Travel Compressors and Airway Clearance Devices

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edan

Guest
Hi. I want to get my family back out to nature...the way we were pre-diagnosis. Anyway, if you wouldn't mind, could you share your experiences with what the best battery operated compressors and airway clearance devices are?
1.) My daughter is almost 5 and experiments with the acapella. I would like to get more use out of this one. Does it really work well if done correctly?
2.) What about the battery compressors? Are any of them "good enough" to use for a few days? Do you have to find a power source anyway to recharge the batteries after each use? Or, do some come with the ability to add alkaline batteries (i.e. toss after each use)?

Thanks so much!
Edan.
 
E

edan

Guest
Hi. I want to get my family back out to nature...the way we were pre-diagnosis. Anyway, if you wouldn't mind, could you share your experiences with what the best battery operated compressors and airway clearance devices are?
1.) My daughter is almost 5 and experiments with the acapella. I would like to get more use out of this one. Does it really work well if done correctly?
2.) What about the battery compressors? Are any of them "good enough" to use for a few days? Do you have to find a power source anyway to recharge the batteries after each use? Or, do some come with the ability to add alkaline batteries (i.e. toss after each use)?

Thanks so much!
Edan.
 
A

Anomie

New member
My daughter is 4 and we let her get away with using the acapella sometimes since she always complains that the vest hurts. We used to have this thing with a hose that you connect to the side of the mouthpiece of the acapella and it lets you know you're exerting the right amount of pressure but then I boiled the thing and it doesn't work anymore. There's also a dial on the back that changes the resistance. For 4-5 year olds it should be set between 4 and 5. We have her do 3 sets of 10 with a big cough after each set in place of 30 minutes on the vest. Have them inhale and hold their breath for two seconds before each blow then they should exhale slow and hard for 2 to 3 seconds making sure the acapella makes the fluttering noise the whole time. Blowing super hard and quick is not correct. So we do like 1,2..10, 1,2..9 down to zero. The 1,2 is the time they're holding their breath before they exhale. Keep correcting them all the time by saying harder or longer and eventually they'll get the technique down and it becomes a really effective form of airway clearance as well as good breathing exercise. Good luck!
 
A

Anomie

New member
My daughter is 4 and we let her get away with using the acapella sometimes since she always complains that the vest hurts. We used to have this thing with a hose that you connect to the side of the mouthpiece of the acapella and it lets you know you're exerting the right amount of pressure but then I boiled the thing and it doesn't work anymore. There's also a dial on the back that changes the resistance. For 4-5 year olds it should be set between 4 and 5. We have her do 3 sets of 10 with a big cough after each set in place of 30 minutes on the vest. Have them inhale and hold their breath for two seconds before each blow then they should exhale slow and hard for 2 to 3 seconds making sure the acapella makes the fluttering noise the whole time. Blowing super hard and quick is not correct. So we do like 1,2..10, 1,2..9 down to zero. The 1,2 is the time they're holding their breath before they exhale. Keep correcting them all the time by saying harder or longer and eventually they'll get the technique down and it becomes a really effective form of airway clearance as well as good breathing exercise. Good luck!
 
E

edan

Guest
Thanks so much Anomie. I appreciate your time detailing everything.
 
E

edan

Guest
Thanks so much Anomie. I appreciate your time detailing everything.
 
R

Rebjane

Super Moderator
Edan,

We have traveled as a family quite a bit and also last summer traveled in an RV for 9 days. My daughter did not miss one treatment. We have a converter that hooks up to the battery of the car and you can use it for electricity for the compressor and VEST. We also used an albuterol inhaler and pulmicort inhaler, since my daughter was healthy at the time to save time/electricity. We had a wonderful time and it was well worth the effort and my daughter stayed healthy! I fact, it was my son without CF that had a cold on the trip and my daughter did not even catch it even though we were in close sleeping quarters.
 
R

Rebjane

Super Moderator
Edan,

We have traveled as a family quite a bit and also last summer traveled in an RV for 9 days. My daughter did not miss one treatment. We have a converter that hooks up to the battery of the car and you can use it for electricity for the compressor and VEST. We also used an albuterol inhaler and pulmicort inhaler, since my daughter was healthy at the time to save time/electricity. We had a wonderful time and it was well worth the effort and my daughter stayed healthy! I fact, it was my son without CF that had a cold on the trip and my daughter did not even catch it even though we were in close sleeping quarters.
 
J

jamoncita

New member
hi there! i made a week-long camping trip to yosemite about two years ago. i bought a small-ish generator and took that along so that i could do the vest in my tent <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> hehe. a lot of people with big campers bring along generators for various electronic appliances, so i didn't feel tooo weird about it. i feel like the acapella just doesn't cut it for those long trips, but if it's for a day or two i'll do the acapella and also a rigorous exercise routine. also, a while before that, for a seperate camping trip i found a ... thingy that i could plug into the cigarette lighter in my car (it doesn't work in all cars, so be sure to check that!), and with this i was able to do my nebulized treatments before i got the generator. currently the only battery powered neb i've got is that for cayston, and though i'd like to eventually purchase one for my other nebulizer, there is always the big issue of the vest. so far, the generator has worked best for outdoor trips when i want to take the vest.
 
J

jamoncita

New member
hi there! i made a week-long camping trip to yosemite about two years ago. i bought a small-ish generator and took that along so that i could do the vest in my tent <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> hehe. a lot of people with big campers bring along generators for various electronic appliances, so i didn't feel tooo weird about it. i feel like the acapella just doesn't cut it for those long trips, but if it's for a day or two i'll do the acapella and also a rigorous exercise routine. also, a while before that, for a seperate camping trip i found a ... thingy that i could plug into the cigarette lighter in my car (it doesn't work in all cars, so be sure to check that!), and with this i was able to do my nebulized treatments before i got the generator. currently the only battery powered neb i've got is that for cayston, and though i'd like to eventually purchase one for my other nebulizer, there is always the big issue of the vest. so far, the generator has worked best for outdoor trips when i want to take the vest.
 
E

edan

Guest
Thanks everyone. Once again, I really appreciate the feedback. Ideally I would like to be able to take her on multi-day hikes which would take us far, far away from any power source. If anyone can chime in on the best battery powered neb, that would be great!
 
E

edan

Guest
Thanks everyone. Once again, I really appreciate the feedback. Ideally I would like to be able to take her on multi-day hikes which would take us far, far away from any power source. If anyone can chime in on the best battery powered neb, that would be great!
 
A

Anomie

New member
Try googling the eflow neb. I came across it the other day and I think its good for everything but Tobi.
 
A

Anomie

New member
Try googling the eflow neb. I came across it the other day and I think its good for everything but Tobi.
 
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