Bronchitis

[Dandt45]

I just got diagnosed with bronchitis. Do i continue to use my cpap at night even though i am so sick? hopefully someone has some experience with this. thanks

[Mimmie]

I don't know about everyone else but I use my cpap every night regardless of how sick I might be. Right now I have pneumonia and bronchitis and cpap will go on tonight as usual. It actually helps me to breathe. I don't have to struggle so much to get the air that I need when I have it on. I have even used it before because of that when I am not sleeping. It just makes my chest feel better. Sometimes I have to pull out the full face mask when I am having sinus problems and adding the humidifier to it makes that better too. Hope you feel better soon.

[Muse-Inc]

I used it when I had bronchitis in late 2008...mine turned into asthmatic bronchitis within a few days. The doc I saw (mine out of town for Christmas) insisted I sleep with my equipment and turn up the humidification -- under no circumstances was I to sleep without it. I was using an inhaler & Afrin (5 days only) as well as taking an antibiotic, prednisone, and for the worst of the coughing Tussionex a real no-no I've since learned as it's codeine, a sedative. All sedatives compromise our breathing.

Miserable illness, you have my sympathy. Hope ya get better soon.

[Dandt45]

thanks for the replies and information. wow i just got prescribed a cough syrup with codeine! I don't think i will be taking that, thank you. I guess i will use the cpap but i am afraid it will push the infection further down my lungs.

[Muse-Inc]

When I got pneumonia in 2005, I asked the doc how I got it...he said in a highly simplified form that I was not coughing up the bugs faster than they were multiplying. But, ya gotta get sleep to keep the immune system healthy/active, so sometimes ya gotta take the codeine syrup (I took half doses at dinner) to get some sleep.

I don't know what your vitamin D level is but it's not a vitamin, it's really a pro-hormone that is integral to a robust immune system...I have to take 10,000 IU/day of D3 not D2 (not what the body uses) to keep my levels up. Since I got my levels up, I have very few colds/viruses.

Now, some advice passed on from one doc: no cold drinks because cold facilitates the movement of bugs from the upper respiratory system to the lower. Lots of warm liquids. Homemade chicken soup with garlic & onions & ginger too as well as lots of veggies...drink the broth if food is a turnoff.

[elena88]

I havent been sick in a very long time, so I dont know about wearing it then, but I hope you are feeling better in few days..

p.s. really nice avatar!


GET WELL SOON!

[Dandt45]

well you are on to something. My doctor told me to take 10,000 of vit d a day as well my level is at.....3 yikkess. I am not a good patient and do not take it. but you better believe i will now! i had no idea of the connection to immune system and i do not want this again. thank you! now i will pour out my kool aide and drink some hot tea thank you all so much.
go Seahawks!

[Muse-Inc]

Glad to pass along what's worked for me! I started at 15, took 18 months to get to optimal (>60) slowing increasing my daily dose of D3 -- take the form packaged as soft gels (in oil) it's much better absorbed.

[BlackSpinner]

thanks for the replies and information. wow i just got prescribed a cough syrup with codeine! I don't think i will be taking that, thank you. I guess i will use the cpap but i am afraid it will push the infection further down my lungs.

No it won't do that. You breathe anyway - cpap just keeps you breathing better - there is only marginally more air going in. If you end up in the hospital with major pneumonia you would be put on a ventilator which breathes for you in a similar manner but more so.

It is much more bearable with cpap. When I got walking pneumonia last winter - breathing at night with cpap and extra humidity was easier then breathing during the day. I was tempted to wear it during the day but the hose is kind of short.

[torontoCPAPguy]

You watch that pneumonia! It put me on full life support for three weeks plus last summer. Had dinner with the family at 7 p.m. and at 7 a.m. I was dead going down the stairs to the ambulance with the paramedics working on me. I was on the far side not once but twice. I had to be intubated and suctioned. My lungs are now compromised. Use the CPAP with the humidity turned up but do NOT NOT NOT ignore the phlegm in your lungs!! You need to get a chest x-ray if you even suspect you have fluid building up..... if you are wheezing.... if you have a fever and a cough... etc. You need to see your GP regardless. And if he is going to put you on antibiotics make sure they are the strongest available. And if you have the least bit of trouble getting air in... dial 911 or get thee to emerg. I've got the T shirt and trust me... you do NOT want this T shirt. Dying from suffocation is not pleasant at all at all at all. Nor is intubation and suctioning although I was in lala land for it. If not for a heart as strong as an ox I would be dead. And had I not quit smoking 20+ years ago I would be dead.

This is nothing to be played about with. Take it from someone who is a year down the road and still suffering the ill effects. It took me three MONTHS to learn to walk again with a cane. My first shave took me three hours while sitting at the sink. Getting the picture?

DO NOT mess around with it. By all means use that CPAP and humidity as it will help with your breathing and will break up the phlegm and get it up.... but at the first sign of ANY difficulty in breathing or any wheezing dial 911 and get to emerg. And for crying out loud see your GP immediately and get a chest xray to see what is going on. They xrayed my chest twice a day or more the whole time I was in hospital and even xrayed me on the way to the exit door!

[torontoCPAPguy]

Oh. One other thing. SpO2... if you begin to desat (I assume you have a pulse oximeter of some kind) below 90%, especially while you are awake.... get thee to emerg right away. A pretty good indication that you are in serious trouble.

[Dandt45]

thank you for the information. I will definitely watch it. i am glad you recovered toronto. i hear everyone loud and clear...use the machine which i will thank you again.

[Janknitz]

There's a lot of new thinking on bronchitis.

I used to think it was an active infection, but during my last bout what I learned is that while an active respiratory infection may cause bronchitis. bronchitis itself is actually an exacerbation of asthma/reactive airway disease in response to the infection. So don't be afraid to use your CPAP--you're not "pushing things" into your lungs, you're breathing good, clean filtered air and getting plenty of it to where your body needs it most.

They always used to give me antibiotics when I had bronchitis, but not this time, because the new thinking is that this is not a bacterial infection, it's an asthmatic response to the infection which may already be gone--bronchial spasms and inflammation causing secretion of mucous in the breathing tubes.

My doctor tells me that they used to use systemic steroids as a last resort, but now they believe that giving smaller, shorter doses earlier in the bronchitis cycle helps people get better more quickly and with fewer side effects. They hit it quickly with a short course of systemic steroids (Prednisone, most commonly), inhaled steroids, and a long acting bronchodilator (or increase the doses if you take these regularly anyway).

I was pretty sick by the time I dragged my sorry A** into the doctor last time, but this regimen did help. I was very surprised not to be put on antibiotics and to get better anyway.

[cflame1]

Just watch your AHI on prednisone... it could go up a lot.

[Dandt45]

Thank you for all the information. I did sleep with the cpap last night, however i woke up more congested. The doctor gave me a inhaler to use but she said it makes your heart rush in the beginning. I don't think I want that so have not use that. The doctor said to just let it run its course. Boy hope its not a long one. Once again thanks everyone.