Dear Smile E.

How do I stop this coughing? It sounds horrible, it is not moving anything, and I’m exhausted.

Signed,

Coughing Crazy

Dear Coughing Crazy,

Stoping a cough in primary ciliary dyskinesia is counterproductive in PCD care. The whole aim in our treating techniques for PCD is to get the patient to cough. This is because part of the body’s natural airway defense is broken, the cilia. We need to move the naturally reoccurring daily mucus every single day without fail by using manual techniques since the cilia are not doing their job. If not we risk additional infections and illness. In PCD a good healthy productive cough is essential to staying healthy.

That being said if your cough isn’t productive then it’s time to ring your team as more aggressive airway clearance techniques and or antibiotics are needed. While it’s important that we cough, it’s equally important that we get rest. During times of nonproductive coughing there may come a time your team prescribes other medications to allow you to sleep better. What those methods are, are up to your medical team who understands your unique health needs.

In the meantime there are a few things you can do. First increase your fluids, as sometimes a nonproductive cough is due to dehydration and dehydrated airway mucus. Second try drinking warm liquids like decaffeinated teas or hot soups as the warmth will help open the airways. Third try sleeping in an elevated sleeping position and change your  frequently to prevent mucus pooling in the airways. Fourth as last get lots of extra rest every chance you can. I do hope that you are feeling better soon!

Yours Truly,

Smile E. Turtle

Do you have a question for Smile E.? 

Please EMAIL your questions to; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

And tune in next Sunday to read the latest Ask Smile E.

Join our Facebook group Turtle Talk Café today, click here.

We have several ways that you can donate to PCD Smiles;

- Visit Smile E. Turtle's Amazon Wishlist

- For more information on how you can donate, please visit our "Donation" page to check out our "Do & Don't policies.

- Or sponsor a PCD Smiles cheer package today!

- To shop for your “Official” turtle care ribbon gear today, visit PCD Style or Smile E. Cove

Thank you for your consideration!

Dear Smile E.

I’m going on a trip and will be flying. Do you know if it’s permitted to use my aerobika on the plane? My flight time is fourteen hours, and I don’t want to go all day without doing my airway clearance. Or should I skip it?

Signed,

Leaving on a jet plane

Dear Leaving on a jet plane,

I’d skip it. While there are no rules against using a PEP device like an aerobika on a flight, you do need to consider infection control prevention in a small enclosed environment like and airplane. It is important to be considerate of other travelers. You never know who else on the plane with you might be respiratory compromised or worse yet immunocompromised. I would suggest that you do your aerobika before and after boarding in the gate lounge waiting area away from other passengers. Remember the six feet rule, when doing your airway clearance. The six feet rule as in germs are carried up to six feet when you sneeze, cough, and so on. This is why the CF Foundation recommendations of six feet apart for patient to patient interactions to prevent cross contamination of bacteria. Inside a plane it is extremely impossible to get six feet apart from anyone while doing airway clearance, which is why I suggest avoiding it, for the sake of others. I also do not suggest tucking away and doing your airway clearance in the plane lavatories either. Bathrooms are gross and filled with bacteria, so for your lungs sake don’t do it. For other bathroom users do not do it. I highly suggest you talking with your care team and following their recommendations on airway clearance while traveling and traveling by airplane. Remember my advice does not or is not intended to replace the advice of your treating physician or physicians.

Yours Truly,

Smile E. Turtle

Do you have a question for Smile E.? 

Please EMAIL your questions to; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

And tune in next Sunday to read the latest Ask Smile E.

Join our Facebook group Turtle Talk Café today, click here.

We have several ways that you can donate to PCD Smiles;

- Visit Smile E. Turtle's Amazon Wishlist

- For more information on how you can donate, please visit our "Donation" page to check out our "Do & Don't policies.

- Or sponsor a PCD Smiles cheer package today!

- To shop for your “Official” turtle care ribbon gear today, visit PCD Style or Smile E. Cove

Thank you for your consideration!

Dear Smile E.

I’m so confused, my PCD team suggested daily probiotics? I was recently admitted to a different hospital facility for surgery and the admitting nurse told me that they don’t do probiotics at that facility. She went on to say they don’t because probiotics are stupid, unproven, and a total waste. I found probiotics extremely helpful to my situation but now I am unsure. What insight can you give me on probiotics and their use in PCD. I mean am I just wasting my time on snake oil?

Signed,

Don’t want to be a fool

Dear Don’t want to be a fool,

Probiotics are extremely helpful in PCD care due to the hit antibiotics give our gut. Unfortunately some facilities have yet to grasp that concept yet. Or maybe they just know that by the time you start antibiotics it’s to late to start probiotics, let me explain. In order to be 100% effective at protecting your gut health it’s important to start probiotics days if not a week prior to starting a course of antibiotics. Usually when admitted to the hospital a patient does not have the leeway of a week to plan to start probiotics. Unfortunately most facilities don’t understand that PCD patients are counseled to take probiotics daily. Also in a facility it’s hard to time the probiotics and antibiotics appropriately apart for effectiveness as well. Probiotics should be taken at least two hours prior to taking an antibiotic dose, or two hours after taking an antibiotic dose. Taking a probiotic any closer to an antibiotic dose could render the probiotic useless and the antibiotic destroys the live cultures in the probiotic. Definitely discuss this with your team’s dietitian for more in-depth information.

Yours Truly,

Smile E. Turtle

Do you have a question for Smile E.? 

Please EMAIL your questions to; This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

And tune in next Sunday to read the latest Ask Smile E.

Join our Facebook group Turtle Talk Café today, click here.

We have several ways that you can donate to PCD Smiles;

- Visit Smile E. Turtle's Amazon Wishlist

- For more information on how you can donate, please visit our "Donation" page to check out our "Do & Don't policies.

- Or sponsor a PCD Smiles cheer package today!

- To shop for your “Official” turtle care ribbon gear today, visit PCD Style or Smile E. Cove

Thank you for your consideration!