cough assist machine

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rose

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How many of us have/use their cough assist machine faithfully? The RT came out today and brought mine, taught me how to use it. OMG! It almost sucked me off of the dining room chair, (then about blew me onto the floor)

Just kidding, but even the RT laughed. WOW! He gave me a mouth piece to try biting down on, and clamping my lips onto it with my fingers, and also a full face mask, which covers my nose, and I just hold it against my face with my hands. We both agreed it was a better choice, as air was leaking out my nose with the mouth piece one.

Anyway, I was just curious how many are faithful in using theirs? Its so big, I've got to find somewhere to keep it. I don't have to do breath stacking, it does it for me. its a marvel.
 
LOL.

I don't have one and have never used one. So far I have done well without one.
 
I dont have one myself, so I offer no good information.

But , this is the second time you start a thread using words that are so tempting to twist around.

{{walks away from keyboard}}
 
Rose,

My husband has one and does not use it "faithfully." He was scolded at the recent clinic visit for not using it at least twice daily! It is huge and heavy and ugly to boot. Why can't they consult interior designers when they create the enclosures for the electronics in these machines? :roll: I used to sell enclosures for electronic devices and now that I think back - they were never "pretty." But I didn't think about medical devices being used in the home at that time.

My husband has his set up on a cedar chest with his BiPap and lamp and other stuff. The cedar chest is by his bed instead of a night stand. He hates everything to look so "hospital-ish" or "nursing home-ish." I thought about making a cover for the cough assist, kinda like a kitchen appliance cover. But he doesn't use it like he should now, so that may be a bad idea (out of sight - out of mind).

The cough assist really opens up the lungs...just wish they came in designer cases! Hey! Someone should invent skins for them! Then you could choose to match your decor! LOL :grin:
 
Glen,

Once again you prove to be a noble S.A. 8)

or, should I say S.A. with restraint? (not in restraints)
 
CJ, that's the first thing I thought (jeez it sure is huge and UGLY!)

My son says it looks like something left over from the 1950's, but he likes the face of the little meter in the middle.

I too thought about making something like a mixer or toaster cover for it. You would think that manufacturers would realize that people who need this kind of equipment would prefer a "look" as far as classic hospital style as possible!
 
Hi, Rose ... I've been scolded by my RT too for not using it faithfully. I really don't find a lot of benefit from it, as it exhausts me to use it. I can only do five breaths, then have to stop, gasping. I don't have it set too high either. But the RT said to use it several times a day, and I did for a while.

I've had to stop using my bipap too, as there is so much gunk in my lungs, the bipap makes me wheeze so loudly it wakes me up. At my last pulmo appointment, the chest x-ray showed stuff in my lungs, but no fever, so no pneumonia. He's got me on a short leash now ... have to see him every two months.

Anyway, if it benefits you and opens up your lungs, that's great. (And I agree it's the ugliest machine ever made!)
 
Yes...left over from 1950 and protracted in price. Wonder what it cost originally? UGLY THING! At least the BiPap looks a bit hi-tech!
 
I agree..I think there is a new line of business in designing "cooler" looking equipment. Look what Target and Philippe Starck did for kitchen appliances! Or at least some cozy cover designs like Rose suggests... (Rose, maybe there is a market here?!)

Now that my family has plunged into this amazing sub-culture, my creative juices are flowing about ways to make all these strange gadgets look better. Some sort of method of storing them all so they are accessible, but not in the middle of the bedroom...

And the gadgets just show up at the door, literally. We have a great medical supply company that supports the equipment, but sometimes before they can send someone over we have attempted to set up and experiment on our own. Amazing the things you can learn!

My Mom does not have a cough assist yet -- but it is on order. She is using the suction machine now a couple of times a day, but I can tell that she needs a deeper method of clearing the mucus. Sounds like we definitely should get the training on that one before we experiment!

Mellissa

__________________

Daughter to PALS Frances
 
Beth, I can see why it wears you out to use it. It is amazingly powerful. The RT said if I ever get something stuck down in my lungs, to change the setting to Manual, to Expiration, and crank it up to Maximum. I'll bet it would work, but I can imagine trying to remember to do all of this, all the while choking! Its not good to have the fluid building up in your lungs like that (as if you didn't already know this) Your pulmo doc has no other suggestions other than to come in more often for exams though?

Mellissa, Re: amassing of so much equipment... they've suggested getting one of those small rolling tables to keep everything on, then it can be rolled from room to room. (and still look awful) Sometimes the MDA or ALSA loan closet have them.
 
Rose ... he keeps making noises about a trache so they can "get at those deeper secretions" but that's not on my wish list, so I'm ignoring him. I probably should let him know I'm not using the BiPap, but I don't know what he can really do about it. My new year's resolution is to use the cough assist religiously (by praying it doesn't suck my lungs out!) and try the BiPap again, starting tonight.

I do take my temp every day, just in case it turns into something treatable, like pneumonia
 
jeez, I have a cough assist on order but now don't know if I want it. Just got a feeding tube and have only used it for water up til now. Just got the other supplies in yesterday so i figure I will try a feeding tomorrow. I do feel like I have congestion in the lungs and Dr. said that the cough assist will help keep the airways clear. I don't know, Just lost my job and now all this is really making me feel like I am sick or something. I don't want to feel sick or anything like that. I guess I need to think of all this as maintainence or something.
I wonder what the new year will bring. I fear what the new year will bring. Happy New Year everyone.
 
BETH :shock::shock::shock: You USE that machine this instant and move those secretions so you can suck them out! I MEAN IT! I might just need to have those stinkin monkey's fly me down there and I will make certain to rid you of those strands of rope:twisted: That is nothing to play around with and you are toooooo valuable to let a little mucous get the best of you. Please try it and no pneumonia your direction. worried and sending you streams of hugs. kay marie
 
Mom used hers faithfully before her trache and she uses it now with the trache. It is amazing. It is the BEST!
 
Kay Marie ... yes, ma'am. :shock:
 
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