Anyone use Control III with Pari eRapid nebulizer? Does it kill NTM?

@avalr What is Control III?f

This is where the PARI E rapid gets complicated. Because of the mesh component, it requires distilled water for sterilization.

Regarding Control III, from my reading, there is no evidence that it kills NTM. It’s meant for more ordinary disinfection. For sterilization for the erapid you’re stuck with boiling or baby bottle sterilizer.

Some creative person on the NTM info.org website actually packed distilled water for a trip. They described specialized containers, which now I don’t remember the details about. Distilled water might not be as scarce as you are thinking. Would it be possible to say more about where you are going and how you are traveling? It might help with brainstorming.

I suspect PARI does not endorse baby bottle sterilizers overtly due to concerns over liability. I’ve used a baby bottle sterilizer with distilled water on my PARI E rapid for over three years. So far so good.

@sueinmn I'd never heard of Control III until I read the cleaning section of the Pari eRapid either. It's a "hospital grade disinfectant" Here's a link to a PDF I just found a little while ago: https://bio-medical.com/media/support/control_iii_disinfectant_faq.pdf It looks like there is a "Control III Elite" which will kill tuberculosis - but as we know, NTM isn't the same thing as tuberculosis.
@scoop We are headed on a cruise with Holland America next month. From what I've found online, they do have distilled water available for medical equipment for purchase. The cleaning instructions on the Pari eRapid though call for boiling in a pot for 5 minutes in distilled water which I don't think would be possible as the cruise line (and I think most cruise lines) don't allow tea kettles/cooking equipment in the rooms. I could take the baby bottle sterilizer, but it takes up a lot of space (even without the tall part for bottles) we are planning on flying backpack/carry on only. Not sure if Holland America would allow the sterilizer either. I know the airlines won't count the medical equipment as baggage, but it's a matter of not wanting to haul the bb sterilizer around before the cruise when we will be sightseeing in the city we fly into for a few days. We'll be gone a total of 12 days. I may just "chance" it and only use soapy distilled water to clean the equipment while we are gone, getting back into the cleaning and sterilization routine when we return home. I figure it's better to nebulize and take a chance than not nebulize. If I don't nebulize and do airway clearance - I cough at night. I could just do prone airway clearance with breathing techniques, but it's not nearly as effective as nebulizing beforehand.
Any brainstorming ideas are appreciated!

I was supplied the Pari with my Arikayce prescription and was instructed to boil for 5 minutes to disinfect. About a year ago, I purchased a baby bottle sterilizer and started using that instead and I've had no problem.

@avalr
How about asking for a kettle along with distilled water? They are in the hospitality business after all. If you decide to risk it and not sterilize, bring along compressed sterile saline, usually used for nasal rinses. You can at least rinse the nebulizer in sterile water. It might give you some modicum of comfort. If you decide to pursue Control III I guess it’s better than nothing but not sure you can carry that on. Have a great trip.

Ps - please let us know what you end up doing as you are not alone with this conundrum!

@scoop it never hurts to ask! I will ask for both a kettle and distilled water (and explain why they are needed). I think the hotels/rentals we are staying at before and after the trip have kettles. Europeans love their tea (and so do I)! So that shouldn't be a problem before and after sailing. If the cruise line says they can't provide a kettle and distilled water, I think I will buy some Control III in an 8oz bottle, and carry only the amount I will need for the week - leaving the remainder at home in another sterile bottle. It'll be smaller than bringing the baby bottle sterilizer. We are flying United and don't think there will be any problem carrying liquids over the limit for medical purposes. The Pari eRapid instructions call for only 1/2 tablespoon of Control III per quart of water after each nebulizing. I've searched over the last day for Control III Elite - thinking that if it kills tuberculosis, it's probably a better choice than the Control III, but I've had no luck finding a supplier. The standard Control III is available on Amazon. I'll keep everyone posted on what the cruise line says and what I end up doing.

@avalr Anita, how was the cruise? How did you sterilize your Pari E Rapid nebulizer? I have two nebulizers. The first, a Sunset, came with insurance. The mouthpiece was horrible so I bought a Aeroeclipse XL nebulizer and that was better, using it both with and with-out breath actuated. Then I bought a Monaghan Ombra Compressor to use with the Aeroeclipse and Aerobika. When I nebulize I have a noise cancelling headset on.

Today I sprung for a PARI eRapid Nebulizer as I am spending too much time nebulizing (Albuterol & 7% saline). Sale on eRapid and then 25% off. Up to this point I have been using Medela microwave bags to sterilize, even at home.

Now I am looking at sterilization for the eRapid for home and travel. I had looked at Control III for travel, but with bronchiectasis and NTM (MAB) that won't work.

Momcozy Bottle Sterilizer and Dryer, Modular Nesting Space Saving Design with only using/taking the accessory portion when traveling but won't be able to use this internationally OR Drizzle Foldable Electric Cooker, which has been referenced on this site OR some other type 120/240 kettle.

Any suggestions, would be welcomed. Thank you.

The cruise was fantastic, thanks. And congrats on springing for the PARI eRapid Nebulizer. I've been very happy with mine. It takes me a fraction of the time to nebulize now and its SILENT. The other machine I had was SO noisy! I chose to use the Control III for the duration of the cruise - even though it is not proven to kill NTM (I have bronchiectasis and NTM). I decided to just "take my chances" for 7 days and decided nebulizing with a bit of risk would be better than not nebulizing. I use a baby bottle sterilizer at home but it takes up way to much room to travel with (even with a space saving design) The cruise will not allow any tea kettles/cooking equipment on board, nor do they have microwaves for passengers to use either in their rooms or at the buffet/self serve area. I asked about kettles in the room and they don't allow that either. I did purchase, on board, a gallon of distilled water, but I'm not sure that helped as distilled water is not sterile water. Something I discovered when baby sitting my grandbaby after returning home, is a baby bottle warmer. It has a sterilization mode on it. It will only sterilize an ounce at a time though - so I'm not sure how helpful that would be (tedious to get enough sterile water to be worth using). It is battery powered though, so likely the cruise ships would allow it. An interesting thing I learned while listening to a "how the ship runs" talk on the last sea day is that the Holland America line (and I'm guessing all ships) make their fresh water from sea water while they are sailing. So it is only the pipes in the ship that are of concern. After a bit of research on Google here is what Google AI came back with: "How Cruise Lines Mitigate the Risk: To comply with global health regulations, such as the CDC Vessel Sanitation Program (VSP), cruise operators implement strict water management plans: Regular Pipe Flushing: Crew members routinely flush stagnant water outlets and low-use lines to break up biofilms and keep water moving.Elevated Thermal Eradication: Periodically raising water heater temperatures well above 55°C (131°F) helps significantly reduce NTM numbers. Advanced HVAC & Spa Maintenance: Deep cleaning and disinfecting air handling units, condensate pans, and whirlpool filters prevent the bacteria from colonizing areas where mist is generated. Targeted Microbe Testing: Comprehensive water testing regimes increasingly check for specialized environmental pathogens like NTM and Legionella rather than relying only on standard coliform testing." So I guess it comes down to your comfort level of risk for the time you are traveling. I am in the "watch and wait" phase of NTM and bronchiectasis. My condition is stable and I have an active life. As long as I nebulize and do airway clearance, I feel quite good and sleep well (don't cough at night). If my condition were worse, or I was on "the big three" I might choose to figure something else out for cleaning equipment.