Percussion Vests: Are you using one? Is it working for you?

Posted by thumperguy @thumperguy, Jan 1, 2020

Anyone willing to guess how many “regulars” on this forum use a vest?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the MAC & Bronchiectasis Support Group.

Curious how much time everyone spends on the VEST daily? I do 20 to 30 minutes 2x daily and use the Aerobika and neb Saline at the same time.

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@pop55

Curious how much time everyone spends on the VEST daily? I do 20 to 30 minutes 2x daily and use the Aerobika and neb Saline at the same time.

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Glad to have seen this thread. My vest is vinyl so it does not seem to get dirty. I hang it on a hanger between treatments. I use it twice daily mostly. Sometimes just once but was instructed for twice daily used by my pulmonologist. Also nebulize with 7% saline at the same time. That seems to have kept my lungs healthy for 2 yrs now.

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I was told to use mine 30 min 2 times a day, but an unable to be sure it makes me hurt. (left Arm out and pace maker site .. I have tried lowering the settings and that does not work either. I have a wrap but that is too wide and it is made for compressor to be lower than 4he body.. My introduction to best and compressor were by zoom. I am going to try to get more training. I also can not be wild using the vest because the vibrations make breathing in too difficult. Is anyone else having problems with using the vest?

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Sorry. I typed on my phone. Makes my left arm pit and pace maker site sore
I am using sponge .
Can not use while neb because hard to breath

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I spend 15. Min. Twice a Day plus Albuterol twice a day and sympicort sprays twice a day. It seems to be keeping me stable

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@rits

I have a smartvest and it uses velcro. The velcro is pretty strong and I'm a weakling but I can pull it open. When I first started using it last year, I was getting muscle pains along my sides and back. I was able to reset the thumping (really like that word, Thumper) to a weaker strength and speed. I do the aerobika during the rest periods in my program and 3% saline at the end. The neb cup fits into the aerobika and supposedly one can do all 3 - vest, aerobika and saline - at the same time but my lungs won't let me do it that way. I can watch tv with the vest but I can't read because the words jump around.

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Some time ago I decided the vest (aka, Thumper) didn’t add noticeably to the benefit delivered of nebulized 7% saline singing solo.

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@raney

I was told to use mine 30 min 2 times a day, but an unable to be sure it makes me hurt. (left Arm out and pace maker site .. I have tried lowering the settings and that does not work either. I have a wrap but that is too wide and it is made for compressor to be lower than 4he body.. My introduction to best and compressor were by zoom. I am going to try to get more training. I also can not be wild using the vest because the vibrations make breathing in too difficult. Is anyone else having problems with using the vest?

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Raney, didn’t have “problems.” Just became dubious about the about the necessity of the “Thumper.” So mothballed the contraption while continuing to nebulize 7% saline solution twice daily. Result: No Prob! Been “flare-up free for quite some time now.
Biggest problem: the nebbing schedule keeps me on a pretty short leash. Even though I’m a superannuated geezer I’m sure I could still get in some fun mischief if I didn’t perforce spend so much time waging war on mucus (ugh). BTW/despite my indebtedness to the “thumper” for furnishing the “germ” which grew to become my “Mayo Connect” Thumperguy I.D. the machine became unnecessary after discovering the percussion vest seemed to add nothing to the
results I got from nebulizing only. Don.

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@raney

I was told to use mine 30 min 2 times a day, but an unable to be sure it makes me hurt. (left Arm out and pace maker site .. I have tried lowering the settings and that does not work either. I have a wrap but that is too wide and it is made for compressor to be lower than 4he body.. My introduction to best and compressor were by zoom. I am going to try to get more training. I also can not be wild using the vest because the vibrations make breathing in too difficult. Is anyone else having problems with using the vest?

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I used the compression vest for about six months. As time went on I had increased chest pain, front and back, both sides. I was using it 20 minutes 2x daily. I stopped with the vest and the pain is returned to the intermittent pain I have had since diagnosis. I use the albuterol before I use the Nebulizer . Then I use Aerobika attached to the nebulizer (with 7%saline) and for the first time I am now able to get some sputum up. A huge difference for me.

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To quote you bnthorson, “A huge difference for me.” And in the right direction no less! Guess you could ask for more but probably best to not appear greedy; take whatcha got and run like a thief. Grins, Don

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@bnthorson

I used the compression vest for about six months. As time went on I had increased chest pain, front and back, both sides. I was using it 20 minutes 2x daily. I stopped with the vest and the pain is returned to the intermittent pain I have had since diagnosis. I use the albuterol before I use the Nebulizer . Then I use Aerobika attached to the nebulizer (with 7%saline) and for the first time I am now able to get some sputum up. A huge difference for me.

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I have about determined that the SmartVest is too much for my condition. I have osteoarthritis (thorasic and Lumbar) and pacemaker. It causes too much soreness.

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