Treating Hemoptysis?

[CowTown]

What goes into treating hemoptysis? I've never had the pleasure of dealing with this and am curious if you're put into the hospital b/c of it, what exactly do they do while you're there? What <b>can</b> they do?

I understand if you need an embolization, but if you don't, what goes on in there? Is it a waiting game to make it sure it stops?

PS: Diane, I hope you're doing much better!!

 

[CowTown]

What goes into treating hemoptysis? I've never had the pleasure of dealing with this and am curious if you're put into the hospital b/c of it, what exactly do they do while you're there? What <b>can</b> they do?

I understand if you need an embolization, but if you don't, what goes on in there? Is it a waiting game to make it sure it stops?

PS: Diane, I hope you're doing much better!!

 

[CowTown]

What goes into treating hemoptysis? I've never had the pleasure of dealing with this and am curious if you're put into the hospital b/c of it, what exactly do they do while you're there? What <b>can</b> they do?

I understand if you need an embolization, but if you don't, what goes on in there? Is it a waiting game to make it sure it stops?

PS: Diane, I hope you're doing much better!!

 

[JazzysMom]

FOR ME treating hemoptysis varies. IF I have an actual infection going on that is the trigger then they try to keep things as normal as possible with IV's & full treatments. Obviously the quicker you get the junk up the quicker the hemoptysis will ease when its an infection. HOWEVER; the hemoptysis doesnt always cooperate so if I am in the hospital & having an active bleed. I will normally get a shot of Vitamin K daily. This is in addition to the oral Vitamin K. Continue my albeuterol nebs, but not have pulm until I am blood free for a few days. I do try the CPT without tilting, but that also depends on the blood. At home I stop the pulm & double up on my Vitamin K, drink ice water & put ice packs on my chest if its bad enough to get it to ease. The home remedy only works if its triggered by something like to much caffine etc. I never had an embolization. There have been times where I went for days without CPT because of the bleed. The always would rather me do without it then have the bleed start up. Mind you tho that during the times with no CPT I am having IV's so I am getting something to counteract it.

 

[JazzysMom]

FOR ME treating hemoptysis varies. IF I have an actual infection going on that is the trigger then they try to keep things as normal as possible with IV's & full treatments. Obviously the quicker you get the junk up the quicker the hemoptysis will ease when its an infection. HOWEVER; the hemoptysis doesnt always cooperate so if I am in the hospital & having an active bleed. I will normally get a shot of Vitamin K daily. This is in addition to the oral Vitamin K. Continue my albeuterol nebs, but not have pulm until I am blood free for a few days. I do try the CPT without tilting, but that also depends on the blood. At home I stop the pulm & double up on my Vitamin K, drink ice water & put ice packs on my chest if its bad enough to get it to ease. The home remedy only works if its triggered by something like to much caffine etc. I never had an embolization. There have been times where I went for days without CPT because of the bleed. The always would rather me do without it then have the bleed start up. Mind you tho that during the times with no CPT I am having IV's so I am getting something to counteract it.

 

[JazzysMom]

FOR ME treating hemoptysis varies. IF I have an actual infection going on that is the trigger then they try to keep things as normal as possible with IV's & full treatments. Obviously the quicker you get the junk up the quicker the hemoptysis will ease when its an infection. HOWEVER; the hemoptysis doesnt always cooperate so if I am in the hospital & having an active bleed. I will normally get a shot of Vitamin K daily. This is in addition to the oral Vitamin K. Continue my albeuterol nebs, but not have pulm until I am blood free for a few days. I do try the CPT without tilting, but that also depends on the blood. At home I stop the pulm & double up on my Vitamin K, drink ice water & put ice packs on my chest if its bad enough to get it to ease. The home remedy only works if its triggered by something like to much caffine etc. I never had an embolization. There have been times where I went for days without CPT because of the bleed. The always would rather me do without it then have the bleed start up. Mind you tho that during the times with no CPT I am having IV's so I am getting something to counteract it.

 

[Debi]

How often do you have episodes? How much blood are we talking about bringing up at a time? I recently had my first bleed, and two weeks later a second one. The first was more blood than the second. No idea at all what triggered it. Doctor thinks it may just be due to my age and the amount of wear and tear on my lungs. He decided not to put me in the hospital because there wasn't much to do. I had no other symptoms, and the x-rays showed no active bleeding. So, he could have put me in, but I would have been sitting there for nothing. The anxiety, though is awful. I had him give me some anti-anxiety meds, which have made my life more bearable and I don't think constantly about another episode.

Debi

 

[Debi]

How often do you have episodes? How much blood are we talking about bringing up at a time? I recently had my first bleed, and two weeks later a second one. The first was more blood than the second. No idea at all what triggered it. Doctor thinks it may just be due to my age and the amount of wear and tear on my lungs. He decided not to put me in the hospital because there wasn't much to do. I had no other symptoms, and the x-rays showed no active bleeding. So, he could have put me in, but I would have been sitting there for nothing. The anxiety, though is awful. I had him give me some anti-anxiety meds, which have made my life more bearable and I don't think constantly about another episode.

Debi

 

[Debi]

How often do you have episodes? How much blood are we talking about bringing up at a time? I recently had my first bleed, and two weeks later a second one. The first was more blood than the second. No idea at all what triggered it. Doctor thinks it may just be due to my age and the amount of wear and tear on my lungs. He decided not to put me in the hospital because there wasn't much to do. I had no other symptoms, and the x-rays showed no active bleeding. So, he could have put me in, but I would have been sitting there for nothing. The anxiety, though is awful. I had him give me some anti-anxiety meds, which have made my life more bearable and I don't think constantly about another episode.

Debi

 

[NoExcuses]

For me, it's a sign of infection. I don't run fevers with infections, nor do I usually have increased sputum, at least in the early stages. So it's my early warning sign.

If the bleeding doesn't stop, you get embolized to stop the bleeding.

 

[NoExcuses]

For me, it's a sign of infection. I don't run fevers with infections, nor do I usually have increased sputum, at least in the early stages. So it's my early warning sign.

If the bleeding doesn't stop, you get embolized to stop the bleeding.

 

[NoExcuses]

For me, it's a sign of infection. I don't run fevers with infections, nor do I usually have increased sputum, at least in the early stages. So it's my early warning sign.

If the bleeding doesn't stop, you get embolized to stop the bleeding.

 

[LouLou]

I have coughed up teaspoons at most sometimes every day for months at a time. In the last year though I have 8-12 bleeds a month...so approx. every 2-3 days. I have never coughed up more than 2 Tbsp. with one bleed. I have had hemoptysis since I was 13. It used to be linked to infection, now it is just some my lungs do. There is no treatment for my situation except to try not to encourage it. There are 5 reasons to consider embolization in my doctors opinion and I have not qualified for any. Embolization kills an area of the lung so in no way is it a treatment that everyone with a small bleed should run out and want to get done. Also, there is a low risk of peralysis when a blood vessel is embolized that feeds the spinal column. I will look up the 5 reasons and post them sometime.

 

[LouLou]

I have coughed up teaspoons at most sometimes every day for months at a time. In the last year though I have 8-12 bleeds a month...so approx. every 2-3 days. I have never coughed up more than 2 Tbsp. with one bleed. I have had hemoptysis since I was 13. It used to be linked to infection, now it is just some my lungs do. There is no treatment for my situation except to try not to encourage it. There are 5 reasons to consider embolization in my doctors opinion and I have not qualified for any. Embolization kills an area of the lung so in no way is it a treatment that everyone with a small bleed should run out and want to get done. Also, there is a low risk of peralysis when a blood vessel is embolized that feeds the spinal column. I will look up the 5 reasons and post them sometime.

 

[LouLou]

I have coughed up teaspoons at most sometimes every day for months at a time. In the last year though I have 8-12 bleeds a month...so approx. every 2-3 days. I have never coughed up more than 2 Tbsp. with one bleed. I have had hemoptysis since I was 13. It used to be linked to infection, now it is just some my lungs do. There is no treatment for my situation except to try not to encourage it. There are 5 reasons to consider embolization in my doctors opinion and I have not qualified for any. Embolization kills an area of the lung so in no way is it a treatment that everyone with a small bleed should run out and want to get done. Also, there is a low risk of peralysis when a blood vessel is embolized that feeds the spinal column. I will look up the 5 reasons and post them sometime.

 

[HairGirl]

Here's a question right up my ally!!!!! I've had hemoptysis since I was 16 or so, usually just small stuff, couldn't find a pattern at all, then it got progressively worse I started coughing up cups of blood at a time. At the time my doc. would see if a fever followed and if not then he wouldn't do anything!!!!! if there was a fever we would start antibiotics, well then a new doc. came, the first time I had major hemoptysis (one month after I was married) I was admitted and had an embolization, I was so excited and thought it would solve the problem, NOPE!!!!! Ended up on the ventilator two days later. Anyways, to answer your question, sometimes we do embolizations sometimes we just start on IV's. For me we have no idea what triggers it. Hemoptysis for me is one of the mysteries that can't be solved.

 

[HairGirl]

Here's a question right up my ally!!!!! I've had hemoptysis since I was 16 or so, usually just small stuff, couldn't find a pattern at all, then it got progressively worse I started coughing up cups of blood at a time. At the time my doc. would see if a fever followed and if not then he wouldn't do anything!!!!! if there was a fever we would start antibiotics, well then a new doc. came, the first time I had major hemoptysis (one month after I was married) I was admitted and had an embolization, I was so excited and thought it would solve the problem, NOPE!!!!! Ended up on the ventilator two days later. Anyways, to answer your question, sometimes we do embolizations sometimes we just start on IV's. For me we have no idea what triggers it. Hemoptysis for me is one of the mysteries that can't be solved.

 

[HairGirl]

Here's a question right up my ally!!!!! I've had hemoptysis since I was 16 or so, usually just small stuff, couldn't find a pattern at all, then it got progressively worse I started coughing up cups of blood at a time. At the time my doc. would see if a fever followed and if not then he wouldn't do anything!!!!! if there was a fever we would start antibiotics, well then a new doc. came, the first time I had major hemoptysis (one month after I was married) I was admitted and had an embolization, I was so excited and thought it would solve the problem, NOPE!!!!! Ended up on the ventilator two days later. Anyways, to answer your question, sometimes we do embolizations sometimes we just start on IV's. For me we have no idea what triggers it. Hemoptysis for me is one of the mysteries that can't be solved.

 

[LouLou]

Hairgirl, Do you ever experience small (under 2 Tablespoon) bleeds anymore...or for you was it once they got big they stayed big. Also do you have multiple lobes that bleed? Have you altered your sleeping arrangements to better accomodate your lung position (I'm assuming laying on your back is one of your triggers). I ask because I'm looking for some 'accessory' for my bed because a mass of pillows that I currently prop myself on messes with my back and neck.

 

[LouLou]

Hairgirl, Do you ever experience small (under 2 Tablespoon) bleeds anymore...or for you was it once they got big they stayed big. Also do you have multiple lobes that bleed? Have you altered your sleeping arrangements to better accomodate your lung position (I'm assuming laying on your back is one of your triggers). I ask because I'm looking for some 'accessory' for my bed because a mass of pillows that I currently prop myself on messes with my back and neck.