Smartvest...Is it helpful in eliminating sputum?

Thanks @davis5663 for responding. Wow! Now that is a "limiting" timeframe. Good to know. Hope you can get the settings adjusted and are getting some results. I cranked mine up to 45% and 18 HZ and still nothing. I'm not sure I can go much higher in the settings. Still not sure if it should stay or go.

Are your CT scans showing any mucous plugs? Maybe you just don't have much mucous.

Hi Kate,
You sound just like me! I am thinking the very same thing about the vest. I neb with 7% every day and do the Aerobika simultaneously. That combo is quite effective in bringing up the gunk. But...the vest, which I use following my neb session brings absolutely nothing up! I keep thinking I should return it. But then I am apprehensive, thinking maybe, on some level it is helping and better to have than not. (?!) This is a dilemma I've been dealing with for quite a few months.

What is a mucus thinning prescription drug?

Returned the Smartvest after no results. I’m at 104 lbs I would have pain after using and coughed up blood

@davis5663 I'm not sure if the CT shows any plugs...I just thought perhaps if I had plugs the vest would shake them loose. Guess I am trying to convince myself that the vest is doing something positive for me. Before doing cipro and tobi for just 2 weeks I had a fair amount of mucous for many years. And right before doing the meds, I was swamped with mucous from the Pseudomonas. I'm just dumbfounded that 2 weeks on antibiotics can clear so much. I am waiting for the hammer to fall. I guess time will tell.

Thanks @reneemc. That sure is a good reason to return it!! Wow!

@equanimous Arlo...So funny. I have a similar thought process about the vest....that it is helping on some level that I am unaware of. And if I return it my health will suffer. Then I come up for air and think...this is crazy to sit and get pounded twice a day for absolutely nothing. I'm glad I asked for other experiences as it makes me feel a bit saner. I sort of think it will be going back. Thanks, Arlo!
Kate

I asked because I had a couple of mucus plugs on my last CT but I got a lot of mucus out the day after so they're probably gone. I also had pseudomonas last July. I was really sick with tons of mucus. Once I did the oral antibiotic and tobi, my mucus went way down. Now I have mucus once every week or so. The vest was causing my chest to be sore so I bought a small massager. My pulmonologist told my husband to use it on my back every morning followed with the cupping technique for about 5 minutes total. So we're trying that now instead of the vest

My Dr. wanted me to try a drug called Pulmozyme. It is only FDA approved for cystic fibrosis. Now I’ve been diagnosed with BE and pulmonary fibrosis, the BE bother me way more than the Pulmonary fibrosis. I nebulize albuterol, followed by pulmozyme, then 7% saline in a.m. in evening I nebulize albuterol, then 7% saline. NO PULMOZYME. My Dr. states because it’s to damn expensive. She was able to get me the medicine through the pharmaceutical company (Genentech). That seemed to work well for about the first month, but then the effectiveness seemed to fade some. Had to use the foundation because my primary (Medicare) & secondary (United Healthcare). Would not cover due to the fact I wasn’t diagnosed “Cystic Fibrosis” I had 3 Pulmonologists that wanted me to try it. 2- at Mayo Jax, and 1- at UVM (Vermont)