Eflow

Giggles

New member
So I was watching the videos on how to clean and disinfect and I do not understand why you have to use distilled ( and now they are saying boiled distilled) water to clean it but then after you disinfect it with the control solution you can use tap water. Does not make sense. I thought tap water should not touch the pieces at all so why is okay to rinse after control solution with tap. Seems like then you should be able to use tap to clean it too. My doc says don't use tap on the pieces at all... Also, it kinda makes me angry that the people who invent these things do not look at what it entails to use them. I mean I am doing 5 different nebs a day and all the different cleaning techniques! And to even think about travelling! UGH! I got to make sure I can find distilled water! And, yes I use distilled water to clean and rinse off the soap on the all the pieces but I don't boil the distilled.  <br><br>What do you all think and feel???? What do you do for cleaning and disinfecting? I disinefect using the baby bottle sterlizer with distilled water at night. In the morning I just clean the metal head and rinse out the pari lc plus cup that I used HTS in since the salt crystalizes. But I let them air dry for next use. And clean at night after that use. I am going through distilled water like crazy. This is SOOOOO high maintenence.<br>
 

Giggles

New member
So I was watching the videos on how to clean and disinfect and I do not understand why you have to use distilled ( and now they are saying boiled distilled) water to clean it but then after you disinfect it with the control solution you can use tap water. Does not make sense. I thought tap water should not touch the pieces at all so why is okay to rinse after control solution with tap. Seems like then you should be able to use tap to clean it too. My doc says don't use tap on the pieces at all... Also, it kinda makes me angry that the people who invent these things do not look at what it entails to use them. I mean I am doing 5 different nebs a day and all the different cleaning techniques! And to even think about travelling! UGH! I got to make sure I can find distilled water! And, yes I use distilled water to clean and rinse off the soap on the all the pieces but I don't boil the distilled. <br><br>What do you all think and feel???? What do you do for cleaning and disinfecting? I disinefect using the baby bottle sterlizer with distilled water at night. In the morning I just clean the metal head and rinse out the pari lc plus cup that I used HTS in since the salt crystalizes. But I let them air dry for next use. And clean at night after that use. I am going through distilled water like crazy. This is SOOOOO high maintenence.<br>
 

Giggles

New member
So I was watching the videos on how to clean and disinfect and I do not understand why you have to use distilled ( and now they are saying boiled distilled) water to clean it but then after you disinfect it with the control solution you can use tap water. Does not make sense. I thought tap water should not touch the pieces at all so why is okay to rinse after control solution with tap. Seems like then you should be able to use tap to clean it too. My doc says don't use tap on the pieces at all... Also, it kinda makes me angry that the people who invent these things do not look at what it entails to use them. I mean I am doing 5 different nebs a day and all the different cleaning techniques! And to even think about travelling! UGH! I got to make sure I can find distilled water! And, yes I use distilled water to clean and rinse off the soap on the all the pieces but I don't boil the distilled. <br><br>What do you all think and feel???? What do you do for cleaning and disinfecting? I disinefect using the baby bottle sterlizer with distilled water at night. In the morning I just clean the metal head and rinse out the pari lc plus cup that I used HTS in since the salt crystalizes. But I let them air dry for next use. And clean at night after that use. I am going through distilled water like crazy. This is SOOOOO high maintenence.<br>
 

cf4life

New member
You just need to find something that works for you and go with it. I see no reason to rinse with distilled water. In my opinion, if you soak the head in alcohol and boil only the plastic pieces I see no huge gain to using distilled water. If you are going to boil the head or use a baby bottle sterilizer it makes sense to me to use distilled water to avoid the minerals from collecting in the head or in the bottle of the baby bottle sterilizer.
<br>
<br>As I have stated on other threads I found the eflow to be more trouble then it is worth for HTS and Pulmo. No matter what I tried the neb times get slower with these drugs and you need to stay on top of cleaning it immediately after use. It is good for Tobi and obviously needed for Cayston. It is also nice for travelling.
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<br>For home use of Duoneb, HTS, Pulmo, etc, I highly recommend the invacare mobilaire 50psi compressor. It is super fast and neb times are comparable to the eflow for Duoneb, HTS and Pulmo in my opinion. You can adjust the psi to meet your needs. For me I leave it right at 40 psi and have no issues and fast neb times. If you are going to use it for Tobi you need to drop the psi down to meet the psi recommendation for Tobi. You can use the regular Pari LC plus neb kits which are easily available and not all that expensive so that you can have many on hand. I just boil a big pot (in tap water) every few days to sterilize them all. If I forget or am lazy to rinse a neb out immediately after use it is not a big deal, it can be cleaned and boiled at a later time.
 

cf4life

New member
You just need to find something that works for you and go with it. I see no reason to rinse with distilled water. In my opinion, if you soak the head in alcohol and boil only the plastic pieces I see no huge gain to using distilled water. If you are going to boil the head or use a baby bottle sterilizer it makes sense to me to use distilled water to avoid the minerals from collecting in the head or in the bottle of the baby bottle sterilizer.
<br>
<br>As I have stated on other threads I found the eflow to be more trouble then it is worth for HTS and Pulmo. No matter what I tried the neb times get slower with these drugs and you need to stay on top of cleaning it immediately after use. It is good for Tobi and obviously needed for Cayston. It is also nice for travelling.
<br>
<br>For home use of Duoneb, HTS, Pulmo, etc, I highly recommend the invacare mobilaire 50psi compressor. It is super fast and neb times are comparable to the eflow for Duoneb, HTS and Pulmo in my opinion. You can adjust the psi to meet your needs. For me I leave it right at 40 psi and have no issues and fast neb times. If you are going to use it for Tobi you need to drop the psi down to meet the psi recommendation for Tobi. You can use the regular Pari LC plus neb kits which are easily available and not all that expensive so that you can have many on hand. I just boil a big pot (in tap water) every few days to sterilize them all. If I forget or am lazy to rinse a neb out immediately after use it is not a big deal, it can be cleaned and boiled at a later time.
 

cf4life

New member
You just need to find something that works for you and go with it. I see no reason to rinse with distilled water. In my opinion, if you soak the head in alcohol and boil only the plastic pieces I see no huge gain to using distilled water. If you are going to boil the head or use a baby bottle sterilizer it makes sense to me to use distilled water to avoid the minerals from collecting in the head or in the bottle of the baby bottle sterilizer.
<br>
<br>As I have stated on other threads I found the eflow to be more trouble then it is worth for HTS and Pulmo. No matter what I tried the neb times get slower with these drugs and you need to stay on top of cleaning it immediately after use. It is good for Tobi and obviously needed for Cayston. It is also nice for travelling.
<br>
<br>For home use of Duoneb, HTS, Pulmo, etc, I highly recommend the invacare mobilaire 50psi compressor. It is super fast and neb times are comparable to the eflow for Duoneb, HTS and Pulmo in my opinion. You can adjust the psi to meet your needs. For me I leave it right at 40 psi and have no issues and fast neb times. If you are going to use it for Tobi you need to drop the psi down to meet the psi recommendation for Tobi. You can use the regular Pari LC plus neb kits which are easily available and not all that expensive so that you can have many on hand. I just boil a big pot (in tap water) every few days to sterilize them all. If I forget or am lazy to rinse a neb out immediately after use it is not a big deal, it can be cleaned and boiled at a later time.
 
T

tarheel

Guest
My doc at UNC had never heard of the control III solution before I brought it in to sterilize with during a hospitalization there. <div>She took the time to research it (props to her for that) and found out that it does not kill the bacteria that we sterilize to kill. Meaning- it is expensive and useless soap. Also, it contains chemicals that can be harmful if inhaled (even though they are mostly odorless fumes... and yes these do exist.) And what solution retains its cleaning power when used repeatedly for 14 days? Imagine the mop bucket by the time a janitor gets to the end of the hall- except they're germs. Eew.</div><div>So throw it out. It's useless at best, harmful at worst. (and expensive either way)</div><div>About the distilled water...</div><div>did you ever do the distillation experiment in chem class in HS? You take water that has food coloring (impurities) in it, heat it in a distillation chamber thing and it comes out clear. It is one of the earliest water purification techniques, and they tell you to use distilled water so that minerals and such that are in tap water do not deposit on the little metal parts of the altera/eflow. Boiling it would probably, in my mind, add some of these impurities back to the water. (I mean, how thoroughly do you clean the pot you would boil it in?... exactly.) I think this is aimed at killing bugs that would be killed by heat, to make it pseudo-sterile "distilled" water. The sterilizer is going to do that anyways. Boiling distilled water is tedious and pointless.</div><div><br></div><div>But try and find something that you can stick to and will do. That's more the key than the fancy soap or boiling the holy water you rinse them in.</div><div><br></div>
 
T

tarheel

Guest
My doc at UNC had never heard of the control III solution before I brought it in to sterilize with during a hospitalization there.She took the time to research it (props to her for that) and found out that it does not kill the bacteria that we sterilize to kill. Meaning- it is expensive and useless soap. Also, it contains chemicals that can be harmful if inhaled (even though they are mostly odorless fumes... and yes these do exist.) And what solution retains its cleaning power when used repeatedly for 14 days? Imagine the mop bucket by the time a janitor gets to the end of the hall- except they're germs. Eew.So throw it out. It's useless at best, harmful at worst. (and expensive either way)About the distilled water...did you ever do the distillation experiment in chem class in HS? You take water that has food coloring (impurities) in it, heat it in a distillation chamber thing and it comes out clear. It is one of the earliest water purification techniques, and they tell you to use distilled water so that minerals and such that are in tap water do not deposit on the little metal parts of the altera/eflow. Boiling it would probably, in my mind, add some of these impurities back to the water. (I mean, howthoroughlydo you clean the pot you would boil it in?... exactly.) I think this is aimed at killing bugs that would be killed by heat, to make it pseudo-sterile "distilled" water. The sterilizer is going to do that anyways. Boiling distilled water is tedious and pointless.<br>But try and find something that you can stick to and will do. That's more the key than the fancy soap or boiling the holy water you rinse them in.<br>
 
T

tarheel

Guest
My doc at UNC had never heard of the control III solution before I brought it in to sterilize with during a hospitalization there.She took the time to research it (props to her for that) and found out that it does not kill the bacteria that we sterilize to kill. Meaning- it is expensive and useless soap. Also, it contains chemicals that can be harmful if inhaled (even though they are mostly odorless fumes... and yes these do exist.) And what solution retains its cleaning power when used repeatedly for 14 days? Imagine the mop bucket by the time a janitor gets to the end of the hall- except they're germs. Eew.So throw it out. It's useless at best, harmful at worst. (and expensive either way)About the distilled water...did you ever do the distillation experiment in chem class in HS? You take water that has food coloring (impurities) in it, heat it in a distillation chamber thing and it comes out clear. It is one of the earliest water purification techniques, and they tell you to use distilled water so that minerals and such that are in tap water do not deposit on the little metal parts of the altera/eflow. Boiling it would probably, in my mind, add some of these impurities back to the water. (I mean, howthoroughlydo you clean the pot you would boil it in?... exactly.) I think this is aimed at killing bugs that would be killed by heat, to make it pseudo-sterile "distilled" water. The sterilizer is going to do that anyways. Boiling distilled water is tedious and pointless.<br>But try and find something that you can stick to and will do. That's more the key than the fancy soap or boiling the holy water you rinse them in.<br>
 
T

tarheel

Guest
 Also, it kinda makes me angry that the people who invent these things do not look at what it entails to use them. I mean I am doing 5 different nebs a day and all the different cleaning techniques! And to even think about travelling! UGH!<div>-----</div><div>AMEN! That's what I'm sayin!</div>
 
T

tarheel

Guest
Also, it kinda makes me angry that the people who invent these things do not look at what it entails to use them. I mean I am doing 5 different nebs a day and all the different cleaning techniques! And to even think about travelling! UGH!-----AMEN! That's what I'm sayin!
 
T

tarheel

Guest
Also, it kinda makes me angry that the people who invent these things do not look at what it entails to use them. I mean I am doing 5 different nebs a day and all the different cleaning techniques! And to even think about travelling! UGH!-----AMEN! That's what I'm sayin!
 

Giggles

New member
Thanks for all the replies. Yeah I do have a whole system that I do and I think I keep things pretty clean. You would think the "way" these pharmacies talk about cross contamination, don't get tap water on it, etc etc they should give us disposable one use nebs. Then we would not have to worry. Would cost them a fortune and it comes down to money anyway..... I was just venting. But I do have to say the cleaning routine to use the E-Flow technology is high maintenance......<br>
 

Giggles

New member
Thanks for all the replies. Yeah I do have a whole system that I do and I think I keep things pretty clean. You would think the "way" these pharmacies talk about cross contamination, don't get tap water on it, etc etc they should give us disposable one use nebs. Then we would not have to worry. Would cost them a fortune and it comes down to money anyway..... I was just venting. But I do have to say the cleaning routine to use the E-Flow technology is high maintenance......<br>
 

Giggles

New member
Thanks for all the replies. Yeah I do have a whole system that I do and I think I keep things pretty clean. You would think the "way" these pharmacies talk about cross contamination, don't get tap water on it, etc etc they should give us disposable one use nebs. Then we would not have to worry. Would cost them a fortune and it comes down to money anyway..... I was just venting. But I do have to say the cleaning routine to use the E-Flow technology is high maintenance......<br>
 

bkc3

New member
basically don't ever put the head in tap water. the reason you used distilled is because the minerals in regular tap water, or drinking water are large enough to clog the head.  you boil the distilled water to kill anything that may be living in it. I'm not sure if it is necessary since you store the head in alcohol, but we boil the water as a precaution as directed. <div><br></div><div>basically...we clean everything but the head like any other neb. then we use the advent steam sterilizer for those parts (not the head)</div><div><br></div><div>for the head,  we use two tupperwares. in the first add 1 drop of clear liquid dish soap and boiled distilled water. put the head in there and shake.</div><div><br></div><div>rinse the head in the other tupperware with boiled distilled water.</div><div><br></div><div>place the head in alcohol until next use.  (we use 90%)...</div><div><br></div><div>This is just what we do...</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>
 

bkc3

New member
basically don't ever put the head in tap water. the reason you used distilled is because the minerals in regular tap water, or drinking water are large enough to clog the head. you boil the distilled water to kill anything that may be living in it. I'm not sure if it is necessary since you store the head inalcohol, but we boil the water as a precaution as directed.<br>basically...we clean everything but the head like any other neb. then we use the advent steam sterilizer for those parts (not the head)<br>for the head, we use two tupperwares. in the first add 1 drop of clear liquid dish soap and boiled distilled water. put the head in there and shake.<br>rinse the head in the other tupperware with boiled distilled water.<br>place the head in alcohol until next use. (we use 90%)...<br>This is just what we do...<br><br>
 

bkc3

New member
basically don't ever put the head in tap water. the reason you used distilled is because the minerals in regular tap water, or drinking water are large enough to clog the head. you boil the distilled water to kill anything that may be living in it. I'm not sure if it is necessary since you store the head inalcohol, but we boil the water as a precaution as directed.<br>basically...we clean everything but the head like any other neb. then we use the advent steam sterilizer for those parts (not the head)<br>for the head, we use two tupperwares. in the first add 1 drop of clear liquid dish soap and boiled distilled water. put the head in there and shake.<br>rinse the head in the other tupperware with boiled distilled water.<br>place the head in alcohol until next use. (we use 90%)...<br>This is just what we do...<br><br>
 
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