution soon.
 
K

kirstynkoffs

New member
Hi Caitlin
<br />Just a thought, why not try actually bumping up the HTS while you are on the pred and your airways are opening up. It might be you just have heaps of gunk that needs coming out? Maybe a longer session before bed and just a quick One in the morning so you aren't too drained for work? The other thing that I have noticed with hts is I find it works better and I have less of a barky hacking cough after it if I am WELL hydrated before doing my treatment. Not just with fluid but ensuring a have an electrolyte drink before AND during the treatment - something with at least 600 mg of sodium. Not sure if this helps but hope you find a solution soon.
 
T

tesorotiffa

New member
I have been on long term Prednisone since October/Nov 2009. In 09 I was hospitalized pretty much the whole year. As soon as I would finish a course of iv meds, I would be sick within a week. We talked my doc into putting me on Prednisone, and I haven't been in the hospital since. I was on a pretty high taper but I think it's because I was at a regular hospital (CF doc is 4 hours away). They started me out on ~160mg Pred a day! My doc was quick to start a dramatic taper, but I have been on 10mg daily maintenance for about a year. Every so often I will try to taper down even farther. I have successfully done a month of 7.5mg, and then I'll notice an increase in cough. Interestingly enough, more often than not (because I have called in Augmentin a few times), bumping back up to 10mg a day kills the extra cough. It has been amazing to me what a $10.00 prescription is doing for what appears to be just an excess of inflammation in my body.

Okay, side effects: All I've really had is some weight gain, but I started controlling my diet more and I started working out several times a week, and I haven't gained any weight in the past 6 months. I've managed to get rid of most of the Prednisone-chub!

I do HTS twice a day. I've never had an issue with it. I also do Mucomyst in the mornings which has helped a lot with getting some of that old junk moving around. I do HTS around 6:30am and then again probably between 7-9pm. I wouldn't do it immediately before bed because your airways are aggravated from it. But I can say that the only time HTS really causes me to feel uncomfortable is when I'm sick! If I'm not feeling exacerbated, then the HTS barely aggravates me.

It's also very common to have increased cough in the mornings because you've been dormant all night so the mucus has just been sitting there waiting.. lol. Sometimes for me, even after I do my morning treatment, the first 2 hours after I get to work will be very productive cough wise. But then it calms down.

I would definitely look into doing Prednisone long term. See if 10mg a day will sustain your "no-cough" life. I know docs can be hesitant to put you on that medication long term, but my doc finally just said "we're gonna use what works, regardless". IV meds weren't doing it, but Prednisone was ... so how do you argue with that!?
 
T

tesorotiffa

New member
I have been on long term Prednisone since October/Nov 2009. In 09 I was hospitalized pretty much the whole year. As soon as I would finish a course of iv meds, I would be sick within a week. We talked my doc into putting me on Prednisone, and I haven't been in the hospital since. I was on a pretty high taper but I think it's because I was at a regular hospital (CF doc is 4 hours away). They started me out on ~160mg Pred a day! My doc was quick to start a dramatic taper, but I have been on 10mg daily maintenance for about a year. Every so often I will try to taper down even farther. I have successfully done a month of 7.5mg, and then I'll notice an increase in cough. Interestingly enough, more often than not (because I have called in Augmentin a few times), bumping back up to 10mg a day kills the extra cough. It has been amazing to me what a $10.00 prescription is doing for what appears to be just an excess of inflammation in my body.

Okay, side effects: All I've really had is some weight gain, but I started controlling my diet more and I started working out several times a week, and I haven't gained any weight in the past 6 months. I've managed to get rid of most of the Prednisone-chub!

I do HTS twice a day. I've never had an issue with it. I also do Mucomyst in the mornings which has helped a lot with getting some of that old junk moving around. I do HTS around 6:30am and then again probably between 7-9pm. I wouldn't do it immediately before bed because your airways are aggravated from it. But I can say that the only time HTS really causes me to feel uncomfortable is when I'm sick! If I'm not feeling exacerbated, then the HTS barely aggravates me.

It's also very common to have increased cough in the mornings because you've been dormant all night so the mucus has just been sitting there waiting.. lol. Sometimes for me, even after I do my morning treatment, the first 2 hours after I get to work will be very productive cough wise. But then it calms down.

I would definitely look into doing Prednisone long term. See if 10mg a day will sustain your "no-cough" life. I know docs can be hesitant to put you on that medication long term, but my doc finally just said "we're gonna use what works, regardless". IV meds weren't doing it, but Prednisone was ... so how do you argue with that!?
 
T

tesorotiffa

New member
I have been on long term Prednisone since October/Nov 2009. In 09 I was hospitalized pretty much the whole year. As soon as I would finish a course of iv meds, I would be sick within a week. We talked my doc into putting me on Prednisone, and I haven't been in the hospital since. I was on a pretty high taper but I think it's because I was at a regular hospital (CF doc is 4 hours away). They started me out on ~160mg Pred a day! My doc was quick to start a dramatic taper, but I have been on 10mg daily maintenance for about a year. Every so often I will try to taper down even farther. I have successfully done a month of 7.5mg, and then I'll notice an increase in cough. Interestingly enough, more often than not (because I have called in Augmentin a few times), bumping back up to 10mg a day kills the extra cough. It has been amazing to me what a $10.00 prescription is doing for what appears to be just an excess of inflammation in my body.
<br />
<br />Okay, side effects: All I've really had is some weight gain, but I started controlling my diet more and I started working out several times a week, and I haven't gained any weight in the past 6 months. I've managed to get rid of most of the Prednisone-chub!
<br />
<br />I do HTS twice a day. I've never had an issue with it. I also do Mucomyst in the mornings which has helped a lot with getting some of that old junk moving around. I do HTS around 6:30am and then again probably between 7-9pm. I wouldn't do it immediately before bed because your airways are aggravated from it. But I can say that the only time HTS really causes me to feel uncomfortable is when I'm sick! If I'm not feeling exacerbated, then the HTS barely aggravates me.
<br />
<br />It's also very common to have increased cough in the mornings because you've been dormant all night so the mucus has just been sitting there waiting.. lol. Sometimes for me, even after I do my morning treatment, the first 2 hours after I get to work will be very productive cough wise. But then it calms down.
<br />
<br />I would definitely look into doing Prednisone long term. See if 10mg a day will sustain your "no-cough" life. I know docs can be hesitant to put you on that medication long term, but my doc finally just said "we're gonna use what works, regardless". IV meds weren't doing it, but Prednisone was ... so how do you argue with that!?
 
C

CFkitty

New member
My PFTs dropped 30% and I have MRSA pneumonia and a busy PA strain overgrowing. My doctor wanted to admit me immediately, but I begged for orals and inhaled antibiotics first.

I was on prednisone, which had helped me immensely, but my doctor made me stop because he said it had the potential to lower my immune system even further.

So in terms of being on it long-term, I can't really say. He uses it so sparingly in me, especially because of its effect on my blood sugars.

Have you tried inhaled steroids? Your lungs might do just as well on them.
 
C

CFkitty

New member
My PFTs dropped 30% and I have MRSA pneumonia and a busy PA strain overgrowing. My doctor wanted to admit me immediately, but I begged for orals and inhaled antibiotics first.

I was on prednisone, which had helped me immensely, but my doctor made me stop because he said it had the potential to lower my immune system even further.

So in terms of being on it long-term, I can't really say. He uses it so sparingly in me, especially because of its effect on my blood sugars.

Have you tried inhaled steroids? Your lungs might do just as well on them.
 
C

CFkitty

New member
My PFTs dropped 30% and I have MRSA pneumonia and a busy PA strain overgrowing. My doctor wanted to admit me immediately, but I begged for orals and inhaled antibiotics first.
<br />
<br />I was on prednisone, which had helped me immensely, but my doctor made me stop because he said it had the potential to lower my immune system even further.
<br />
<br />So in terms of being on it long-term, I can't really say. He uses it so sparingly in me, especially because of its effect on my blood sugars.
<br />
<br />Have you tried inhaled steroids? Your lungs might do just as well on them.
 
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