Anyone have this?

[KMV77]

I have heard of the huff cough technique, haven't really done it much, as I'm not that familiar with it. I've been trying different things too. I'm definitely doing the deep breaths with the pulmozyme and saline. I've never tried meropenum nebs, but I am on meropenum IV right now.
Kevin

 

[KrazyKat]

Hiya Kevin
When doing your inhaled meds (all of them), not only should you take the very deepest breath in that you can, but also hold it at fully expanded for as long as you can without letting any air escape from your lungs. This will force the air and meds inside your lung to equalise, which will hopefully push the air into the more dense part of your lungs (right lower lobe for you) and behind the trapped mucus. Hopefully after the treatments (leave it 15 mins or so) then do the huff/cough technique combined with acapella/flutter/vest to get that mucus out. I would also do physio/huff cough BEFORE you do your nebs, to clear the lungs as much as before inhaling the various medications.
This is what i did when i was first trialling Pulmozyme for a month and in that time managed to increase my FEV1 by 22%

 

[KrazyKat]

Hiya Kevin
When doing your inhaled meds (all of them), not only should you take the very deepest breath in that you can, but also hold it at fully expanded for as long as you can without letting any air escape from your lungs. This will force the air and meds inside your lung to equalise, which will hopefully push the air into the more dense part of your lungs (right lower lobe for you) and behind the trapped mucus. Hopefully after the treatments (leave it 15 mins or so) then do the huff/cough technique combined with acapella/flutter/vest to get that mucus out. I would also do physio/huff cough BEFORE you do your nebs, to clear the lungs as much as before inhaling the various medications.
This is what i did when i was first trialling Pulmozyme for a month and in that time managed to increase my FEV1 by 22%

 

[KrazyKat]

Hiya Kevin
When doing your inhaled meds (all of them), not only should you take the very deepest breath in that you can, but also hold it at fully expanded for as long as you can without letting any air escape from your lungs. This will force the air and meds inside your lung to equalise, which will hopefully push the air into the more dense part of your lungs (right lower lobe for you) and behind the trapped mucus. Hopefully after the treatments (leave it 15 mins or so) then do the huff/cough technique combined with acapella/flutter/vest to get that mucus out. I would also do physio/huff cough BEFORE you do your nebs, to clear the lungs as much as before inhaling the various medications.
This is what i did when i was first trialling Pulmozyme for a month and in that time managed to increase my FEV1 by 22%

 

[mom2lillian]

Hi Kevin-

On her blog Amy (Saskasuka) described a cough technique that Dr.Warwick told her about where you take in breaths continuosly without letting air out until lungs are full and it forces you to cough (please read it as I can't describe here) anyway after doing my treatments I always huff as that is what my dr recommends (basically you are saying the word huff and exhaling as much air as you can) then once I cant get anything up with that I tried doing 1-2 of those big inhalation breathing excercises and I could usually then huff and get even more up I just did this for the first time yesterday and it got alot more up for me.

Since it sounds like you are pretty physically active I would wonder if you could try a bit of jogging?

Also what about having the respiratory therapist due some manual CPT just concentrating on that area in addition to doing vest?

Also what settings do you do your vest at? Amy's blog with her letter from Warwick also addressed the settings he recommended and honestly it is workign so much better for me I have started using that way since saturday. My CF clinic said the settings are also the way they used to teach people but most of their patients were not adherent when having to change settings so much so now they just recommend and easier way so peopel will do it.

 

[mom2lillian]

Hi Kevin-

On her blog Amy (Saskasuka) described a cough technique that Dr.Warwick told her about where you take in breaths continuosly without letting air out until lungs are full and it forces you to cough (please read it as I can't describe here) anyway after doing my treatments I always huff as that is what my dr recommends (basically you are saying the word huff and exhaling as much air as you can) then once I cant get anything up with that I tried doing 1-2 of those big inhalation breathing excercises and I could usually then huff and get even more up I just did this for the first time yesterday and it got alot more up for me.

Since it sounds like you are pretty physically active I would wonder if you could try a bit of jogging?

Also what about having the respiratory therapist due some manual CPT just concentrating on that area in addition to doing vest?

Also what settings do you do your vest at? Amy's blog with her letter from Warwick also addressed the settings he recommended and honestly it is workign so much better for me I have started using that way since saturday. My CF clinic said the settings are also the way they used to teach people but most of their patients were not adherent when having to change settings so much so now they just recommend and easier way so peopel will do it.

 

[mom2lillian]

Hi Kevin-

On her blog Amy (Saskasuka) described a cough technique that Dr.Warwick told her about where you take in breaths continuosly without letting air out until lungs are full and it forces you to cough (please read it as I can't describe here) anyway after doing my treatments I always huff as that is what my dr recommends (basically you are saying the word huff and exhaling as much air as you can) then once I cant get anything up with that I tried doing 1-2 of those big inhalation breathing excercises and I could usually then huff and get even more up I just did this for the first time yesterday and it got alot more up for me.

Since it sounds like you are pretty physically active I would wonder if you could try a bit of jogging?

Also what about having the respiratory therapist due some manual CPT just concentrating on that area in addition to doing vest?

Also what settings do you do your vest at? Amy's blog with her letter from Warwick also addressed the settings he recommended and honestly it is workign so much better for me I have started using that way since saturday. My CF clinic said the settings are also the way they used to teach people but most of their patients were not adherent when having to change settings so much so now they just recommend and easier way so peopel will do it.

 

[KMV77]

I'm actually at home I have been doing my Iv's here so no resp. therapist. I've been doing percussions on myself too. I have a treadmill int he basement that I use but the Dr said if I breathe shallow (which I don't) it would make it harder to get the mucous out, so I haven't used it for a few weeks. I might start hitting the treadmill tonight. I'm just so busy in the day I don't have time for the treadmill until 1030-11 at night. I remember learning the huff technique now, I'll give it a try a little later today. On the vest my pressure is 9 and the frequrncy I do 7-14-21, all for 5-7 minutes 2-3 times a day.
Kevin

 

[KMV77]

I'm actually at home I have been doing my Iv's here so no resp. therapist. I've been doing percussions on myself too. I have a treadmill int he basement that I use but the Dr said if I breathe shallow (which I don't) it would make it harder to get the mucous out, so I haven't used it for a few weeks. I might start hitting the treadmill tonight. I'm just so busy in the day I don't have time for the treadmill until 1030-11 at night. I remember learning the huff technique now, I'll give it a try a little later today. On the vest my pressure is 9 and the frequrncy I do 7-14-21, all for 5-7 minutes 2-3 times a day.
Kevin

 

[KMV77]

I'm actually at home I have been doing my Iv's here so no resp. therapist. I've been doing percussions on myself too. I have a treadmill int he basement that I use but the Dr said if I breathe shallow (which I don't) it would make it harder to get the mucous out, so I haven't used it for a few weeks. I might start hitting the treadmill tonight. I'm just so busy in the day I don't have time for the treadmill until 1030-11 at night. I remember learning the huff technique now, I'll give it a try a little later today. On the vest my pressure is 9 and the frequrncy I do 7-14-21, all for 5-7 minutes 2-3 times a day.
Kevin