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Percussion Vest and Nebulizer: Do you use both, one or the other?

Posted by thumperguy @thumperguy, Dec 11, 2020

I'm under the impression that some participants on the forum inhale nebulized saline solution and some use a percussion vest, and some do both simultaneously. I've become curious as to whether the "Vest" actually adds significantly to the overall benefit of the treatment. My concern is that the vest may be exacerbating back woes. Maddeningly, some days I'm convinced it is; some days I think it's all in my head (i.e., "back in head" disease).

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thumperguy | @thumperguy | Dec 13, 2020
In reply to @pssurfer "I use my vest twice a day with 3% saline nebulized. The nebulizer is attached to..." + (show)
@pssurfer

I use my vest twice a day with 3% saline nebulized. The nebulizer is attached to my Aerobika (per instructons from my pulmonologist). This is working well for me except the vest vibration can upset my stomach if done too soon after eating. Depending on my schedule, I someitmes only do the Aereobika/nebulizer combo in the evening. I don't always get mucus up during the process. Sometimes both during and after, especially if I follow up by drinking water or some other hydrating drink. No back problems for me in this process; only stomach. I have had multiple PICC line and other treatments for my pseudomonas which still show as "heavy" in the sputum culture. Doctor says it is not an active infection. He says we're keeping the pseudonomas at bay, and that seems to be the goal. I am convinced that the system I am using with the vest, nebulizer, and Aerobika is what is keeping them at bay.

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Pssurfer, are you managing both MAC and Bronchiecstasis?

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thumperguy | @thumperguy | Dec 13, 2020
In reply to @pssurfer "I use my vest twice a day with 3% saline nebulized. The nebulizer is attached to..." + (show)
@pssurfer

I use my vest twice a day with 3% saline nebulized. The nebulizer is attached to my Aerobika (per instructons from my pulmonologist). This is working well for me except the vest vibration can upset my stomach if done too soon after eating. Depending on my schedule, I someitmes only do the Aereobika/nebulizer combo in the evening. I don't always get mucus up during the process. Sometimes both during and after, especially if I follow up by drinking water or some other hydrating drink. No back problems for me in this process; only stomach. I have had multiple PICC line and other treatments for my pseudomonas which still show as "heavy" in the sputum culture. Doctor says it is not an active infection. He says we're keeping the pseudonomas at bay, and that seems to be the goal. I am convinced that the system I am using with the vest, nebulizer, and Aerobika is what is keeping them at bay.

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Pssurfer, you likely know that several months past an item appeared on this forum including a research report the gist of which was 3% saline solution was just as effective as higher concentrations for our lung ailments. My subjective experience prompts me to say, BALDERDASH! The way 7% “caught” in my throat when I first inhaled it made a believer of me; this stuff is no downstream player. I’m convinced it’s kept exacerbations at bay for 15 months. Anecdotal evidence is often compelling.
And as understand it, only 7% has been shown to kill MAC.

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kathyhg | @kathyhg | Dec 13, 2020
In reply to @woot "No body jarring. It vibrates only my lungs. It’s a hand held device about the size..." + (show)
@woot

No body jarring. It vibrates only my lungs. It’s a hand held device about the size of a hair dryer, even looks kind of like one. (You’re not old enough to picture the old hoods ladies sat under in the salons, are you?😉) you plug it into a rechargeable box the size of two large decks of cards. You choose a tone pattern, put the mouthpiece in, hit go. It sends tones into your lungs that vibrate like a deep bass feels when it’s loud. I’m sitting at a table now, typing this with one hand, holding the Vibralungin my mouth with my other hand. Takes 10 minutes. Then I’ll do my nebulizing with 7% saline. I finally figured out how to attach my Aerobike to the nebulizer so now I get more lung vibration with that. NIH studies show results of Vibralung equal to vest. I’m sorry your back is hurting. Maybe this would help.

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Woot: I tried the Aerobika with the nebulizer today; it seems to require more effort to breath in as well as out. Is that your experience or am I doing it wrong?

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1 reply
woot | @woot | Dec 14, 2020

Kathy, I definitely have to push my breathing harder into the Aerobika attached to my nebulizer. I watched a YouTube use of Aerobika (there are several, I watched the shortest). I don’t do it properly for the whole 30 minutes it takes me to nebulize because inhaling, waiting 2-3 seconds then exhaling gets me too tired, but Dr. Daniels at the Bronch/Mac Clinic encouraged me to use them together with 7% saline and the VibraLung all aimed at getting the most mucus out of my lungs possible. She also found a way for me to try Pulmozyme, used by Cystic Fibrosis patients to thin their mucus. So I inhale that in the morning, (takes 12 minutes) then wait 30 to 60 minutes before I nebulize. Breakfast, read the paper, VibraLung, then neb. Anything to help keep me out of the hospital. Sometimes I resent all the time it takes before I can start my day, but then I remind myself “this IS your Job”.
Do it all again at 5:00 except the Pulmozyme only once a day.

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Mentor
Sue, Volunteer Mentor | @sueinmn | Dec 14, 2020
In reply to @kathyhg "Woot: I tried the Aerobika with the nebulizer today; it seems to require more effort to..." + (show)
@kathyhg

Woot: I tried the Aerobika with the nebulizer today; it seems to require more effort to breath in as well as out. Is that your experience or am I doing it wrong?

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Kathy - I believe you are right. I found using with the neb takes more effort. I turned the pressure required down on the Aerobika at first, but now have it in the middle. I think the extra effort is good lung exercise, though.
Sue

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kathyhg | @kathyhg | Dec 14, 2020

Thanks woot and Sue. I’m glad to hear it took more effort for you as well. I’ll look up those YouTube videos to see if I’m doing it properly and turn down the pressure on the Aerobika too. After my last appointment and discouraging results, I’m looking at more ways to enhance my airway clearance and this is something I’ve never tried before so maybe it will help me now. It definitely made me cough more than I usually do when I nebulizer in the evening so it clearly works!

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pssurfer | @pssurfer | Dec 14, 2020

To answer thumperguy's question, I am only managing bronchiectasis--no MAC. I asked the pulmonologist about the 7%. Even the 3% exacerbates my coughing. His view is that as long as the 3% brings up mucus, he'd prefer to stay at that level. BTW, he saw the low setting on my Aerobika and switched it to the max--no mid-range for me! I didn't mention in my earlier post that I also nebulize Perforomist twice daily--no albuterol. I have a rescue inhaler (Atrovent) and maybe use it once daily. Perforomist is a long-acting bronchodilator. It's expensive, but Medicare Part B covers it.

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2 replies
thumperguy | @thumperguy | Dec 14, 2020
In reply to @pssurfer "To answer thumperguy's question, I am only managing bronchiectasis--no MAC. I asked the pulmonologist about the..." + (show)
@pssurfer

To answer thumperguy's question, I am only managing bronchiectasis--no MAC. I asked the pulmonologist about the 7%. Even the 3% exacerbates my coughing. His view is that as long as the 3% brings up mucus, he'd prefer to stay at that level. BTW, he saw the low setting on my Aerobika and switched it to the max--no mid-range for me! I didn't mention in my earlier post that I also nebulize Perforomist twice daily--no albuterol. I have a rescue inhaler (Atrovent) and maybe use it once daily. Perforomist is a long-acting bronchodilator. It's expensive, but Medicare Part B covers it.

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Surfer, you said “ BTW, he saw the low setting on my Aerobika and switched it to the max–no mid-range for me!” I think that’s good. Despite an occasional concern about what “collateral mischief” it might be up to, I’ve run my Respirtech at full throttle from the beginning. Don

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ckscoville | @ckscoville | Jan 1, 2021

<p>I wear a (vibrating) SmartVest -- usually 3 times a day for 25 minutes each time -- while doing my nebulizer treatment with (first) albuterol and then either 3% or 7% saline. I've wondered however, about whether wearing the vibrating vest while using the nebulizer actually hinders me from breathing deeply with the nebulizer as I should be doing. Has anyone else dealt with this? Thanks....</p>

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9 replies
Moderator
Colleen Young, Connect Director | @colleenyoung | Jan 1, 2021
In reply to @ckscoville "I wear a (vibrating) SmartVest -- usually 3 times a day for 25 minutes each time..." + (show)
@ckscoville

<p>I wear a (vibrating) SmartVest -- usually 3 times a day for 25 minutes each time -- while doing my nebulizer treatment with (first) albuterol and then either 3% or 7% saline. I've wondered however, about whether wearing the vibrating vest while using the nebulizer actually hinders me from breathing deeply with the nebulizer as I should be doing. Has anyone else dealt with this? Thanks....</p>

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Good question, @ckscoville.

As you know, we have several discussions about percussion vests and nebulizing. Here's just a few recent ones:
- Percussion Vest and Nebulizer: Do you use both, one or the other? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/percussion-vestnebulizer/
- Percussion Vest, aka Thumper https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/percussion-vest-aka-thumper/
- Bedtime Blues https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/bedtime-blues/
- Vest before or after saline? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/vest-before-or-after-saline/
- Percussion Vests https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/percussion-vests/
- Percussion vest https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/percussion-vest/

It helps to have specific questions in the subject line/title. Would you mind if I changed the title of this discussion to "Do you use vibrating vest and nebulizer at same time?"

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