Cough assist

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Doglvr

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Joined
Aug 21, 2014
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40
Reason
PALS
Diagnosis
05/2014
Country
US
State
Mt
City
Colstrip
I am thinking that I am going to need a cough assist/ I can't hardly cough just choking when I need to cough/anyone else using one..?
 
I use mine hit or miss. They encouraged me to use it at least daily. It brings the phlegm into the mouth. I have a spittoon near by.
 
>I use mine hit or miss. They encouraged me to use it at least daily.

how does it work?
 
My T70 is programmable for suction, pressure and time. You put the mask to cover your nose and mouth. It sucks for a few seconds, then neutral, then blows for a few seconds. I don't use the blow time, as it can blow into the ears. During the suck time, my throat constricts and it pulls up phlegm. I repeat for as many times as I can stand it.
 
you can also use the cough assist for breath stacking
 
Mine works a little different tha GB's. Pressure to breath in, pause, suction for exhale. Supposed to try to cough during exhale. Has a mouth piece similar to the one for a nebulizer. Works ok but leaves me exhausted
 
:-( the va ALS pulmo wants me to consider using one, but I guess I'll hang on for a bit ...
 
Dalvin that is the feeling here. It helps really open up Steve's lungs but leaves him feeling exhausted. He says so what I can breathe easier...I am too tired to do anything.
 
My hubby got a cough assist within a few months after diagnosis. At first he didn't use it much. The folks at the ALS clinic kept nudging him to use it regularly. I would say he has been using it once a day for about 4 years now. When he uses it, he does 5 sets of 5 coughs, for a total of 25. It is a Philips Respironics. As others have said during the exhale phase it will force you to cough, and helps clear throat. it is also supposed to help the lungs empty out better. I don't know if it has helped or not, but my hubby hasn't had any major respiratory infections in all these years.
 
Gary also has the Phillips Respironics cough assist. He uses it faithfully as ordered - twice a day 3 sets of 5 coughs. Only occasionally brings up phlegm. Doesn't mind it at all, when compared to the bipap! He struggled to get used to that - 5 months now. Getting a trilogy tomorrow in preparation for an elective tracheotomy. As I understand, it will be used on bipap settings for a while. The cough assist doesn't seem to tire him.
 
Gary also has the Phillips Respironics cough assist. He uses it faithfully as ordered - twice a day 3 sets of 5 coughs. Only occasionally brings up phlegm. Doesn't mind it at all, when compared to the bipap! He struggled to get used to that - 5 months now. Getting a trilogy tomorrow in preparation for an elective tracheotomy. As I understand, it will be used on bipap settings for a while. The cough assist doesn't seem to tire him.

The Trilogy is an amazing little machine. It does everything we need, is the size of a toaster oven, and weighs about 15 pounds with 8 hours of battery backup. It is a snap to learn to use.
 
The Trilogy is a lot more sophisticated that the Phillips Respironics, AND spews a lot more noise, or should I say annoying sound, from the air vent in the tube. It seemed that the ladies brought it and demonstrated it seemed to think they were missing a connector of some sort. There is already a vent in the piece connecting to the mask (Wisp). What would happen if we taped the vent in the tube shut? Is this just normal for the trilogy to have excessive air shooting out with each breath? It is in bipap mode.
 
Before the va took over my care, I had a trilogy. There was no vent in my tube. All the air flowed through the mask with any excess going out the vents on the mask. The only time mine made any appreciable noise was when I took it while it was still running
 
Thanks for your input, Dalvin. What you say about the mask venting the air makes sense to me!
 
It depends how.its.set. itf it is an a/c circuit then it makes all the air noise and has the hose blue and white tubes. We have a portable one...same machine but set up to use as sip and puff and for overnights. No open hoses. But you cant use the humidifier with it in this set up either
 
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