Neb Machine Recommendations (Please and Thank You!)

[jenny-livingston]

My current machine is a Pari Vios Pro. I didn’t specifically choose this one, it was simply what my clinic wrote a prescription for what seems like ages ago. My insurance only covers a new machine every 5 years, and my last machine didn’t last that long. When I was looking for a replacement to purchase out-of-pocket, it turns out this was one of the more affordable machines I found, so I stuck with it. I don’t really know how it compares to others as far as speed since I haven’t tried another machine in so long!

Last year, I did splurge and got myself a travel neb (Pari Trek S portable system). It’s kind funny that I consider this a way to treat myself, but I totally do! It’s something I wanted for so long! It’s been great for treatments on the go!

[paul-met-debbie]

Currently I use the Pari e-flow rapid. It is a mesh nebulizer. Very quiet and effective. Easy to clean also (steam baby bottle sterilizer). I sterilize it every day.

Before I used the Philips Innospire Go, which for me was not very reliable (the mesh was clogged after 3 months and there was a leakage problem). As a backup it will do. It is very portable and has a good lithium rechargeable battery.

I was never introduced to compressor nebulizers properly. On occasion I used some of those for a short while but I never could stand the sound. I mostly take long sessions of airway cleaning in the morning (1.5 hours) in which I combine the nebulizing with autogenic drainage breathing and this takes time. So the noise of the compressor was a negative factor and a reason for me to go to mesh. I think however that compressor nebulizers are the most reliable and durable and also cheapest. Some of them are quite compact also nowadays.

Mesh nebulizers are also compact, but expensive. The Philips was relatively cheap ($ 180) but not reliable. The current Pari e-flow rapid is around $ 800, and so far it works fine. Still, you need to replace the mesh of any mesh nebulizer every 6 months. A new mesh for the Pari e-flow costs around $80.

I also had the Philips I-neb (also a mesh) for a short while. It is very expensive and complicated. It detects your breathing and adapts the flow to that (only delivers on an in-breath), which is good for inhaling antibiotics because it minimizes the loss of medication. But for cleaning the airways is it not suitable, the output is too small and only intended to inhale small amounts of antibiotic or other medication. If you want a good flow of saline mist, this is not the right thing to use.

My insurance covers most of my nebulizer fortunately, although there are limits. When the Philips kept needing replacement too often they took me of it, it was too expensive to replace it more than once a year. I think the e-flow rapid is covered once every 5 years for the base-unit, and I hope they will also cover mesh-replacement twice a year (as prescribed in the manual). Otherwise I might have to occasionally buy a mesh myself. At the end of the year I can tax-deduct some of the medical expenses that were not covered by insurance.

Another option is an ultrasonic nebulizer which is also completely quiet. I had one for a very long time (my first nebulizer), but it was discontinued after the mesh nebulizers became popular. Still, there are some on the market. They are however a bit slow and the droplets might not be as fine as those of a compressor or mesh nebulizer.

Paul