Gretchen,

I have experience with Saline Solution Therapy. It was originally prescribed at 3% . However, in consulting various doctors I eventually discovered that the strength is not so important. 7% (hypertonic) might hurt a bit in your throat from the extra salt (possible adverse effect), but 0.9% (isotonic) helps too.

On me the positive effect is good, and I do it three times daily.

BTW, Gretchen, are you planning to attend the 3rd world Bronch. Conference in mid-July like me?

Gretchen, I find 3% saline solution in my nebulizer (with postural drainage after every 10 inhalations & some HUFF coughing) breaks up the junk the best of anything. This along with exercise and lots of water really helps.

Saline has been a God send for me. I have tried all of them. My pulmo says the 7% is purer I do that and change off to 3% also. These helped me more than the vest airway clearance has by far.

Hello! I use 7% NS when feeling congested. I do not use it everyday. Mucinex in the am assist me on a daily basis. All patients respond differently to treatments.....it is great that we have this venue to share what works for ourselves with one another.

Yes, I use the nebulizer for the saline solution and find it loosens the phegm and increases my lung capacity. I haven't been using it as often as I should, only when I feel I really need to. Will do it more often as it's a very benign treatment that can do no harm....versus....

I was hospitalized this past weekend and an RT suggested trying it. I was so happy that I got some relief and from something so relatively safe. Now I'm dealing with Medicare not wanting to cover it.

I also had trouble with medicare covering saline. I was getting it from Tx mail order and they said they couldn't get it anymore. I had 3 boxes of 3% and 9% and box of 7 % is what my pulmo likes the best. I do 3 most times if getting more congested I will use the 7%. My supplement is medicaid so the last box of 7 % I had to pay for. Why this has to be a cheap compared to other drugs do not understand medicare on this one.

Kandy, I'm still fighting with Medicare/Medicaid to get it. It's a step at a time. I have coverage at this time but only with a prescription for nebulizer albuterol. The fight continues but I do think it will be covered with persistence. You need to ask your pharmacist to get a code from your doctor for Part B. Then it is covered 100% - at least with the albuterol prescription. I was told by my RP that the saline is best used with a nebulized albuterol treatment first.

Hey, I have used Sodium Chloride ( medical term, the same thing) prescribed by my parmomologist for years. I started to use .9% which is the same sodium level of your body. now I am using 3% more salty, works better. I used 8ml, 2 small veils a time, 2 to 3 times a day, sometimes I do more depending on how much mucuse I have. The purpose of this treatment is to loosen up the mucus and increase the mucus transport capability so they can come out easily. It reduces your flare-up time. During the treatment, you have to add some blowing/lung vibrating activities by using flutter vale, aquapillar or Aerobika. I found out the Aerobika is the most effective. You can connect Aerobika to the mouth piece of nebulizer , So you suck in saline breathing in ,then you blow out against the mouth piece, the negative pressure from Aerobika vibrates your lung at the same time, your mucus get loose so easily, you just want to cough out the “stuff”. You can also just use Aerobika alone to blow out mucus. I am not sure all the insurance cover it, I got my from Amazon casting near 100$, but worth it. The combination did very good job. There is no side effect for this treatment as sodium is part of your body system, but if you are coughing out blood, it may not a good ideas. Just remember to hydrate yourself before and after the treatment. Hope this will help.

Yan,

I totally agree that Normal Saline is natural and has worked for many patients. No side effects are dangerous with this treatment. We have to do whatever it takes to makes us feel better

I would like to second the idea of attaching an Aerobika to the nebulizer which contains the saline. As Yan wrote above, the Aerobika vibrates your lung at the same time as you are inhaling the saline, thus loosening the mucus.

Be sure the follow the directions from Aerobika and maker of the nebulizer on how to clean them.

I am very new to the world of lung disease, and was blindsided with a diagnosis of NTM and resultant the COPD, and don't have it as bad as some folks with CF. I am using 7% saline in a nebulizer 2x/day, followed by airway clearance device. That along with daily mucinex (generic Guiafenasin) has made a huge difference in my quality of life.