How to get rid off mucous plugs in lungs?

[Hiddennameforever]

Sadly I suffer from rare lung disease which causes accumulating hard thick mucous plugs in my lungs.
It literally impossible to cough anything our ever!
Anyone knows what worked for them?
My last resort would be High dose of Steroids but I want to try anything else before if possible.

Benelyn chesty cough works like a dream.

@horehound
I tried these you.
Which exact benylin btw?
I tried chest physio, flutter device, various cough medication.. nothing helped.

Dr just say drink water etc.
But it's so debilitating as my lungs rattle and I smoke like heavy smoke though I never smoked!
Plus my lungs hurt from constant trying to bring it up. It really puts me down.

I meant i sound like heavy smoker though i never smoked! ( stupid prediction phone)

Deary me I think you should ask to see a different doctor.

Benelyn have a specific mucus cough one. Have you tried that?

Have you tried giving up dairy foods? I've had some success with doing that when I've had lingering catarrh.

@horehound
I saw few respiratory doctors, no success.
Just general advice frjnk water, inhaler..
Sadly that won't do any magic.

#drink water

Have you tried lying belly down on a bed but with your top half hanging over the edge so it's lower than the rest of you. I put my hands on floor to keep steady.

If you do that and cough it's meant to help. Think it's to open up lungs + gravity.

I'm asthmatic and it helps when I get a chest infection.

Fluids fluids fluids.
Inhalation of warm humidifier steam. One of those facial steamers you can get from Argos would do it.
Have you ever tried a cough assist machine? Is that the flutter machine you’ve mentioned?

As you have been using physio with their professional care and official medical devices available for chronic lung conditions I’m not sure that people on a forum can advise.
Certainly OTC medications cannot compete with prescribed steroids and other mucolytic medications probably prescribed by your consultant.

Can you not access your consultant team if this is a worsening in your medical condition, maybe you should be seeking proper medical assistance rather than asking on here.

@MrsMoastytoasty
I dont really eat much dairy at all.
Very occasionally cheese but not often.
No milk or yoghurts really.

Are you seen at a respiratory clinic? Hypertonic saline nebulisers may help. Some centres may be starting to offer nebuliser test doses again now if they have COVID protocols in place although there will probably be waiting lists

@crosser62
I have Flutter device, which does nothing, chest physio neither.
Im under respiratory clinic but I never got any expectorant.
I requested Carbocysteine which is suppose to help but made me the opposite, very wheezy.
My consultant says no need, just drink and inhale.
My mucous plugs are literally another level, as once it resembled the bronchi shape!
Im sorry if too much info but its truly horrible.
I am not even suppose to take steroids as I was doing really well but now I'm having flare up and i can feel my lungs are noisy, so I know what its happening.
Before I was diagnosed which took months I had regular flare ups every 3 years and between i was doing fine.
But i still had no idea what is going on, as Dr just kept filling me with antibiotics which actually kept harming me as not needed.
Once i was diagnosed i know what to look for as it repeats every few years.
The last resort would be hight doses of steroid i have to request.
I was hoping that perhaps some natural ways could work, like ginger root or anything.
Im avoiding the steroids orally especially now in Covid era i dont want my immunity go lower and steroids do lower immunity.
But obviously if nothing else will work i will take it.

How do you feel about herbs?

There’s a herb called Mullein that has been used for centuries to treat respiratory issues including bronchitis, tuberculosis, Sarcoidosis and asthma. It’s naturally antibacterial and an expectorant. Lots of people swear by its medicinal properties.

You can make tea from the dried herb or you can buy it in various other forms (capsules and drops). I drink Mullein tea myself.

Might be worth looking into? It’s easy to research online.

I’m not a doctor but I use herbs myself, so if you decide to use it, you should consult your doctor first, just to be safe 🙂

@scribblerWitch
I'm open to herbs.
I will look into it.
@lakeFlyPie j have nebuliser at home, again i requested it as someone said it would be helpful.
I got saline vials too but no success.

@scribblerwitch
Thank you

Needs to be hypertonic, 3,6 or7% (not 0.9%'normal' saline). You would need a test dose as it can cause chest tightness

Herbal medicines that work are turned into: medicine

Which news have you tired?

Pulmozyme should help (DNASE it's called sometimes) your dr could prescribe it.

Or you could try a Mannitol inhaler or 7% hypertonic saline.

You could also try something like a BIPAP machine combined with your flutter device (do you have an Aerobkia or an Accopella flutter or something more generic)

I'm sorry you're having these issues, it must be really exhausting having to unplug your lungs when it's hard to shift.
Do you ever do LFTs? My son has shifted some huge stuck plugs when doing a lung function test.

I was also going to suggest a hypertonic saline nebuliser. Pulmozyme might help but it’s super expensive and I think the licensing is limited so you might struggle to persuade someone to prescribe it for you.

Are you able to exercise OP? Getting a little bit out of breath can help loosen any sputum plugs

@chelseacat
I walk daily about 4 miles, also i just started cycling.
The nebulizer vials are called Sodium chloride 7% solutions 4ml vial.

That’s great that you already have the hypertonic saline. Which nebuliser are you using?

Try taking one of those hypertonic nebs before you exercise - the combination of the two might do the trick.

Have you tried 'huffing'? Take in a quick breath through your mouth and huff it out like a bark. Times 3. Then cough normally to bring up the mucous.. I'm sure there must be a better way of describing it.

The physios taught it to me after surgery to clear my lungs and it was a revelation.

I'm sure with all the physio you've had, you must have come across it. But this is the exercise I'd focus on and might be helpful to others reading the thread.

I also take a piriton once a day, because outdoor exercise seems to clog up my chest. Tree pollen?

Saline nebs. Absolutely great for clearing stubborn plugs of mucous on the lungs.

Mullein leaf tablets/capsules and apple cider vinegar will help.