Tissues!

Sorry, forgot to add that he doesn't need carbocisteine, it's all flowing beautifully, iykwim. (Rather too beautifully at times, hence the need for plenty of strong tissues)

The Presto Amazon tissues are strong enough but a smaller size than the square packs of Kleenex 'large' that we've been using. I shall test out Lidl and Aldi and come back with a verdict!

I'm sorry if I've made anyone squeamish with TMI. We are still, four years, down the line, astonished at all the things the human body can produce.

riete

hi MargotLedbetter,

i know your problem only too well. and with general shortages and price rises, i'm having to experiment with a variety of "own brands". i suggest the small packs of 8 or 10 tissues, in multipacks of 6-10. they tend to be very similar price, but much stronger. and of course convenient when going out.

i know this isn't what you were asking, but it might also be worth your husband asking his doctor about "the huff". (if he hasn't already been "instructed".) it can seriously reduce the amount of mucus during the day, and is likely to help him feel better, too. another option might be something like carbocisteine. anyway, worth a visit to gp or a telephone discussion, to see if there's anything s/he can suggest to help.

He does the 'huff' or the local physio's version of it at least twice a day already. That's what keeps this endless supply of mucus flowing.

I had never heard of bronchiectasis until after my husband (who was only 58 and has never smoked) nearly died of pneumonia a few years ago. It can affect anyone of any age and it damages the lungs in such a way that they go permanently into over-production of the slimy mucus that naturally lines the lungs. Imagine you're coughing up twice as much gunk as you did when you last had a nasty chest infection every day for the rest of your life.

Thanks. He started using cotton handkerchiefs but the yuk factor — one has to rinse out considerable quantities of mucus before putting them in a hot wash — grossed him and me out.

I think I’d be looking at alternatives to handkerchiefs if I had to wash 40 or 50 a day because of a serious problem, SpringyChicken.
And, using handkerchiefs I’d probably want to do boil washes - so expensive

We must be old fashioned. We use men's cotton handkerchiefs and they are washed with the towels on 60C. They last years.

There are lots of makes of reusable tissues so some must be okay. I would be trying them rather than buying disposable ones.

chestnut, have you tried reading op's explanation of her husband's tissue-use?

Margot, have you tried Googling 'reusable tissues' as I suggested?

Thank you. I googled Amazon and the Kleenex are no cheaper than I can buy them from any supermarket, but I've bought Amazon's Presto ones, which from the feedback seem to be stronger than the average cheap tissues. I guess if he has to use two at a time it won't cost us any more than the Kleenex.

Thanks for all the ideas.

hi MargotLedbetter,

i know your problem only too well. and with general shortages and price rises, i'm having to experiment with a variety of "own brands". i suggest the small packs of 8 or 10 tissues, in multipacks of 6-10. they tend to be very similar price, but much stronger. and of course convenient when going out.

i know this isn't what you were asking, but it might also be worth your husband asking his doctor about "the huff". (if he hasn't already been "instructed".) it can seriously reduce the amount of mucus during the day, and is likely to help him feel better, too. another option might be something like carbocisteine. anyway, worth a visit to gp or a telephone discussion, to see if there's anything s/he can suggest to help.

Cheaply toilet rolls do the job in our house.

If I were in your situation I would try and find something reusable rather than throwing out all those tissues. If you Google reusable tissues there are loads of them and you can take your pick!

I use Plenty kitchen roll as paper towels for my minded children, they're strong when wet as the adverts say!
I buy a pack of 8 rolls x 100 sheets from Tesco. They've gone up recently to £11 so I don't know how that compares with other options.

I also use Lidl but has to be 3ply, they were 89p when I stocked up a while ago but my local Lidl has been out of stock for ages now so I have been buying from Aldi. Lidl also do the smaller pocket packs which are really good, come as a multipack, thicker than normal and I always have a pack or two in the car, handbag, pocket. I find Kleenex too expensive now.

MargotLedbetter

Thanks for the ideas. He does use loo roll and kitchen roll at times but having loo rolls scattered around the house looks a bit meh and isn't practical if we're going out. They seem to have stopped selling the Kleenex 4-packs anywhere locally: I used to bulk buy whenever I saw them. The Ikea napkins sound good but he can get through 30-40 tissues a day and I doubt he'd be motivated to cut them up.

We'll have to try some other own brands. I'm not a brand snob, but Kleenex do hold together where other brands fall apart.

I got mine Kleenex multi pack from Amazon

Hi ,
My father has COPD and is obsessed with baby wipes and tissues .
I go through many of them .They form a sea around his bed .
I've tried every type and tissue and now he likes Breeze kitchen roll from Iceland .
It's really strong and he reuses them .

I find kitchen towel too rough for my delicate nose!

Tesco’s large size ate much cheaper than Kleenex and they are fine.

... or, as others have suggested, the very cheapest kitchen towels maybe?

Presto kitchen towels from am..on....
Really strong and soft.

I would look at bulk buying personally given that what you are looking for is "wet strength". This isn't something that brands brag about unfortunately.

We love the Aldi's own brand "balsam tissues" but sadly they have been out for stock for weeks at all our local Aldi stores.

mumofmadboys

Could he use an opaque sputum pot? Have it near him as much as possible, empty down loo regularly and wash out. No waste. Tissues handy when away from pot and out of house.

MOMB My grandfather had a simiar problem to Margot's husband, a legacy from being gassed in WW1 followed by bronchitis or pneumonia every winter from then to 1950. He used an empty Golden Syrup tin. When it was full, the lid was jammed firmly on and it went into the dustbin.

I used to buy tissues from Home Bargains. They were in a cube shaped box and usually round 64p per box, however they have not been in stock lately. I have rhinitis, and they were ideal for single use. Not sure how many were in the box, but the Kleenex that I bought as substitute latest the same length of time and were much more costly.

Could he use an opaque sputum pot? Have it near him as much as possible, empty down loo regularly and wash out. No waste. Tissues handy when away from pot and out of house.