Power Huffing With The Vest

[CowTown]

I'm wondering what it is that some of you have mentioned doing while using the vest. I use albuterol and Pulmozyme during the vest, and once those are finished sometimes I wonder if anything is really happening. Some of you do a 'power huffing' thing? What is that? What else should I be doing instead of just sitting there?

Last night after the albuterol was done (I'm out of Pulmozyme right now) so I had about 50 minutes worth of time just sitting there while the vest was going. It's so dry where I am that I wonder if it even did any good. I could hardly cough up any stuff b/c I'm most productive in the mornings.

And, is it true, eventhough you may not get a lot of junk up and out that it's still very beneficial?

I was thinking about buying a humidifier, does anyone use one? I will hopefully get on the hypertonic saline after I see my doct April 3.

Any hints to making my vest treatments more successful, please share. Thanks!

 

[jfarel]

I've had the same problem. The doctor told me to use it anyway
because they know it moves the secretions around inside our lungs.
You won't have to worry when you get the hypertonic saline.

 

[EnergyGal]

These are the things that I did. I got myself a thigh master and a butt master lol by susanne somers. They sell these on the internet or at sports authority

These are good to use while you are huffing. What happens while using one of these devices it helps to support your breath hold. So when you are inhaling you can hold on longer with these devices and then huff while you are holding your breath.

Take in a slow deep breath and hold and as you are holding huff out a little. So you are vibrating your airways while they are opened up to the max. Sometimes if you huff out hard you can collapse your airways making you feel tighter. I guess it depends on your airways to begin with.

I think what I am describing is similar to active cycle breathing.

While doing the vest treatment, huffing with the thigh master and butt thingy you will be really working your chest muscles and arms.

I did this while I was waiting for my first transplant and my chest was so strong I popped off the respirator in eight hours.

Strong intracostal muscles are very good to have. Of course weight training is good but when you are huffing while doing the vest these extra devices really help.

Someone mentioned an inspiratory muscle trainer and I am not sure how that would work but I am sure it would be ok for some patients. Everything depends on what you can handle.

I use to place one hand on one lobe and the other hand on my back lobe opposite to the front lobe. When I would exhale, I would compress my chest and out came some stuff.

I think after a while using the vest your body gets use to it and your chest will say, "I need some more assistance"

 

[anonymous]

Hypertonic Saline!!! While you wait for your appt. I'd recommend just running some normal saline in your neb while doing the vest to help add some moisture.

 

[CowTown]

Thanks for the feedback. Can you pick up regular saline from the drugstore? I don't have and don't know if I have to wait to get it through my doc or not.

Risa, those are great ideas about excercising while doing the vest. What a work out.

What is it about hypertonic that is getting so many results? I wonder.