pft machines and the spread of germs (cepacia, MRSA, etc.)

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LouLou

New member
I?d like to start a thread on pft machines and the spread of germs. Maybe I shouldn?t be concerned about this ? maybe it doesn?t really happen. This seems to be my doctor?s philosophy on the subject. Being that I just moved to a new community and have 3 CF centers within 20 min. of me, I will question the doctor's care and decide if it is the place for me to be. Enough of us are talking about it that I thought we should try to come to some conclusions such as;
1. Is there a specific type, maybe even brand that we should demand?

Taken from recent posts in the forum:
Originally posted by: Caitlin 22 w/ CF, b. cepacia
I still hold to the fact that those old PFT machines, i.e. the ones that the tube is attached too, could harbor germs. They always INSISTED it didn?t- but- now we all use laptop machines and don?t breathe through anything the same.....

[LouLou: I?m afraid I?m still using one of these old PFT machines ? SHIZZNIT.]

Originally posted by: LouLou
I want them to say that each clinic needs to have two pft machines. One for those that only culture PA and one for all others. The 'other' machine should be a portable machine that is brought around into the rooms of those with cepacia, mrsa, etc.
Originally posted by: Lynda
Here's my opinion on your proposal LouLou. I have MRSA so does that mean it's OK for me to use the "other" machine to get exposed to cepacia and possibly other bugs??? What about the folks that have cepacia, using the "other" machine & possibly getting MRSA--that's the last thing they need too. I don't know the answer. In a perfect world, they would have numerous PFT machines: one for pseudomonas patients, one for MRSA patients, one for cepacia, etc, etc, etc.

[LouLou: Absolutely Lynda! I love this site. Just when I think I have something really figured out someone adds a comment that really helps me see the big picture. THANK YOU FOR NOT WRITING ME OFF AS MEAN OR IGNORANT.

Okay, write are you happy with your pft experience, why/why not? Is there a machine or method such as this laptop spirometer (technical term for a pft machine I believe) that a few have mentioned that is superior why/why not? Anyone done any research on this? What did you discover?

I JUST WANT TO STAY HEALTHY<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">
 
L

LouLou

New member
I?d like to start a thread on pft machines and the spread of germs. Maybe I shouldn?t be concerned about this ? maybe it doesn?t really happen. This seems to be my doctor?s philosophy on the subject. Being that I just moved to a new community and have 3 CF centers within 20 min. of me, I will question the doctor's care and decide if it is the place for me to be. Enough of us are talking about it that I thought we should try to come to some conclusions such as;
1. Is there a specific type, maybe even brand that we should demand?

Taken from recent posts in the forum:
Originally posted by: Caitlin 22 w/ CF, b. cepacia
I still hold to the fact that those old PFT machines, i.e. the ones that the tube is attached too, could harbor germs. They always INSISTED it didn?t- but- now we all use laptop machines and don?t breathe through anything the same.....

[LouLou: I?m afraid I?m still using one of these old PFT machines ? SHIZZNIT.]

Originally posted by: LouLou
I want them to say that each clinic needs to have two pft machines. One for those that only culture PA and one for all others. The 'other' machine should be a portable machine that is brought around into the rooms of those with cepacia, mrsa, etc.
Originally posted by: Lynda
Here's my opinion on your proposal LouLou. I have MRSA so does that mean it's OK for me to use the "other" machine to get exposed to cepacia and possibly other bugs??? What about the folks that have cepacia, using the "other" machine & possibly getting MRSA--that's the last thing they need too. I don't know the answer. In a perfect world, they would have numerous PFT machines: one for pseudomonas patients, one for MRSA patients, one for cepacia, etc, etc, etc.

[LouLou: Absolutely Lynda! I love this site. Just when I think I have something really figured out someone adds a comment that really helps me see the big picture. THANK YOU FOR NOT WRITING ME OFF AS MEAN OR IGNORANT.

Okay, write are you happy with your pft experience, why/why not? Is there a machine or method such as this laptop spirometer (technical term for a pft machine I believe) that a few have mentioned that is superior why/why not? Anyone done any research on this? What did you discover?

I JUST WANT TO STAY HEALTHY<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif" border="0">
 
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anonymous

New member
what if each patient was given a portable one to bring to their appointments? I know it would be expensive, but how much would it save if it stopped the spread of the bad bugs? As a bonus, we could monitor out PFT's at home.
 
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anonymous

New member
what if each patient was given a portable one to bring to their appointments? I know it would be expensive, but how much would it save if it stopped the spread of the bad bugs? As a bonus, we could monitor out PFT's at home.
 
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Alyssa

New member
The theory of different machines for use with people who culture different things such as PA, MRSA or Cepatia may not be full-proof either, except for people who already know what they have for sure. What about the people who might possibly be growing something new but haven't had it cultured yet? We usually only get cultures done once every three months - the sample is collected the same day you do your PFT's -- it's still another week before you know what you grew so in the meantime you have "used" in "theory" the wrong PFT machine if you were culturing something new.

Just a thought....
 
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Alyssa

New member
The theory of different machines for use with people who culture different things such as PA, MRSA or Cepatia may not be full-proof either, except for people who already know what they have for sure. What about the people who might possibly be growing something new but haven't had it cultured yet? We usually only get cultures done once every three months - the sample is collected the same day you do your PFT's -- it's still another week before you know what you grew so in the meantime you have "used" in "theory" the wrong PFT machine if you were culturing something new.

Just a thought....
 
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thelizardqueen

New member
I'm afraid to say that I am one of those persons still using the old PFT machines. We don't use laptops at all - everyone uses the same machine that everyone else uses, the only thing that's changed is the mouth piece. My nurse consistantly tells me that there are no patients with Cepacia. But how are they to know when the patient has it until they've been cultured? By then they've probably used the PFT machine that I'm about to use. In a ideal world (I'm such a germaphobe), I would buy myself a bubble, and not culture anytype of bug.<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
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thelizardqueen

New member
I'm afraid to say that I am one of those persons still using the old PFT machines. We don't use laptops at all - everyone uses the same machine that everyone else uses, the only thing that's changed is the mouth piece. My nurse consistantly tells me that there are no patients with Cepacia. But how are they to know when the patient has it until they've been cultured? By then they've probably used the PFT machine that I'm about to use. In a ideal world (I'm such a germaphobe), I would buy myself a bubble, and not culture anytype of bug.<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
 
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anonymous

New member
my doctors office uses the laptop and when you blow out you have a picture, for example the 3 little pigs houses, and you try and blow all 3 houses down, makes it kinda fun. We get our own mouthpeace that has a filter on it, so I guess that makes it pretty safe, I think. Besides why would they have you use something that can give you someone elses germs <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif" border="0"> I guess my only concern would be the thing you attach you mouth piece to, but they are suppose to wipe the outside of that clean, that is where you hold it too, but the inside of that, not sure how sanitized that is.

Jennifer 25 (PrincessJDC)

Live Love and be Happy
 
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anonymous

New member
my doctors office uses the laptop and when you blow out you have a picture, for example the 3 little pigs houses, and you try and blow all 3 houses down, makes it kinda fun. We get our own mouthpeace that has a filter on it, so I guess that makes it pretty safe, I think. Besides why would they have you use something that can give you someone elses germs <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-confused.gif" border="0"> I guess my only concern would be the thing you attach you mouth piece to, but they are suppose to wipe the outside of that clean, that is where you hold it too, but the inside of that, not sure how sanitized that is.

Jennifer 25 (PrincessJDC)

Live Love and be Happy
 
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thelizardqueen

New member
I guess if your mouthpiece has a filter on it, that's half the battle right there? I now with the machine we use, there is a filter on the mouthpiece, but I'm still concerned with the tube that we breath into - everyone uses the same tube.
 
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thelizardqueen

New member
I guess if your mouthpiece has a filter on it, that's half the battle right there? I now with the machine we use, there is a filter on the mouthpiece, but I'm still concerned with the tube that we breath into - everyone uses the same tube.
 
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anonymous

New member
And how do they sanitize surfaces that everyone touches? Do they just lightly wipe stuff down? Stuff I have at home says it has to be wet on the surface for 5 minutes to be effective.
 
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anonymous

New member
And how do they sanitize surfaces that everyone touches? Do they just lightly wipe stuff down? Stuff I have at home says it has to be wet on the surface for 5 minutes to be effective.
 
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Faust

New member
Let me share what I do guys. I wanted to see if my immune system was strong and capable of fighting off bacteria and viruses. So Every tuesday at 4pm I go to the local greyhound bus station and thoroughly lick the bathroom's door knob. So far i'm fine.
 
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Faust

New member
Let me share what I do guys. I wanted to see if my immune system was strong and capable of fighting off bacteria and viruses. So Every tuesday at 4pm I go to the local greyhound bus station and thoroughly lick the bathroom's door knob. So far i'm fine.
 
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