Ameena Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 Any ideas? Had a cold / flu bug last weekend, and it's settled in my chest in one spot. Can't seem to knock it with my asthma inhalers or cold meds. Any ideas for home remedies? I can't get in to the doctor until Tuesday at the earliest. For background, I have asthma / COPD, and "wet" lungs. I've had several doctors compare them to a milder form of Cystic Fibrosis. CF Does run in my family, but I've never been tested for it due to lack of good insurance. I have one spot in my left lung, just below and to the right of my heart, that tends to get gunky with any cold bug, and stay gunky for a LONG time {normally at least 6-10 weeks} unless I get antibiotics. I normally get Pneumonia at least once a year & often twice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Violet Crown Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 Week 3 of acute bronchitis for me. Already on antibiotics for something else. What I find works best: humidifier at night, caffeine during the day, lots of hot drinks, never cold drinks, cough drops constantly, Nyquil so I can sleep and not wake up coughing spasmodically at 4 a.m. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klmama Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 Can you take expectorants to help cough up the fluids? Netipot for rinsing sinuses may help you breathe better and prevent more gunk from draining into your lungs. We like honey/onion syrup for cough. Chop several tablespoons of white onion, put in bowl, cover with honey, let sit for 5 or more hours covered, strain into small bottle, swallow a spoonful instead of cough syrup. Keep refrigerated. It works as well as over the counter cough syrup, IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clemota Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 I've managed to ward off both a nasty head cold and a sore throat that was threatening to become strep with a minced garlic/honey/cayenne recipe I found here. I was, at the time, unable to get in to see a doctor for the strep, and I was desperate for a home remedy. This worked, and worked well, though my husband did complain about me smelling "like a Thai restaurant." Well, I was taking it every half hour during the day, so he's correct about that. The cayenne and honey are beneficial for the throat and cough. The author mentions some fact about 4 cloves of garlic being equal to a dose of penicillin: I have no idea if that's true or not and I won't make any other claims than "it worked for me." I have no idea if it would work for bronchitis, but it's cheap and easy and might be worth a try if nothing else works out. Hope you're feeling better soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardenmom5 Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 Boiron homeopathic remedies. It knocked out a sinus infection once. Their homepage has a feature to click on symptoms for what you need. UPDATE: link added. It was a really bad sinus infection that I absolutely knew I'd need antibiotics for - but I didn't want to go that route. it knocked it out as fast as antibiotics would. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
besroma Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 Elderberry syrup helps me. I hope you are better soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 Have you tried steaming? Pour boiling water into a bowl on the kitchen table, lean over it and put a towel over your head to make a tent. Inhale the steam until the water goes cold. This always loosens up gunk with me and allows me to cough it up. Laura Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
plansrme Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 N-acetyl cysteine. Google if with "cystic fibrosis." We use it for all lung/bronchial things, and it helps a lot. It is available at GNC and similar. The recommended dosage is high, but I do not remember what if is. Terri Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 No advice, but I hope you feel better soon! Bronchitis is AWFUL! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ameena Posted April 7, 2013 Author Share Posted April 7, 2013 No advice, but I hope you feel better soon! Bronchitis is AWFUL! Thanks. Other than the cough that makes me sound like a 90 year old who's been smoking all his life, and the headaches from lack of o2 during coughing sessions, I really don't even feel sick now - I was sick as a dog last weekend though. This is one of the oddest cases of Bronchitis I've ever had, and I've had quite a few. I would just call it allergies except for having the terrible cough & the rattle spot in my chest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ereks mom Posted April 7, 2013 Share Posted April 7, 2013 I wish I had a great recommendation for you, but my home remedies didn't help when I had bronchitis a few weeks ago myself. I wound up going to the doctor for an antibiotic after a few days of home treatment. I was headed toward pneumonia--the doctor said one lung sounded "wet". The cough was nasty and lingering. The girls said I sounded like a smoker. Ugh! I was getting over it nicely, and was blindsided by a cold a few days ago. I'm trying to drink a lot and move around a lot so I don't have gunk settle in my chest again. I'm watching this thread for tips! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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