Can you use a percussion vest with brittle bones & spine issues?

Posted by Melissa Nelson @melissa08, May 12, 2022

Somewhere in this discussion group I saw a reference to using a vest as part of the breathing protocols for MAC treatment. Vest usage has been suggested by my husband Bruce's pulmonologist, however there are concerns over its efficacy given his physical limitations.
He has severe curvature of the spine due to both scoliosis and spinal stenosis. His bones are very brittle and fragile in the back and rib areas, with a history of multiple bone breaks and fractures.
With those physical restrictions, and his pain levels from the spinal stenosis, Bruce has been more than a little leary about attempting the use of the vest. Are others' experiences more promising?

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thumperguy | @thumperguy | May 16, 2022

Melissa, I own, but no longer use a percussion vest. Like your husband I have some back vulneriblilities which I suspected might have been exacerbated by the vest. Though I never became entirely convinced that the vest was the culprit I ”retired it anyway since, over time, I concluded that not the vest, but the nebullized 7% saline solution was due credit for whatever improvement I enjoyed. And I did improve as measured by the total disappearance of acute (febrile) exacerbations. (aka, feeling unmistakably ill)

My experience is similar to that of many of you who are reading this, in that practically all of what I’ve learned that has been useful in managing Mac/Bronch has been gained right here on this forum.
My first Pulmonologist was a relaxed, likable guy who arranged for me to get a percussion vest and a nebulizer compliments of Medicare. He Rx’d. 0.09% saline to be delivered via the Nebulizer. Pretty impressive had there not been a fly in the ointment: I continued to have acute exacerbations.
The pulmo moved away. I began to see his older office colleague and continued to have periodic flare ups until good fortune came a callin’.
I learned (on this Forum) that saline is also available in stronger concentrations.
My (sleepy) Pulmo (bless his heart) had no objection to me switching to the stronger product which I accomplished forthwith. Well who would’ve guessed? It was bye bye exacerbations.
Eventually I began to suspect that it was the higher concentration saline that resulted in the improvement. So now poor ole Thumper spends lonely days closeted with Christmas decorations
as he smells increasingly like mothballs.