Out of laziness and focusing on prescription medication this past year, I have fallen away from using oral GSH. This year I had Stenotrophamonas Maltophilia show up in my culture and it has definitely made me feel like I need my nebulizers and inhalers more often.

My last check up was earlier this month. I finally feel much better (after 6 weeks of high doses DS Bactrim). However, I still see a 2+ strength of Steno in my lab results. The doctor is done treating it and concluded that my asthma symptoms have gotten worse as well.

My last pfts were down to FEV1 90%. (I was at 97% last Dec). I took 4 blows and they were all consistent with that number. After Xopenex, my FEV1 increased 7% and my small airways increased 16%. That is why the doc mentioned asthma. However, I was wheezing more at home and felt "junk" in there despite doing Vest, acapella, Pulmo, HS and my last round of TOBI.

This past week I started GSH again. One oral pill a day for this week. I added in the inhalation kind too (mixing it with saline) for the first time. So, for 2 nights I did Hypertonic Saline and Pulmo with the Vest (acapella in between vest sets) and I followed up with a neb of GSH.

After the second night (day #3), I was walking my dog in the morning and had a sudden (brief) coughing fit. It came out of nowhere as I was simply walking. I felt junk come dislodged from what felt like small airways and it was hard. Perhaps these were plugs, I don't know. I didn't really look. Since then I feel like my chest is lighter and I am breathing more freely! I have slept well the past few nights and feel like I am my "old self" again.

I think it is too much of a coincidence that this happened after just 2 treatments of inhaled GSH. I had been doing treatments twice a day all year long and nothing was that effective.

I plan to keep it up and am anxious to see where my FEV1 is without Xopenex in March! I haven't needed my inhaler during the day since that happened.

Happy New Year! I am looking forward to turning 37 years old in 2011.