I was given a Vest, for free, shortly after I was diagnosed with CF in 1996. It took some time to use it regularly. I remember actually being very good about using the Vest when I was in college. The interent was fairly new, so I would spend time Vesting while surfing the web. But I never really felt like the Vest was effective for me in mucus clearance. At some point I turned to exercise and discovered it was much more effective at mucus clearance. Quickly, I decided on my own, that as long as I was exercising, I didn't need to use the Vest at all. As my PFTs remained normal, it was hard for my doctor to agrue with that logic. Exercising and Vesting both take up time and it is difficult to fit both in to my routine, especially with working a full time job. So, for a decade now, I have stayed dedicated to exercise as a main form of mucus clearance. It is not to say I never use the Vest...but from day to day it just sat in the closet.
In all my recent education with CF and seeing how others are affected by the disease, I have been rethinking this position. Maybe I should be doing the vest everyday, even if it is on a day that I exercise. I just don't want to wake up one day with regret, especially if I someday get sick. I don't want to think..."well maybe if I did the Vest I would still be healthly." Now, I know if I just make a goal of using it everyday for 30 minutes I will fail. I have to start with a realistic goal. So, my goal for the next month: For every evening I plan on watching TV for 30 minutes or more, I will do the Vest. I don't know if I will necessarily do the Vest while watching TV (as the TV has to be REALLY LOUD for that to work), but I figure if I have the time to sit around watching TV, I have the time to Vest. Ah...I will be traveling this weekend and I don't have a travel friendly Vest. I'll start this week and continue on when I get back.
Anything you do will help. I'm certain of this because I remember those days of no Vests and I wonder what you wondered in your post today. Would I have better lungs right now if I would have done things differently? I guess I'll never know.
ReplyDeleteMiss you, kiddo.
I tried a vest about 2 years ago. I didn't see any results from it and when the bill came, it just wasn't worth what we were getting billed. The dr. agreed that it didn't seem to be benefiting me and I was allowed to return the vest since nothing had been paid on it yet.
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see if you see a benefit now.
I do think it helps me. I do it twice a day for 30 minutes. I change the settings every 10 min. and do huff coughing.
ReplyDeleteIf you get a really good pair of Sony headphones for the tv, you might be able to hear over the Vest.
ReplyDeleteKaete