Asthma help please

[BabyRace]

I have mild to moderate asthma, usually well controlled but leaves me very susceptible to chest infections and pneumonia that over the last 5 years have taken increasing number of antibiotic courses to shift.

I'm coming to the end of a course of doxycycline for a chest infection after amoxicillin didn't do enough, but I can feel heavy mucus still sitting on my chest. I wheeze at night, obviously lying on my back isn't helping but I cannot seem to clear it. My cough has gone from chesty to rattling, but my breathing is completely unaffected.

Is there any form of nebuliser that would help break up this mucus and clear my chest? Or anything else I could take/do to help? It's like a lump sitting in my bronchioles that I can't cough hard enough to get up.

Like you I've had chest infections that take several courses of antibiotics to clear, I've then been prescribed a short course of steroid tablets to clear my chest of mucus. It's probably worth talking to your GP. Also, inhaling steam can help.

I would also suggest steroids. Autoimmune person on immune-lowering meds so double susceptible here.

I often have to sleep almost sitting upright when it’s bad. Would this work for you?

I'm on carbocistiene from the hospital, it sort of makes sputum not so sticky.

GP suggested steroids but I refused because my breathing is unaffected. I'm wheezing but still completely able to take a depe breath (although it will make me cough). Also (I'm aware how shallow this is) I'm trying to lose weight so feel like steroids would be counterproductive when not really necessary IYSWIM.

Is carbocistiene a steroid?

Steroids for this will be short term so should not affect weight loss.

Yes, you need the steroids.
They won’t affect weight.

Steroids are the next line treatment for things like this, I was offered them for an ear infection.

It will clear eventually but it can take weeks.

What inhalers are you taking? Can you breathe through your nose easily? Have you checked your peak flow? What colour is your sputum?

No carbocistien isn't a steroid. Im a severe asthmatic and am on steroids on and off.

@GemGEmGemster

What inhalers are you taking? Can you breathe through your nose easily? Have you checked your peak flow? What colour is your sputum?

I'm taking seratide and ventolin, can breathe through my nose fine, I only wheeze when I lie on my back and through the night when I'm asleep. Peak flow is about 100-150 lower than usual & sputum was bright green but is now more yellow.

GP examined me yesterday (and was a bit of a dick about it tbh) has increased my inhalers and given me a salien nebuliser which is definitely helping. He mentioned carbocistien but said it doesn't look good on medical records and other doctors would wonder why he prescribed it 🙄 also said I would be able to buy it over the counter in Spain, like that's an option right now!