clearing techniques

[Rickengelage]

Hey guys,

A few days ago I read an artical about clearing techniques to clear out the mucus from the lungs.

I never really knew about these techniques. i never really knew that there were breathing techniques that could help you clear your lungs if you have cystic fibrosis.
I always used to just cough myself out of breath till I got really tired.
Which is not necessary with those breathing techniques.

My hospital cf team never really learned me enough about it, im wondering what do you know about it? What breathing excersises do you use to clear out the lungs effectively?

I feel like these techniques can be very helpful once you know how to use them correctly.

Hope to hear from you guys!

Best to all!

Rick.

 

[Ratatosk]

You mean while doing airway clearance such as cpt or vesting? DS takes a cough break every 5 minutes-- sort of a huff where he fills up his lungs with as much air as possible and then gradually huff coughs it out.

 

[believingjesus]

Rick. I think u r from the Netherlands, right? There is a company here in the U.S. called Hill Rom. They make a vest that wraps around your chest and has tubing that connects to a portable machine that rumbles like if u did chest physical therapy - someone else pounding on your chest - to help loosen mucous. The Vest is covered by most insurance companies in the U.S. It used to cost $16,000 before insurance but sometimes on this forum u can find people who are selling theirs. Hill Roms phone number is 1 800 426 4224. Maybe they can help you in the Netherlands.

 

[believingjesus]

I wasn't thinking but their website for Hill-Rom (The Vest) is www.hill-rom.com They may be able to help you obtain a Vest system in the Netherlands or know of some other company that makes a similar one. They work with you and work with your insurance company. I am surprised that they didn't set you up with something like the Vest or tell you about chest physical therapy. The vest is a major help in my sons treatment. You truly need one. Sometimes on this forum someone will be selling them for $2,000 or so. Maybe your insurance or aid or whatever you have in the Netherlands will get you one as every person with CF needs one or at least do chest physical therapy which your doctor should tell you how. I'm sure everyone in the U.S. that has CF does some form of the Vest or chest physical therapy. Hill-Rom will work with you but I don't know if it's any different being you are there or not.

 

[JustaCFmom]

Here in Israel they don't like the vest (VEST) because it is too passive. We do CPT and use the accapella. There are physiotherapists who teach my kids the various breathing techniques. And nothing beats running & being active. You tube may have some instruction videos if you search CPT or Chest Physiotherapy. Good luck!

 

[Red9928]

I have been using autogenic drainage techniques since the PT during my last hospitalization introduced them. Essentially it's a specific breathing technique to aide in mucus clearance. I don't use a vest, never found it very helpful. I used an Acapella previously but find I am having more luck with autogenic draninage. Here's a link to a description from the CFF website

http://www.cfcareli.com/livingwithcf_acts_ad.php

 

[jaimers]

I was introduced to the autogenic drainage like Red mentioned probably about 22 years ago. I haven't heard many people talk about it lately but it pops up every now and then. I'm not sure why I stopped doing it but I vaguely remember it being quite helpful for mucous clearance in combination with my chest PT--this was before the Vest existed. Defintely worth trying in combo with your airway clearance! I remember a few years ago when I was living in Italy I saw a cf doc there and he told me it's very rare for them to get the vest for their patients to use because of the cost. Since healthcare was paid for by the government they usually balked at the prices. The doctor said that since they didn't have any data showing that the Vest was superior to manual chest PT options it wasn't likely that it would become available for Italian patients. You're not in Italy but I'm wondering if a similar issue would come up for you. Your best option to get a vest may be looking for a used one to buy and ship over from the U.S.