Wednesday’s HBOT session was a bit of a squeeze, fitting it in amidst the hustle and bustle of Just Breathe O2’s schedule. It was a shorter one than Tuesday’s, but after the rather dramatic 24 hours that followed session two – and the sheer volume of green phlegm that made an unwelcome appearance – I was still hopeful for some positive impact.

Tuesday night had been frustratingly restless, punctuated by that irritating tickly cough that kept pulling me from sleep. So, by Wednesday morning, I wasn’t exactly bouncing with energy. However, the 6 am dog plod, a routine I often begrudge, did its job in waking me up and, yes, brought up some green phlegm. Thankfully, it wasn’t the same copious, sticky amount as before.

I really looked forward to my Wednesday HBOT session, hoping for that familiar boost it often provides, and it didn’t disappoint. It gave me enough energy to even manage a short run in the surprisingly hot but beautiful sunshine after work. Post-run, there was a little more greenish phlegm (definitely a lighter shade this time), but that was it for the evening. Bedtime brought the familiar tickle, but an extra pillow seemed to do the trick, and I finally enjoyed a solid night’s sleep – a real win!

Thursday morning’s brief exercise routine brought up phlegm again, but the colour continues to lighten. Throughout the day, I’ve experienced occasional hoarseness and the need to cough to clear my throat, but amazingly, the phlegm has mostly been clear with just the odd speck of green or yellow. A definite improvement from the vibrant hues of earlier in the week.

Unfortunately, I won’t be able to fit in another HBOT session until Saturday, as I have a trip north planned. It will be interesting to see how the next couple of days unfold without the regular oxygen boost.

My thoughts on all of this remain a mixed bag. I did contact my GP to see if further investigation into this persistent cough is possible, but the next available routine appointment is three weeks away. It’s now a case of phoning in the mornings to snag a cancellation, which is tricky given my need to be at Just Breathe O2 during opening hours.

The questions continue to swirl: could this have been an infection my body is slowly fighting off? Is my immune system in overdrive? Or is it something more concerning? Ten weeks of a productive cough, with eight of those bringing up green phlegm, certainly doesn’t feel normal.

The brief respite the steroids offered, that one day where I felt like “me” again, was significant. And in all honesty, despite the phlegm rollercoaster, I’ve had more sustained energy this week overall with the HBOT sessions than I did last week on the steroids.

I always emphasise that HBOT isn’t a magic cure, so I’m not expecting it to rid me of whatever this is entirely. However, I am genuinely interested to see if these slight, but now noticeably improving, benefits continue, especially as I head into the weekend. I have a wine tasting planned and a long-awaited catch-up with my sister up north, which will inevitably involve a glass or three of something delicious. I do have some concerns that alcohol might set me back, as I’ve been consciously cautious with my intake over the past few weeks.

So, the experiment continues! Will the benefits of HBOT sustain me through a weekend of travel and potential indulgence? Stay tuned for the next update early next week!