cough assist machine

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schavez500

Active member
Joined
Jan 15, 2011
Messages
47
Reason
PALS
Diagnosis
07/2010
Country
Uni
State
TX
City
Rio Grande City
I just got a cough assist machine and noticed that my breathing is better after I use it. Does anyone have one and how often do you use it and for how long have you had it?
 
My husband has had his for about 4 years. He is supposed to do 5 cycles 4 times a day, but that would most likely vary from person to person.
 
There are links to threads about it at the bottom of this page.

AL.
 
We've only had ours for a little over a month. My husband faithfully uses it because he notices a definite benefit.
He does 6 cycles of 6, 3 times a day. More than just helping with getting up mucus, it does the deep breathing and stretches the diaphram. An experienced RT is key with proper settings and treatments.
 
Since we are discussing cough assist machines...

What about cleaning them? (mask and tubing) If you don't constantly clean the stuff, then gunk grows in the tube! I've tried interchanging with the bipap tubes, but they are too small. I would think that you wouldn't want a wet tube (that has been cleaned) for inhalation.

I haven't researched it on the N E T, but would like to know what other cALS are doing.
 
Brooksea:

On the subject of cleaning: We use 6 foot tubes for the Res Med bi-pap, the Respironics Cough Assist, and the Respironics Trilogy. The tubes are inter-changeable. The reason for the length is simply for positioning the equipment appropriately from bed or chair.

We have replacement masks, filters and hoses on a three month replacement schedule. Therefore, I always keep one tube in reserve for each device when I receive the new one. When I remove a hose for cleaning (once a week for each device), I replace it immediately with the previously cleaned alternate so there is never a "wet" hose on the device (potentially extremely damaging to the Cough Assist).

I have never observed gunk in a tube. It is important to clean the tubes and masks with a dishwashing liquid that does not contain an anti-bacterial substance, which can produce an allergic response and all kinds of problems according to the information I have been provided. Ivory or Joy are the best--I use Joy. I clean masks and tubes in a dishpan reserved only for the device attachments and no other use in order to prevent contamination. After cleaning and rinsing the hoses (completely), I hang them over the shower stall to drain. I use a paper towel to gently clean the masks and then air dry them for several hours before use.

Finally, my husband always allows some air to blow through the devices to remove any possibility of residual moisture before he uses them.

I hope this helps.

V
 
Guess I will try to interchange them again. Thanks for the info.
 
brookesea;

I clean the hose 1x/wk with 2 parts water and 1 part vinegar solution. For me it comes to 1 cup water and 1/2 cup vinegar, fills the hose perfectly
 
I do 4 sets of 5, once a day. Have'nt experienced benefit.
My cna cleans w/ a bleach solution.
 
I do 5 sets of 5 breaths, once a day.

My situation is a little different because I have a trache, but it basically works the same way. We hook up the tube directly to my trache instead of using a mask. You get a better seal that way.

Because of the trache my lung secretions go directly into the tube. It really does a good job vacuuming my chest clean. Also stretches my lungs good - I feel like I'm being blown up like a balloon!

Because of the secretions we have to clean the tube every day. Fran just uses soap and water. We have 2 tubes and alternate.
 
Hal- Im glad I ran across your post. My PALS has been trached and on a vent for like 6 years. I asked him about a cough assist machine the other week and he had never even heard of it.

How do you go about getting one? Are they simple to use? Does a RT have to do anything?
Thanks much.
 
Liz - I think you do need to get it via your respiratory equipment supplier. You will probably need a prescription from the pulmonologist. A RT should set it up and show you how to use it.

Of course it's possible that it would not be appropriate for a long term vent patient, so you'd definitely want to talk to the doctor.
 
Thanks, Hal.
Do you know why it may not be appropriate for him?
 
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