Vibrating vests

Do you have any advice on convincing your doc to prescribe a vest? I know there are criteria that have to be met for Medicare. And then there is the hurdle of convincing the doc. I'm currently using a gun type handheld vibrator to assist with getting up plugs but as you can imagine this is difficult at best and cannot reach all areas needed. I apparently tend to form a lot of plugs which are a lot of work to get out.

I suggest calling SmartVest customer service. They will give you all the information on the criteria and other concerns.

Doctors who order vests regularly know how to fill out the forms so that their patients qualify. I had my vest within a week.

There are also other vest companies out there that you might want to contact.

Don’t give up. My vest helped me get rid of a MAC infection.

Best,
Linda Esposito

I forgot to mention if you have a deductible with your health insurance, you might want to act sooner rather than later. These vests cost about $18,000. I have a PPO Medicare plan so I had to pay 20%. People with traditional supplemental Medicare insurance often don’t have any out-of-pocket costs. Linda

I am Wondering about the advisability of using a vest with a very small frame.

Children with Cystic Fibrosis use them. Perhaps a child size would work for you?

Thanks

Many of us with bronchiectasis and NTM lung disease have small frames. Any question you have about contraindications can be addressed by the customer service department at the vest company and your medical team. Also, you always have the option of starting at a low setting and perhaps working your way up over time.

I started using my vest years ago at a low setting. I have increased it over time, but not as much as some people. I was told by an experienced respiratory therapist that many older women with small frames do fine with settings following the Minnesota protocol. The protocol settings were just too much for me and I stayed with my lower settings. I think my vest helped me clear an infection so I’m committed to it. It’s a powerful tool in my bronchiectasis tool kit!

If you are thinking about a vest and you’ve already satisfied your deductible for the year, you might want to see if you can get one ordered sooner rather than later. Some insurances will cover it in full, however, I have a Medicare PPO plan and I was responsible for 20% which I paid over 15 months.

Warm regards,
Linda Esposito

That info was helpful! I saw the checklist form the company uses online. It's not that hard to fill in check boxes! I don't know why docs act like it's coming out of their pocket! I know in my case my scans don't present that a bad picture to them, but if they were the ones getting up the amount of mucous plugs I get up they would be using a vest themselves instead of struggling with a hand held vibrator twice a day every day!

I hear you! Most of the time it shouldn’t be an issue. The ones who think it’s an issue are the ones who haven’t done it very often. So why don’t they get it started by ordering your vest!! With that said, I know at places like Kaiser Permanente it’s extremely difficult to get a vest. Not impossible… but difficult.

I am able to bring up the mucus with the acapella but my doctor wanted to try me on a vest. I tried an Afflovest but it resulted in my having neck and back pain. I changed to a Smartvest and now I am developing back pain. Does anyone have any tips?