Nebulization

carmen868

New member
:(I would like to ask everyone what their opinion on nebulization is, juntil recently i have not had to nebulize but now i find i have to because of the tightness i feel and not being able to breatrhe despite being on ocygen. is this a normal thing for copd patients? if so how often because my doctor just says as needed and for me it's getting to be an everyday thing. also what i find most alarming is early n the morning upon waking up i have to get on my nebulizer because i just cant breathe. so befor ebreakfast. is this happening with anyhone? i nebulize withcombivent which is ipaptropium and salbutamol. ptoblem is it leaves me weak and shaky and gives me palpitations. any tips or advice would be most welcome. i am really getting more and more scared.
help
 

barbara

Pioneer Founding member
Carmen868 - Did you tell your doctor that the medications are leaving you weak and shaky with heart palpitations? Maybe, he can switch your medication. I have never nebulized on a regular basis except for glutathione. Do you use any other medications or is your doctor just having you nebulize when you feel like you need to open up your airways? I can't speak for others, but most everyone I know is on daily medication, not just nebulizing "when needed".

If you can get into pulmonary rehab, the program usually gives you a lot of useful information including some simple ways to clear your airways in the morning.
 

hegy

Member
the little things

my wife with emphysema, finds a blast with a hand held battery electric fan to be very helpful for sob, try it, it may help!
 

carmen868

New member
?

what do you mean by hand held fan helping with her sob? please explain. does your wife also nebulize? can anyone tell me if they nebulize refgularly? because i find it helps open up my airways. thanks
 

hegy

Member
yes she nebulises several times a day, but when really Short Of Breath holds a hand held fan to her mouth for quick relief
 

Connie

New member
Carmen868, I have nebulized off and on for years. My husband swears I am better when I get into a routine and do it daily but I tend to let it go until I start having some really bad days. I used to use Albuteral (sp) but it made me all shaky and jittery so my rehab told me to ask my Dr. for Xopenex and it is much better. Most doctors don't prescribe it because it is more expensive. But if you tell them about the shakes and ask for it by name they usually have no problem writing a Rx for it. It does seem to help me breath better and it does not leave me with the shakes at all. I am not familiar with combivent. I hope this helps.
 

Vancouverman

New member
Dear Carmen,

yes this is normal for us who suffer from this lung disease... In the beginning I suffered unbelievably bad from this tightness in the morning. But since I am taking Pravastatin its improved. And I am not nebulizing at all in winter now. But still, I have bad Asthma and little emphysema.

its because the lung is not that elastic anymore and the alveolar attachment ruptured inside the tiny pulmonary sacs. Also the problem is in the pulmonary vasculature because it shrinks once the air sacs rupture. I have the same. You can also check the "residual volume" in your pulmonary function test. This figures are elevated for Asthma, COPD, and Emphysema as well. That means there is "too much air" in the lung.

Once they can give us the good stuff like local stem cells (or embryonic) the pulmonary sacs can repair and regrow as they do both in animals. Then, lung function improves and no tightness anymore... and no need for oxygen or nebulizing.

We only need the good stuff :)

franz
 

carmen868

New member
thank you

thanks all for your comments they helped a lot, and connie what i use here is a comb of ipatropium and salbutamol brand name combivent. that's what gives me the shakes. i read that xopenex is levalbuterol so its diff but i havent gotten a reply fr my dr here yet on this. the salbutamol must be the one causing the palpitations and shakes. how can they not know about the equivalent of xopenex here? i'll keep you posted on whether i get it or not. thanks a lot. i really wish we could get our lungs repaired this is the hardest thing to have to go through. it's a basic function and so vital to life and we suffer so much for it. i wish i;d had anything but this. no remisssions for us. sigh........:(
 

barbara

Pioneer Founding member
Carmen - It's not just your country. Very few doctors that I have been to prescribe Xopenex. It's not on their "preferred list". Dr. Feinerman told me about it several years ago. When I switched insurance companies, the new one said it would cost $600 U.S. That's when I started buying it from All Day Chemist in India. You might want to see if they ship to the Philippines.
 
Top