[RozG]

I figure people here are smart and have a lot more solutions for problems than I do so...

...anybody know of anything that helps when you're struggling to breathe, other than the obvious of oxygen in hospital, my pet hate!

Any natural remedies greatly appreciated.

[(JD)]

Moist air is easier to breathe, also needed by the body as the process of breathing difficultly heats up the body and dehydrates it. The best way is a cool mist humidifier. Short of that, use the steam from a tea pot or such, with a towel draped over your head and the top of the pot, or sit in a shower of steamy water... and breathe deeply.

One thing to try when you are not struggling to breathe is to strengthen your lungs. Swimming is wonderful for this. Then, when breathing really becomes a struggle, your lungs will perform better.

Is the problem with the lungs themselves or with the bronchi? Have you tried cortizone or a derivative of it, to reduce the swelling in the bronchi and thus aiding breathing? Decadron will do this well.

What does your doctor say?

But you know? When all else fails... the cool O2 at the hospital feels great!

[RozG]

Hi Sky

It's pneumonia's the problem and moisture in the air makes it worse...cold moisture anyway, never tried warm moisture like from a bowl of hot water.

My lungs are weak but I've been told that's only to be expected. I had a 2 month spell in I.C.U. a few yrs back suffering from body shut-down being kept alive by machines. Basically, no-one expected me to survive, I was being kept alive like that at my own request as I was pregnant and it was too soon for baby to survive even in an incubator. So a lot of stuff was done to keep me alive for baby's sake that wouldn't have been done if they'd honestly expected me to live. So my lungs, kidneys etc are weak....not that I mind, it was worth it for my son to be born!!! But it is hard sometimes finding it hard to breathe, freezing my butt off even indoors etc.

Thanx for your ideas though, I'll try them as you don't know til you do!

[girlN]

I would not try the warm shower if I were you. I have a lot of lung problems and if the issue is not just a case of congestion the heat can irritate your bronchial tubes more and cause worse problems. I find that drinking broth and hot tea helps. I also find hot caffeinated drinks are beneficial and I stay away from dairy. Good Luck.

[RozG]

Thanks. Good luck to you too.

[Perna]

If your oxygen levels are too low, you need more oxygen; not something you can "help" at home.

Did you go to the doctor, see what kind of pneumonia it is and get antibiotics if it's a bacterial one?

[RozG]

Hi Perna

My doc doesn't give me anything for pneumonia out of wariness. Had it too many times and got a complicated medical history from her point of view. So her answer is admission to hospital, let them deal with it, but I don't go unless it gets to the stage where I need oxygen...which I actually hate.

And I don't think I explained myself properly...again. lol. I'll try again....

My probs with pneumonia stem from a long spell in I.C.U. a few years back. I'm now sensitive to moisture in the air as well as cold temps. Only time my lungs are dry is in a wicked heatwave. Rest of the time...don't how to put this sorry...they're gunky and summer aside I'm pneumonic to one degree or another all the time.

(My doc keeps saying I need to live somewhere hot and dry. I asked her if she's gonna pay for it. lol.)

Anyhow, I supoose what I was really asking is to ease breathing in winter when I'm not bad enough for hospital but I'm struggling anyways...any tips on herbal remedies etc that help dry your lungs out would be great coz then I could breathe better, not feel so weak etc.

Ooh bananas, bet I still haven't explained it right?

[Perna]

Ah! Hospital acquired pneumonia. That's an ugly animal.

http://www.merck.com/mmpe/sec05/ch052/ch052c.html

[RozG]

Now see...I didn't know it was called hospital acquired pneumonia. But that is one thing I hate about hospitals...you always end up with more than you went in with. A bit like a doctors surgery, a lethal place to go coz it's full of sick people. Doctors eh, they should come with a public awareness warning:

Warning: May be bad for your health....RUNNNNNNN. LOL.

not sure this would help.... but... eupluspus oil..(sp)... helps to loosen... my breathing...

in the states... you can little plug in units... and they disperse the smell into the air...

also.. I have bought a small bottle of it.. along with peppermint oil... to breathe in... that helps the asthma..... and the breathing..

I believe.. it explains it on the bottle.. that you can put the oil in warm water and breathe it in...

but I just use the bottle... and breathe.. the vapors....

yes like Vicks vapor rub.... but it works... much better..

my muscles around my chest tighten... from the effort of breathing when I get attacks... so a heating pad... on low. set on my chest.. helps to loosen the actual muscles... so that helps too.....

(((hugs))))

[RozG]

freewill...I never thought of that.

I'm definitley going to try that, thank you.

[Perna]

Ah, eucalyptus oil. That sounds like it might be a good idea. California has eucalyptus trees http://library.csustan.edu/bsantos/euctoc.htm but apparently they are from Australia!

http://www.femhealth.com/eucalyptusoil.html

http://www.femhealth.com/steaminhaler.html

[amgub]

I have Asthma. when I was younger, I was taught to do breathing exercises when I was having an attack. they do help to calm you down and get some relief. Basically, you breath in slowly and deeply though your nose, then exhale through your mouth slowly, like you are blowing on a candle flame just enough to flicker the flame.

[(JD)]

I use guarana to dry out my lungs, bronchi, etc. I'm allergic to most meds, btw. Guarana has saved my life many times.

[BrotherPat]

Hove you tried Pursed Lip Breathing? The method I learned can found at the EFFORTS web site. Since I can't post links yet(newbie) you can find the org. doing a google search. I have COPD and there are times this works very well for me. I also have found that when I stand up, lean over, placing my hands on my knees, back straight and concentrate on breathing in slowly and out even slower, counting to 10 in my mind, that breathing comes back to me. However there are times quite honestly my wife has to remind me to slow down the breathing because I am freaking out about not being ale to catch my breath. I usally forget about how to breath while working outside in the summer months down here in Georgia. I hope this has helped you out in some way.

[Simcha]

Originally Posted by RozG

I figure people here are smart and have a lot more solutions for problems than I do so...

...anybody know of anything that helps when you're struggling to breathe, other than the obvious of oxygen in hospital, my pet hate!

Any natural remedies greatly appreciated.

It GREATLY DEPENDS on the underlying reason behind the breathing difficulty.
I do not believe in home remedies before being checked out for medical treatments that are proven to work.

For instance, if the reason you have problems breathing is due to Congestive Heart Failure (CHF), then the treatment would be medically proven for treatment of CHF.

If you have asthma, typically asthma and/or allergy drugs will treat the underlying breathing difficulties.

Have you any idea why your having a hard time breathing, and did you go to your doctor?

[Simcha]

Originally Posted by RozG

Hi Perna

My doc doesn't give me anything for pneumonia out of wariness. Had it too many times and got a complicated medical history from her point of view. So her answer is admission to hospital, let them deal with it, but I don't go unless it gets to the stage where I need oxygen...which I actually hate.

And I don't think I explained myself properly...again. lol. I'll try again....

My probs with pneumonia stem from a long spell in I.C.U. a few years back. I'm now sensitive to moisture in the air as well as cold temps. Only time my lungs are dry is in a wicked heatwave. Rest of the time...don't how to put this sorry...they're gunky and summer aside I'm pneumonic to one degree or another all the time.

(My doc keeps saying I need to live somewhere hot and dry. I asked her if she's gonna pay for it. lol.)

Anyhow, I supoose what I was really asking is to ease breathing in winter when I'm not bad enough for hospital but I'm struggling anyways...any tips on herbal remedies etc that help dry your lungs out would be great coz then I could breathe better, not feel so weak etc.

Ooh bananas, bet I still haven't explained it right?

I think you need a better doctor personally.
This one doesn't sound responsive and prefers to make useless statements about moving to a dry climate---which won't actually do anything substantial for the pneumonia anyway.How is a dry climate going to make you feel less weak? Medical nonsense.

I call it as I see it--no mercy for stupid doctors who lie to patients.

Whatever your situation is healthwise, you need to see a specialist.
Also, with pneumonia you need to make sure you are being TREATED with medications along with EXERCISING so that your lungs expand and open up instead of getting filled with congestion. Typically people get hospital acquired pneumonia because they have lied around too long without exercise and are immunocompromised (weak immune system). Go in for a hip replacement end up in ICU with complications from hospital acquired pneumonia--seen it a billion times. Doctors at my hospital where I used to work were forced to change their treatment methods to include exercise/physical therapy/walking with inpatients---cut the HAP in half, heal time better, etc.

Good luck--sounds like no fun!