1. < MAC & Bronchiectasis
Profile picture for mdf

Smart Vest and Airline travel

Posted by mdf @mdf, Jul 20, 2023

Has anyone traveled with the Smart Vest (or any of the vests) on an airline? Have you encountered any problems with it being considered medical equipment and not subject to charges as a carry on? I am getting ready to travel with mine and am trying to head off any problems. Any information or experiences would be helpful to know. Thank you.

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

Profile picture for lynkx
lynkx | @lynkx | Aug 20 11:24am

That’s great! Thank you!

REPLY
Profile picture for mffox
mffox | @mffox | Aug 20 6:56pm
In reply to @patti55 "@wangling Hi Ling, I am wondering if you can explain the afflovest and if it is..." + (show)
Profile picture for patti55 @patti55

@wangling
Hi Ling,
I am wondering if you can explain the afflovest and if it is the one most companies are using now. I am getting increased infections and harder to clear so my pulmonologist is ordering a vest for me to see if it can help. I am also on Brinsupri but still getting infections. If you can let me know if it is helpful in bringing up sputum then I can ask for that particular vest. Thanks very much for your help.
Patti55

Jump to this post

@patti55
In reply to your question about the Afflovest: I have been using one for 6 1/2 years. I had another vest for 12 years before that….. I’ve forgotten the name of it. It consisted of a bulky vest which connected to a large and very noisy compressor via tubes like those on a vacuum cleaner. The whole thing weighed 20 plus pounds. It was so loud one had to shout to be heard, and of course I had to sit still for 1 /2 an hour. Afflovest weighs about 10 lbs, the carrying case has wheels and fits in the overhead of a plane ( I fly delta). Afflovest makes an unobtrusive humming noise, I can easily walk around the house in it ( though at higher intensity I may get a little dizzy). I like the adjustable settings and feel it gives me a productive workout. It doesn’t trigger an immediate productive cough but I feel it gets things moving. I don’t know what else is on the market but would recommend you go to the medical supply place you are using and test drive whatever you’re considering. I giggled in glee when I first experienced the Afflo vibrations.

REPLY
Profile picture for lilianna
lilianna | @lilianna | Aug 21 8:25am
In reply to @wangling "@patti55 , I am sorry to hear about your infections. I have a smartvest and I..." + (show)
Profile picture for @ling @wangling

@patti55 , I am sorry to hear about your infections. I have a smartvest and I used it for about 6 months. I did not feel it helped me to bring up mucus, so I stopped it. Other people do find the vest helpful. I never stopped getting an infection for almost two years. Now I am doing well and only nebulize in the evenings and do autogenic drainage in the mornings. To me it was my eosinophilic asthma that was not controlled, even though my eosinophilic level is just a little elevated.
Do you have other conditions besides BE? To me I would try anything to stop the infection. To me, vests should work similar.
Hope you feel better.
Ling

Jump to this post

@wangling ling i wonder how you asthma is treated so it’s under control. Did it also help with mucus expectoration? I am about to start Dupixent and hope it makes me feel less fatigued than now I am. Thank you I am happy for you that asthma treatment solved a big problem

REPLY
1 reply
Profile picture for @ling
@ling | @wangling | Aug 21 1:37pm
In reply to @lilianna "@wangling ling i wonder how you asthma is treated so it’s under control. Did it also..." + (show)
Profile picture for lilianna @lilianna

@wangling ling i wonder how you asthma is treated so it’s under control. Did it also help with mucus expectoration? I am about to start Dupixent and hope it makes me feel less fatigued than now I am. Thank you I am happy for you that asthma treatment solved a big problem

Jump to this post

@lilianna, I take Nucala injection, started in Feb, once a month. Not sure how long I need to continue. Actually i helps. Now I can cough out mucus.

Ling

REPLY
Profile picture for lilianna
lilianna | @lilianna | Aug 21 3:44pm

I can only hope that Dupixent will help me remove some mucus- for now is heavy duty glue

REPLY
Profile picture for kcobb
kcobb | @kcobb | Aug 23 3:44pm

I received a roller bag from the company for my vest, I include a letter from my doctor saying that it is a needed piece of medical equipment and that it can’t be checked; I have never had to show the letter. The bag is also big enough to hold nebulizers.

Then I purchased a red medical equipment tag from Amazon. I also obtained a red tag from one of the airlines, and I just leave those tags on.

If it looks like there not might not be enough overhead bin space, I approach the desk early and tell them that I can’t check the equipment and could I board early? They always say yes, and then you can board when they let people with children and other people needing assistance board. I have since learned that I don’t even have to ask. I just walk up during that period. I am 76 and maybe that helps

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.