Ever set off a smoke alarm while doing treatments?

[keefer11]

If you haven't you should feel thankful. I'm on a WindStar Cruise ship right now and every time I do my nebulous we treatments I set off a smoke alarm. It is apparently a very sensitive smoke alarm and the captain claims there is nothing they can do to prevent it because it is hard wired into the boat system. It's electrically powered not battery powered. It's been a lot of fun. We tried putting a plastic bag over the alarm and a t-shirt, but nothing works. So now I'm stuck on a boat with my in-laws and I set off a smoke alarm every 5 minutes when doing my treatment. If anyone has any other ideas please let me know it kind of surprises me they have never ran into this issue before- I have become the pain in the ass passenger! Just needed to vent !

 

[SoyaSauce]

Hahah! Oh my, never heard of that one before! (NEB) I have been on cruise ships plenty of times, but never had that issue. My problem is always power cords, or trying to plug in without tripping and throwing myself overboard in the process because the rooms can be small. If your stateroom has a small balcony try do them outside, I have done that with my treatments, it is so refreshing with fresh cool sea air and at the same time relaxing while doing a treatment.

 

[mgl]

No balconies on wind star, they have tiny boats with sails. Coincidentally, we were supposed to be on a Lisbon to Barcelona cruise starting on the 15th, but unfortunately my partner is in the hospital so we won't be going. Which cruise are you on?

Perhaps you could ask the crew if there was somewhere else you could do your treatments?

we will keep this in mind if we go in the future!

thanks

 

[specialk]

I've never been on a cruise but have had plenty of experience setting off fire alarms. I have set them off in hotel rooms and my dorm room. Have you noticed a particular medicine setting it off? I do albuterol, saline, and amikacin but amikacin is the only one that ever sets it off. I've heard Tobi is known for setting them off also. The only solution i have found is basically turning off the A/C during my treatment, so there is no air circulating and the medicine just settles to the ground instead of being blown around the room. I'm not sure if this is possible for a cruise especially since the room is so small, but maybe it will give you other ideas. Good luck!

 

[stephen]

National Jewish recommended that I use a PARI Filter/Valve Set when nebulizing TOBI. It greatly reduces the amount of escaping, and exhaled, drug mist released into the air. I now use the filters for Cayston and Colistin too.

As most of you must realize, the drug residues are quite sticky. This is evident by touching the antibiotic residues remaining in the nebulizer - or by examining a filter pad after it is used. These residues in the escaping mist get deposited on the walls, ceiling, furniture, and floor. Eventually these surfaces will become sticky.

Since the PARI “one use” filters cost about $1 each, I rinse and reuse them many times. In addition to the filters, I exhale through my nose. This also reduces the amount of mist put into the air. I did this only after discussing it with my CF doctor, and the drug manufactures.

I’ve also found that the escaping Hypertonic Saline mist ends up depositing salt, visible as a fine power, on room surfaces. Therefore, I also exhale this through my nose and use a filter too.

There does not seem to be a problem with the Pulmozyme mist.