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MVFinVA

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Lost a loved one
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My husband seems to be coming down with a cold and I have no idea what to do. This is the first illness he has gotten since diagnosis a year ago. He is on a feeding tube and a bipap at night (12-14 hours). Last time it was tested his breathing was around 50% (don't have raw numbers). He has a cough assist he is to use 3-4 times a day. Didn't learn anything about what to do for needing to actually cough, just to "exercise" his lungs. His nose is dripping and he sounds a little "nasely." He has FTD so I can't really get much of an explanation about how he feels.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm scared since he can't really cough or blow his nose. Also his bipap mask only covers his nose. Guess I may need to break out the full mask again?

Mary
 
Fluids. Saline nasal spray if he will do it. Meds depend on other conditions and current meds but I find guiafenesin which is in cough syrup and also available in pills helps congestion. My sister had good luck with effervescent NAC which PALS sometimes take for other reasons.

Do use the cough assist

Have a low threshold for calling/ taking him for help. My sister had a very much lower fvc so different situation but a cold killed her she had survived muktiple previous colds and pneumonias though
 
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Hi, Mary,

Colds happen. Generally, the PALS does fine. Things to look at include:

Make sure your furnace filters/the machine's filters are clean and you may want to adjust the machine's humidification and the room temp

You can use a baby nasal aspirator on his nose if it helps (buy at a drug store)

For saliva, some PALS spit into a folded paper towel or wash cloth

Keep him well hydrated, including warm liquids through the tube

If he gets crusty, saline sprays can help (you can instill a little saline in his nose and immediately suck it out)

Also, there are saline nasal ointments (don't use anything scented)

If he starts coughing a lot, remove the backup rate and target volume settings on the BiPAP

Do you have a suction machine? It may help if so.

Generally, I do not advise decongestants through the tube as once things dry up, it's hard to get them out.

Best,
Laurie
 
I second the recommendation for nasal spray and guaifenesin. Also something like Robitussin with Guaifenesin can be put down the G-tube. Definitely increase hydration over all.

My respiratory care provider also mentioned turning up the humidity in the BiPAP (just a little).

Monitor for fevers. Temperatures above 100.5 degrees F would be an indication for a doctor or nurse evaluation and possibly antibiotics, if those interventions are in line with his wishes.
 
Thanks, Karen, I was omitting that some cough syrups have just an expectorant like guaifenesin and others include a decongestant. I would go for the former.
 
I use a neti pot to flush my sinuses daily, i use my suction wand to clear the gunk from my nose. I slso add a couple drops of colloidal silver to the neti solution to help prevent colds.
 
Thank you all for your advice! I gave him guaifenesin for several days and kept him hydrated. The symptoms seem to have subsided, maybe it was allergies?
 
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