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Arikayce and airway clearance
This is a question for anyone who has used Arikayce. I'm just adding IV imipenem and inhaled Arikayce to clarithromycin and ethambutol (stopping the rifampin) to treat my combined MAC and abscessus. I'm trying to figure out how to fit all this into my day, along with enough nutrition and a daily walk for exercise. The IV will take about 2 hours twice a day, 12 hours apart, so it's kind of tricky. Is it a good idea to do the albuterol, saline neb, aerobika, arikayce all in one run, or is it better to separate the arikayce and do it at another time? Has anyone done the airway clearance and/or arikayce while the iv infusion is going through a picc line? I gues I worry about shaking it all up in there! Any tips for managing all this would be greatly appreciated!
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The ARIKAYCE came with a nebulizer - it is thick , sorta like skimmed milk.
https://www.webmd.com/drugs/2/drug-176191/arikayce-inhalation/details
Arikayce comes with its own specialized nubulizer. It’s a mesh one, so silent and relatively quick - 14 min per treatment once a day. You wash it with soapy water, rinse, and boil for 5 min in distilled water after each use. They send you a replacement mesh unit for each week and a replacement for the rest of the handheld parts each month.
Thanks marthamac.
Faye
How far apart are Nebulizing saline and Arikayce?
The Arikayce trainer told me to use the Arikayce immediately after the nebulizing.
When I added the Arikayce to my Azithromycin and Ethambutol meds, I was told to first use the Levalbuterol and then follow with the nebulizing saline, then the Aerobika, and finally the Arikayce, in that order. This is to help ensure that the airways are as clear as possible to receive the inhaled Arikayce. After this routine, I immediately take my oral meds and go to bed. This has worked well for me.
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1 ReactionMy pulmonologist recommended not having more than 30 minutes' time between when I nebulized my albuterol and did my Arikayce treatment. I do albuterol first, immediately followed by nebulizing saline inline with my Aerobika. I immediately do my clearance, then do my Arikayce. It's worked well for me. I only have another 11 days of treatment!
Best of luck in your treatment and hoping you get negative cultures quickly!
Laurel
I don’t think that I could do that all in 30 minutes. I have to wait 15 minutes after using the Levalbuterol before even nebulizing. Then I nebulize to the last drop before using the Aerobika. I guess just doing the Arikayce as soon as possible might be ok?
Ah, gotcha! My pulmonologist didn't tell me to wait more than five minutes between albuterol and nebulizing saline/Aerobika/vest (I do the Aerobika inline with the saline and wear the vest at the same time, all for 20 minutes).
But yes, I think in that situation, that's the best you can do. I didn't use a bronchodilator before the vest and Arikayce, and my pulmonologist and I have discussed me discontinuing it after I finish my medications in 10 days. (yay!) I will probably use it maybe 3 times a week with the vest, just to see if it makes much difference, though, and report back to him at my next visit.
Best of luck!
Laurel