Have they tried Bactrim, JZ? It's often more effective than more modern drugs on bronchitis. What about a prednisone pack? I assume you're doing all the classics: sleeping propped up or in a chair; breathing steam; hot showers; adding humidity; taking Mucinex; drinking plenty of liquids; eating spicy food; drinking hot drinks with honey. A heating pad or the like on your chest can help. Sometimes a concerted effort to do all the things that thin the mucus and so help clear out the lungs can make a big difference. I know that when you're really sick, it's hard to do the things that could make you feel better; I have spent hours in a ball of misery, thinking "If you'd breathe some steam and make some tea, you'd feel better."

I wouldn't give up on the idea of albuterol, because it does increase air flow, and you sound like you're short of oxygen.

I believe in Vick's Vaporub, but it's a purely psychological effect. (Really. Camphor tricks the brain into thinking you're getting more air.)

Feel better.

Signed, Had Bronchitis at Least Once a Year for 30+ Years

Also, what a pain, Trudy. I hope they're just fishing and a "this is not my debt; never contact me again" letter will make them go poof.

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JZ, are you using the inhaler proactively as well as a rescue? You should use it a couple times a day, spread out -- that's what my doctor has me do.

Also, maybe Brethine? I took it orally when I was pregnant with Ben (for preterm labor, which apparently it's not approved for, but is routinely prescribed for), but is apparently administered via IV or injection now. Still, might be worth asking.

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JZ, sounds like you're getting tons of great advice, but I will say that when I had the flu a couple of years ago and I couldn't stop coughing, I ended up taking the Percocet that I had leftover from my knee surgery. It worked as a really great cough suppressant, and had the added benefits of making me not care that I felt like shit, and helping me sleep. It may seem like overkill (and may be contraindicated with some of the other things you're taking right now) but if you or anyone you know has Percocet or anything like it lying around from a relatively recent surgery, even a couple may help you get a couple decent nights' sleep.

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amyth is right -- I've taken some of my mom's just for this reason.

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JZ is currently an inclined lump on Emmett's bed. I'll point her to the thread when she gets up, but I'm just going to let her sleep now.

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JZ, I'm sorry you're so sick! One of my coworkers and one friend are both sick, with ugly chest colds that haven't gotten better. Oddly enough, they both went back east for the holidays and picked it up there. I suspect whatever it is, it's moving west. I hope you get better soon.

I went to bed early on a double-dose of Benedryl and some painkillers, because I had a sore throat and some sinus issues. I can't get sick right now--I don't have any sick leave to speak of. Bah.

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JZ, when I had the cough that wouldn't go away last year, the one thing that finally helped was a steroid inhaler, used three times a day, plus codeine cough syrup at night so that I could get at least a little bit of sleep.

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I was going to suggest throwing a cough suppressant into the mix -- if you're willing to go back to the doctor (or a Minute Clinic, like at a drugstore or grocery store pharmacy), get codeine or Tessalon Pearls (generic name benzonatate) -- they're the weird cough suppressant that isn't a narcotic like codeine but works like freaking magic.

I also second the recommendation of steroids and Bactrim as an antibiotic.

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Why is it so hard to do the things that, while they require effort, make me feel better?

I don't know, but I'm so glad I went! I don't know if the class was extra beginnery (New Year + groupon meant more new people) or if it was just what she focused on today, but I could pretty much do everything through the whole class! And I just had a delicious ham, egg, and cheese scramble + pumpkin raisin bread, and now I feel fantastic! (Although am possibly not on track to actually lose any of the holiday/grief weight.)

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Thanks, everyone.

I'm definitely using the albuterol twice daily, not just as rescue. The MD at the last acute care visit gave me a prescription for an MDI spacer to help get more of it into my lungs; I'd been holding off because it's not covered by my insurance and the only one the pharmacy has is $80 (not keen on using such a big chunk of my FSA account barely one week into the new year), but Hec is checking with a local medical supply store that may have them for less, and if not I'll just suck it up and do it.

Definitely, definitely asking about Bactrim and codeine.

Tep, I started the pearls but they did absolutely nothing - are they one of those things that you have to have them in your system for at least a week before you start to feel it, or should I have noticed an improvement already? (I've been prescribed them twice in the last few years, and both times the doctors said something like, "Some of my other patients say these don't help at all, but you might as well try.")

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