Aerobika
- Thread starter Rebjane
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Our CF Clinic received a grant to buy one for every patient and they distributed them free of charge. They are interesting little tools. My 11 year old was trained in its use and used it several times - he is ADHD and sensitive to many things. He found it "disconcerting" - because it worked well! He said his chest felt so odd he could feel it working deep down which frightened him a bit. I haven't pushed him on it, especially since he is still supposed to do vest therapy and we're almost religious about that. I keep reintroducing it to him though, since I think it operates at a whole new level - and a good one at that. Unfortunately it has to be sterilized every day - which is a nuisance I admit. I solved the sterilization problem with the nebulizers by buying a stack of them every six months so I only have to sterilize in batches every other day or so. I have 8 to 10 of them at any one time. But the Aerobika is not cheap enough for that - we have one and only one and if I don't get to sterilize it that day, I don't let him use it. The RT did suggest that the best method to sterilize it is by using a baby bottle sterilizer. And that is much easier, but like the nebulizers, they need to be washed out with soap and water before it's sterilized. In short, I would definitely recommend it. But it is another tool that needs daily babying. Just so you're forewarned! Blessings
Good point prabincr! In CF, airway clearance is a necessary fact of life. It is simply a way to help clear the lungs of the sticky mucous that plagues the CF lungs and causes damage and potential decline. There are several different methods that can be used. CFF.org has a nice concise listing https://www.cff.org/Living-with-CF/Treatments-and-Therapies/Airway-Clearance/ For example, you may be familiar with CPT (Chest Percussion Therapy) which generally involves clapping or vibrating a CFer's chest wall to clear the lungs and loosen the mucous. Another popular method is generally referred to as "vesting." More formally, vesting is High Frequency Chest Wall Oscillation (HFCWO) which is a mouthful. I call it "vesting." It involves wearing an inflatable vest, powered by a compressor that vibrates air into the vest to vibrate against the chest and loosen the mucous. Another popular method - and much more portable - is PEP, Positive Expiratory Pressure. PEP devices are usually small and basically help get air behind the mucous in the lungs. They are particularly good for travel since they are so portable. There are many PEP devices, such as Flutter and Acapella, although they all use a little different method to accomplish the same purpose. Aerobika is a fairly new PEP type device. It actually calls itself an "Oscillating" PEP. I can understand why given my son's description of the sensation - he can feel the vibration from INSIDE his lungs rather than from the vest which vibrates on the outside of his chest. You can read more about it here: https://www.monaghanmed.com/Aerobika-OPEP I've just listed three of the common airway clearance methods - there are several more. Aerobika is probably the newest one. I hope this helps!
Blessings
Blessings
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Gammaw, Thank you for the great info. In terms of cleaning the aerobika; do you clean it once a day or after every use? My daughter does 8 breathing treatments a day. Do you use it with every medication? Or are some not recommended? I boil her nebs every night in one big batch. She has used the flutter and does not like it. Maybe it gives the aerobika gives a similar sensation as that in the lungs?
We clean the Aerobika once a day - not after every treatment. First you take it apart and put it in soapy water and let it sit for 15 minutes. Then rinse it and then sterilize it. We use a Wabi baby bottle sterilizer.
Weve never tried a Flutter so I can't compare the sensation for you. BUT I have noticed that the Aerobika has a dial to adjust the strength of the pressure involved. I haven't noticed a similar mechanism on the other devices. Perhaps someone who has experienced both devices can help us out here and tell us how they compare.
I would also suggest you talk to your pulmo or RT about it, including which settings may be appropriate. Finally, my guy dies 4 Nebulizers a day. We do Aerobika after each series - so twice a day. I hope this helps!
Weve never tried a Flutter so I can't compare the sensation for you. BUT I have noticed that the Aerobika has a dial to adjust the strength of the pressure involved. I haven't noticed a similar mechanism on the other devices. Perhaps someone who has experienced both devices can help us out here and tell us how they compare.
I would also suggest you talk to your pulmo or RT about it, including which settings may be appropriate. Finally, my guy dies 4 Nebulizers a day. We do Aerobika after each series - so twice a day. I hope this helps!
Mom2two. I don't honestly know the answer but I suggest you first of all talk with your RT. But let me ask you this. If you do any airway clearance, doesn't it make sense that PEP would be helpful too? I mean, it sounds like you're saying that if lung function is low, then air clearance of any kind would be useless or unhelpful. I don't know that to be true. And remember, we do OPEP IN ADDITION to vesting. I wouldn't suggest you trade one for the other unless instructed by your doc.
In addition you might be interested in an article I found on Google scholar comparing Aerobika and Acapella which seems to suggest Aerobika is more effective. http://www.atsjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1164/ajrccm-conference.2014.189.1_MeetingAbstracts.A3036
A shortcut might be to contact Aerobika and any other manufacturer to request copies of studies regarding its effectiveness. I also suggest that there are so many variables among CFers that a trial with your docs approval is likely the only certain test.
In addition you might be interested in an article I found on Google scholar comparing Aerobika and Acapella which seems to suggest Aerobika is more effective. http://www.atsjournals.org/doi/abs/10.1164/ajrccm-conference.2014.189.1_MeetingAbstracts.A3036
A shortcut might be to contact Aerobika and any other manufacturer to request copies of studies regarding its effectiveness. I also suggest that there are so many variables among CFers that a trial with your docs approval is likely the only certain test.
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Hello and Happy 2017!
I recently purchased an Aerobika for my daughter. She also has the Vest and an Acapella. I noticed that recently Victoria wasn't using her Vest as much so I wanted to find another CPT option. What I love about the Aerobika is that we can use it during her albuterol treatment with the Pari or the one their company sells which fits beautifully. However, she said it doesn't vibrate her lungs as much as the Acapella does. She has both devices on the highest settings. I use the baby bottle sterilizer for it--it's a little bulky but I think it's a nice option.
My daughter recently had a port placed, and she would NOT use the vest after it was placed because it was tender and has the needle in it (she has been on IV at home for over a month) so we really needed a more internal vs. external method for her while she recovered. Victoria also has a G-tube so I'm interested in these "inside out" methods over the "outside in" ones. I am working with my insurance company now to get her a VibraLung to try. Exercise is another winner for her, but she has been super sick since October so she hasn't been doing that as much as she typically does.
For the port folks--do you use the vest with it while it's accessed? After recovery from initial placement did the vest feel fine to you? I'm curious if this is a fear thing or an actual pain issue for my daughter. Thanks for reading.
Michelle
I recently purchased an Aerobika for my daughter. She also has the Vest and an Acapella. I noticed that recently Victoria wasn't using her Vest as much so I wanted to find another CPT option. What I love about the Aerobika is that we can use it during her albuterol treatment with the Pari or the one their company sells which fits beautifully. However, she said it doesn't vibrate her lungs as much as the Acapella does. She has both devices on the highest settings. I use the baby bottle sterilizer for it--it's a little bulky but I think it's a nice option.
My daughter recently had a port placed, and she would NOT use the vest after it was placed because it was tender and has the needle in it (she has been on IV at home for over a month) so we really needed a more internal vs. external method for her while she recovered. Victoria also has a G-tube so I'm interested in these "inside out" methods over the "outside in" ones. I am working with my insurance company now to get her a VibraLung to try. Exercise is another winner for her, but she has been super sick since October so she hasn't been doing that as much as she typically does.
For the port folks--do you use the vest with it while it's accessed? After recovery from initial placement did the vest feel fine to you? I'm curious if this is a fear thing or an actual pain issue for my daughter. Thanks for reading.
Michelle
ToriMom - I have noticed that the Aerobika is often pictured as an intermediary between a nebulizer compressor and cup. I'm not sure how this works, since we haven't been instructed to try that, even though my guy nebulizes Xopenex (similar to Albuterol) during vesting and Tobi after vesting. Perhaps you can explain how you do that? I'm assuming she doesn't vest while combining them? That the Acapella/Aerobika is the substitute for vesting while nebulizing? And I also gather that the Acapella cannot be used while nebulizing - that you have to do one then the other, whereas the Aerobika seems to have an option to connect to the nebulizer to do them simultaneously. Thanks for your info!
Blessings
Blessings
Hi Gammaw!
I am going to provide a link where you can watch the Aerobika being used with or without the neb attached. It explains it with the nebulizer attached about halfway through the video. They also show it with "their" neb cup and compressor. I have used the regular Pari ones with it--although I also have the Eclipse one shown--and I love it. I only have one neb and one Aerobika though. If you wish to re-use the set more than once then I noticed an issue because once the medicine is through the PEP device it will get too sticky for the mechanics to work for later. I tried it, and it didn't work for me more than once. If you use it alone, then it CAN be reused throughout the day.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iy2oYadhF9Q
I don't use it for her with the vest. We use either one but not both. I think I have read that it's possible to use them together--Vest and neb and Aerobika but I personally don't do that. If we use the Aerobika in the morning then it's soaked in the soapy water after that, and we then use another method (vest/acapella/manual) the next treatment. I don't think its possible to use the Acapella with a neb, but I could be wrong. I hope this answers a couple of your questions.
Hugs,
Michelle
I am going to provide a link where you can watch the Aerobika being used with or without the neb attached. It explains it with the nebulizer attached about halfway through the video. They also show it with "their" neb cup and compressor. I have used the regular Pari ones with it--although I also have the Eclipse one shown--and I love it. I only have one neb and one Aerobika though. If you wish to re-use the set more than once then I noticed an issue because once the medicine is through the PEP device it will get too sticky for the mechanics to work for later. I tried it, and it didn't work for me more than once. If you use it alone, then it CAN be reused throughout the day.
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=iy2oYadhF9Q
I don't use it for her with the vest. We use either one but not both. I think I have read that it's possible to use them together--Vest and neb and Aerobika but I personally don't do that. If we use the Aerobika in the morning then it's soaked in the soapy water after that, and we then use another method (vest/acapella/manual) the next treatment. I don't think its possible to use the Acapella with a neb, but I could be wrong. I hope this answers a couple of your questions.
Hugs,
Michelle
Thanks for the link. That helped a lot. I'm not sure why you would use the Aerobika with the nebulizer except for decrease in treatment time? Do you know if it's supposed to increase effectiveness in some way to use them together? We're suppose to use the vest with nebulized xopenex at the same time, so that's 30 minutes, then use the Aerobika, which is 20 minutes or so, along with huff coughing. That's three methods of clearance in each session which, without TOBI, is 50 minutes minimum, twice a day, minimum. I'm not complaining - if it works better, extends lung function longer, increases lung function, whatever - it's worth it. I'm going to ask about specific studies next visit! Anybody else out there use the Aerobika and want to share their routine? I'd love to hear it.
Blessings.
Blessings.
Hello and Happy 2017!
I recently purchased an Aerobika for my daughter. She also has the Vest and an Acapella. I noticed that recently Victoria wasn't using her Vest as much so I wanted to find another CPT option. What I love about the Aerobika is that we can use it during her albuterol treatment with the Pari or the one their company sells which fits beautifully. However, she said it doesn't vibrate her lungs as much as the Acapella does. She has both devices on the highest settings. I use the baby bottle sterilizer for it--it's a little bulky but I think it's a nice option.
My daughter recently had a port placed, and she would NOT use the vest after it was placed because it was tender and has the needle in it (she has been on IV at home for over a month) so we really needed a more internal vs. external method for her while she recovered. Victoria also has a G-tube so I'm interested in these "inside out" methods over the "outside in" ones. I am working with my insurance company now to get her a VibraLung to try. Exercise is another winner for her, but she has been super sick since October so she hasn't been doing that as much as she typically does.
For the port folks--do you use the vest with it while it's accessed? After recovery from initial placement did the vest feel fine to you? I'm curious if this is a fear thing or an actual pain issue for my daughter. Thanks for reading.
Michelle
Thanks for this information. I’ve never heard of the Aerobika. I like the fact that it works with your nebulizer. I have an Acepella, but only use it when traveling and I don’t feel like carting around my vest. The Aerobika sounds like a better alternative since it can be combined with nebs and am especially looking to decrease treatment time while traveling and on vacation.
Michelle-Sorry to hear that your daughter is having a rough time. You had asked about doing the vest while having your port accessed. I don’t have a port but searched for the information from previous threads. Here’s what I found:
http://forums.cysticfibrosis.com/sh...vest-with-a-port?highlight=vest+port+accessed
I hope 2017 brings improvement for her and she feels better soon.
Gammaw
I posed my question because most of these devices come with a caveat that if you cannot move a lot of air, they will not work properly, or at all. That is why I asked feedback from people with low FEV1 who had actually tried it. Not all airway clearance is created equal and I dont think I said that ANY type of air clearance would be useless or unhelpful. I was asking about a very specific type under a specific situation. And I wouldnt assume everyone can use the vest, because a subset of us cant, myself included. And yes, I have already contact Aerobika, but have not heard back as of yet. Although it has been my experience it is hard to sometimes get a straight answer from someone trying to sell you something. Sounds every so cliche, but often true.
I posed my question because most of these devices come with a caveat that if you cannot move a lot of air, they will not work properly, or at all. That is why I asked feedback from people with low FEV1 who had actually tried it. Not all airway clearance is created equal and I dont think I said that ANY type of air clearance would be useless or unhelpful. I was asking about a very specific type under a specific situation. And I wouldnt assume everyone can use the vest, because a subset of us cant, myself included. And yes, I have already contact Aerobika, but have not heard back as of yet. Although it has been my experience it is hard to sometimes get a straight answer from someone trying to sell you something. Sounds every so cliche, but often true.
Jricci: thanks bunches for the posts about ports and the Vest. It was exactly what I was looking for, and I appreciate your help!
Mom2two: your question about low FEV and PEP devices is a valid one for sure. Unfortunately, I'm not sure of the answer for you, but I completely understand your concern. I have had the same questions in my mind, and it seems logical that if you can't blow very hard that the ocillators don't move very much!
I want to thank everyone on here for posting and encouraging us. The holidays can be so rough when your child is sick. Sometimes I get on this forum and read... It has been a real comfort in dark times.
Michelle (mom to Victoria--CF, Gtube, new port, 15 years old and Trace--19/ no CF/ Autistic)
Mom2two: your question about low FEV and PEP devices is a valid one for sure. Unfortunately, I'm not sure of the answer for you, but I completely understand your concern. I have had the same questions in my mind, and it seems logical that if you can't blow very hard that the ocillators don't move very much!
I want to thank everyone on here for posting and encouraging us. The holidays can be so rough when your child is sick. Sometimes I get on this forum and read... It has been a real comfort in dark times.
Michelle (mom to Victoria--CF, Gtube, new port, 15 years old and Trace--19/ no CF/ Autistic)
MissAlexsBP
Member
Hi All!
I started using my Aerobika a bit more this year, and I do it while doing my nebs and Vest. I like that it can connect directly to the neb, which is helpful. I try to do them at the same time -- figure it's gotta help! It will be interesting to see what my PFTs show after doing the Vest and Aerobika together.
I started using my Aerobika a bit more this year, and I do it while doing my nebs and Vest. I like that it can connect directly to the neb, which is helpful. I try to do them at the same time -- figure it's gotta help! It will be interesting to see what my PFTs show after doing the Vest and Aerobika together.