rbtro
Member
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2006
- Messages
- 27
- Reason
- PALS
- Country
- US
- State
- Maryland
- City
- Arnold
Hi all, It has been a while since I have posted. I have dropped in to the lurking mode. Let me say thanks again for mantaining this Website. It has been a Godsend. But on with my sad story.
I turned 60 on the 26th of March. I had a wonderful day. My wife had open house and invited many friends and family. It was really nice to see so many old friends. But it has been downhill ever since.
Last friday, I started having trouble with breathing. I couldn't get into a rythym with the BiPAP. Every time I would inhale I would cough. I used the cough assist but was unable to remove the mucus that was triggering the gag reflex. I called the Dr. and was told to try Mucinex to break it down. This seemed to help some, but I still couldn't stop the cough.
Monday, I called my Primary Care Physician. He called in prescriptions for Levaquin (Antibiotic) and Prometh VC syrup (cough syrup). I took these and now the fun starts. As I went to bed and laid on my side as usual. But now I can't sleep, because I can't breath right. Everytime I inhale I am unable to exhale. It feels like there is a plug over my windpipe. I have the wife give me a cough assist I did this for so long my throat was raw. Still was unable to clear the mucus. Ended up sitting up in the Powerchair all night. Not much sleep, but able to breath with the BiPAP.
Tuesday sitting up was going well all day. Again when I go to bed I am unable to breath laying down. I spend the night sitting in the lift chair. Once again not much sleep. Now I am having difficulty eating and drinking. I talk to the PCP and he suggests I go to the ER and get suctioned. I did this and the RT treated me with a Nebulizer and suction. This was good I could breath again. The xray shows I have a little pneumonia. The wife called the ALS Clinic at Hopkins and was told to follow that advice and if I wanted I to I could come to the Hopkins emergency room and the pulmonolgist would meet me there. I decided to go home, I was given a nebulizer and a suction machine. My eguipment list is growing.On the way home the mucus now watery was causing a rattle in my chest. I got home and tried the cough assist. This did no good. The mucus was too watery to exporate. The RT said I would have to cough this up. I am coughing and coughing nothing is moving. Should I return to the ER or go to Hopkins. A few more coughs and thorough suctioning I am able to get it under control. Decide to stay home. Get in to bed, hoping to get some sleep. Lay on my side as usual. This lasts about 10minutes. Once again, I am coughing on inhallation. I get rolled to my other side this seems better. I can breathe again. Again, this short lived. I begin having trouble with the rythym of the BiPAP. Back up and into the lift chair, not much sleep.
Wednesday, Stay in the chair all day. Nod off on occassion. Get out of the lift chair and into the powerchair for the evening. Decide to give up on trying to lay in the bed and just get into the lift chair. Not much sleep.
No coughing but now have a feeling that I can't inhale. Get out of the lift chair and into the powerchair. Do around of medications and 15 minutes on the nebulizer. Now here I sit at the computer and have this rattle in my chest. I begin to cough and ask for the cough assist. I am able to exporate some mucus. It is milky white to yellow. I return to the computer and attempt finish this post. Sorry for length. I just wanted to tell the story and ask if anyone has had similar problem. Also looking for some guidance on the nebulizer. Well that's it and thanks to all in advance. This really is a great support group.
God Bless,
Rich
I turned 60 on the 26th of March. I had a wonderful day. My wife had open house and invited many friends and family. It was really nice to see so many old friends. But it has been downhill ever since.
Last friday, I started having trouble with breathing. I couldn't get into a rythym with the BiPAP. Every time I would inhale I would cough. I used the cough assist but was unable to remove the mucus that was triggering the gag reflex. I called the Dr. and was told to try Mucinex to break it down. This seemed to help some, but I still couldn't stop the cough.
Monday, I called my Primary Care Physician. He called in prescriptions for Levaquin (Antibiotic) and Prometh VC syrup (cough syrup). I took these and now the fun starts. As I went to bed and laid on my side as usual. But now I can't sleep, because I can't breath right. Everytime I inhale I am unable to exhale. It feels like there is a plug over my windpipe. I have the wife give me a cough assist I did this for so long my throat was raw. Still was unable to clear the mucus. Ended up sitting up in the Powerchair all night. Not much sleep, but able to breath with the BiPAP.
Tuesday sitting up was going well all day. Again when I go to bed I am unable to breath laying down. I spend the night sitting in the lift chair. Once again not much sleep. Now I am having difficulty eating and drinking. I talk to the PCP and he suggests I go to the ER and get suctioned. I did this and the RT treated me with a Nebulizer and suction. This was good I could breath again. The xray shows I have a little pneumonia. The wife called the ALS Clinic at Hopkins and was told to follow that advice and if I wanted I to I could come to the Hopkins emergency room and the pulmonolgist would meet me there. I decided to go home, I was given a nebulizer and a suction machine. My eguipment list is growing.On the way home the mucus now watery was causing a rattle in my chest. I got home and tried the cough assist. This did no good. The mucus was too watery to exporate. The RT said I would have to cough this up. I am coughing and coughing nothing is moving. Should I return to the ER or go to Hopkins. A few more coughs and thorough suctioning I am able to get it under control. Decide to stay home. Get in to bed, hoping to get some sleep. Lay on my side as usual. This lasts about 10minutes. Once again, I am coughing on inhallation. I get rolled to my other side this seems better. I can breathe again. Again, this short lived. I begin having trouble with the rythym of the BiPAP. Back up and into the lift chair, not much sleep.
Wednesday, Stay in the chair all day. Nod off on occassion. Get out of the lift chair and into the powerchair for the evening. Decide to give up on trying to lay in the bed and just get into the lift chair. Not much sleep.
No coughing but now have a feeling that I can't inhale. Get out of the lift chair and into the powerchair. Do around of medications and 15 minutes on the nebulizer. Now here I sit at the computer and have this rattle in my chest. I begin to cough and ask for the cough assist. I am able to exporate some mucus. It is milky white to yellow. I return to the computer and attempt finish this post. Sorry for length. I just wanted to tell the story and ask if anyone has had similar problem. Also looking for some guidance on the nebulizer. Well that's it and thanks to all in advance. This really is a great support group.
God Bless,
Rich