Description
I specialize in helping with Mucus control for ALS patients. Below are 10 strategies I can help you with:
- Glycopyrrolate (robinul): This drug reduces the amount of oral secretions and dries out the mouth. It may make phlegm a little stickier, but it reduces the amount of runny saliva that can cause a gag reflex. Take it 4 times a day with the largest dose before bed. It has helped many with sleep.
- NAC Nebulizzer: This is great for breaking up the phlegm that’s deep in the lungs. It can cause coughing, So do it with albuterol.
- Cough assist machine: Every ALS patient should have one of these… When the individual’s cough capability starts declining, it can provide mechanical assistance. Many do the cough assist once or twice per day. Often, it causes what many call a “waterfall”, where one empties out a significant portion of the junk that was in his throat/lungs.
- Dental-style suction machine: This is very useful for getting out runny phlegm in the mouth or if one is having difficulty coughing.
- Sleeping at an incline: Sleeping on your back on a very gentle incline works very well for phlegm drainage. If you had been sleeping on your side, the saliva can pool in the mask, waking you up.
- Mouth rinses with hot water: If at the sink coughing up sticky gunk, this helps get it out a lot faster.
- Mucinex: OTC expectorant. Works for some people in thinning the phlegm. A
- mbroxol monosulfate: An OTC drug from Mexico (that is sold in most countries). I read on a forum of people trying this.
- Papaya juice: This may help, but could be hard to swish it around in your mouth in a coordinated way.
- Coca cola: The same challenges as with the papaya juice. It may be difficult for some to manipulate the fluid in their mouth
