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

<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>

All the conversation of nebulizing and vests has been very helpful...Now I have some “meat on the bone” for discussion this week with my ID doctor. The cocktail of “3” is doing nothing for the discomfort in my lungs/chest that just refuses to go away. Again this variant of Lady Windermere Syndrome...no sputum...leaves me worried that the gunk is turning to cement down there. Thank you all for sharing.
Regina

<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>

I think that there was a discussion here about nebulizing with the Aerobika attached. I’ve tried both ways but wonder if there was ever a concensus about whether it is more effective to use them at the same time or better to use the Aerobika after the nebulizer. It’s definitely faster but not sure if it is better to clear lungs.
Thanks in advance for any comments.

Hi - when I do them together I cannot get a productive cough from the 7%. Only without vest or Aerobika can I get one good productive cough after nebulizing

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.

My Pulmologist is ordering me a vest, I’ve been diagnosed with IPF with extensive Bronchiostasis, but in the upper airway, I currently nebulize with albuterol twice a day, then use acupella device after nebulizer. It does get some mucus up but I feel some left that I wish would be thin enough to cough up. I also drink water and that helps also. Any thoughts or help would be appreciated.

If you can feel more mucus after you use the acapella, maybe a saline neb after the albuterol would be beneficial to help thin it further. Unless you have an infection, normal saline (.9%) solution should be ok. It comes in little vials like the albuterol, you would just put it in the cup when the albuterol is gone & use it the same way (no need to wash the neb cup first.)
I am not too familiar with IPF, so you should ask your lung doc whether it could help.
Have you tried saline before?
Sue

Yes I have, and sometimes I use that instead of the albuterol and yes it does thin it out pretty good, I worry about using the albuterol, being a bronchodilator it seems that would add to the problem the bronchodilating effect would further wear the elasticity of my upper airway.