Nebuliser

Hi Lynda

i managed just by steaming with a towel over my head but a lot of people here found a nebuliser helpful. I know Hazel was given one by the hospital. She had a drug called carbocysteine as well. 

Got my husband one,which helped eventual,but the old fashion towel over head was just as helpful.

Hi Topsymum.

Yes, the hospital also gave a nebuliser to my fella to use at least four times a day and he's on carbocisteine, too.

He finds the last neb, before bed, is good for getting a good night's sleep which is more often than not recently.

His mucous is still really sticky, it's like wallpaper paste, but even that isn't as bad as it got.

Keep up doing what you've been advised and hopefully you'll start seeing improvements.

Gill xx 

Hi Like Dani says  I had one which I used around 6 times a day sometime with saline sometime with plain cooled  boiled water. If I was up in the night I also used it then went back to sleep. I also gad a humidifier in the bedroom. 
I will go as quickly as it came often replaced by dry mouth which is a story on its home. 

Hazel x

Hi Hazel.

Like you had to, H had quite a few early hours sessions on the neb when his mucous build-up was particularly bad, but hasn't had to do that for a couple of weeks now. 

We hope it's starting to settle down, as other post RT effects are gradually calming also, apart from lymphoedema but an appointment with the nurse is upcoming to sort that one.

Gill xx 

Thanks all. It was very successful the one time he used it in hospital so I will ask about using one at home.

Will ask about alternatives.

Hi Lynda.

I've seen that before as I always check out any drugs prescribed for H.

I brought it up to his team a while back but was reassured not to be alarmed.  Conflicting evidence was mentioned too.  However, I'm still not totally convinced and will raise it again in the very near future.

I'm a natural 'Doubting Thomas' but on occasion it can pay off.  You must be of the same mindset?

Gill xx 

It has never been indicated for mucous after RT but oncologists do prescribe it off label so do ask. 

Hi Dani.

I read your reply to Lynda and just wondered, if it was yourself, would you be happy taking it long-term?  If it's not appropriate to say, then please don't.

H has been on this for several months before, during and after RT.  Apart from a couple of side effects listed in the pack leaflet, he hasn't had others but they're also consistent with RT side effects so it's difficult to differentiate if they're related or not.

I know you're a trained professional, but as a lay person, what would your advice be?  As above, ignore if not appropriate.

Gill xx