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Do You Feel Your Vest Helps Or Not?
I was recently prescribed a vest about a month or so ago. It's a Hillrom Baxter vest and the respiratory therapist came out to show me how to use it. I've been using it every day now for two 20 minute sessions morning and night, however I haven't really felt any benefit. I nebulize with 7% saline first and am able to cough up some mucus during those sessions but then when I put the vest on afterward, it just oscillates away and nothing happens. No coughing, nothing. I continue to use it because I think maybe it's doing something but I just don't know.
Anyone else use a Hillrom Baxter vest and feel that it works and if so, any suggestions on maximizing effectiveness? My vest is set at 10. Maybe I need to up the setting?
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I've never had much luck with my vest either. I also nebulize with 7% saline first, and am able to cough up mucus during and afer those sessions. I would also be interested in knowing if the vests work more for people with CF, or if there is data and research stating they help bring up mucus with Non CF Bronchiectasis.
My vest (Afflovest) I thought was helpful but it gave me rib pain so I had to discontinue. From what I've read, percussive vests work best when used regularly, and over time they do help with loosening the mucus from the airways. It's another tool in the toolbox and by no means magic. It works better for some than it does others. If we take a multi-pronged approach to clearing our airways, I think that's when we get the best results.
As @mtyler points out, it's likely these vests were created for the CF community, and used a lot in children, where their lungs are young and pliable.
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1 Reaction@scoop Yes, I think they were created for the CF community as you and @mtyler mentioned. I was just wondering since I haven't had anything happen while using the vest or after, if there were any techniques to help it be more effective. I will continue with it because, as you said, it's another tool and hopefully it will help in the long run seeing that airway clearance is a forever thing.
@linda1334 I’ve had my afflo vest for over a year now, and although I am guilty of NOT using it on a regular basis, only when the mucus is thicker and harder to cough up, maybe during an exacerbation or infection. The only way it seems to work for me while using it is to incorporate postural drainage. I never experienced a good or great result, only minimal results but I guess I feel something is better than nothing. I’m totally convinced though through my experience that you have to lie down, to defeat the effects of gravity working against you. I also love what scoop mentioned, that it was generally made for CF patients, specifically children when their lungs are more pliable and younger. I also do a bronchodilator and 7% before I do the vest. I CANNOT see or understand the logic that you have to use steadily or repeatedly for awhile to see any effect. That makes no sense to me. If anyone can explain it to me please do, I’m all ears. Thank -you.
@spider109 Perhaps it prevents mucus from adhering to the walls and forming plugs if it's used regularly.
Just thinking. I don't have one.
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1 ReactionI have been using the smartvest for about a year. Everyone has a different experience cuz our BE and/,or MAC is different in severity, location in the lungs etc. what worked best for me after experimenting was nebulizing 7% saline at the same time, stopping the vest and doing huff coughing whenever i feel the need to cough -- which can vary a lot. I get up the most mucus this way. My doctors approved.
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1 Reaction@pacathy yes that could be possible, I truly didn’t think of it . Thank you for your input. I for my own sake will try to get ahold of The manufacturer to see what there reasoning is behind their previous statement of having to use regularly to see any effect.
I have been using a smartvest for a little over 2 months. I stopped for a few days, because I didn't feel it did anything. But I believe in the theory it has to do something whether we feel it or not, so I started it again.
Now I feel that sometimes, mucus comes up a little while I'm using it or after using it. I never have a lot of mucus in the first place.
The big difference I feel is that my airways are open enough so mucus comes up easier some days. Of course I am not sure if it is because of the vest or I just have better days. I mentioned it to my pulmonologist, but he didn't say anything about it.
For me I just want to take advantage of all the tools we have. I am not a fan of the vest, because it makes me feel silly to sit there with a big machine running. But I think the vest vibration goes deeper than aerobika, just maybe. I do use aerobika once a day, because I like it better.
When you said you set it to 10, is it pressure or frequency?
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Ling
@wangling Thanks for your response. I intend to keep using mine as well with the hope that it's doing something even over the long term if I don't feel immedate results. I think the setting of 10 is the pressure.
@lvnl Thanks for your response. I'm sure it does vary based on each individual's specific condition as you mentioned. Thanks for sharing how you use your vest.