Imagine feeling short on breath every time you walk to the mailbox or having to put your family life on hold because you require hospitalization for a severe lung infection.
If you’re living with bronchiectasis, you know these scenarios too well. Bronchiectasis is an irreversible lung condition that causes the airways in the lungs to become abnormally widened and damaged due to repeated respiratory inflammation and infection.
Symptoms range from breathlessness, chronic cough, and an inability to mobilize the airways to effectively clear mucus from the lungs, resulting in infection.
Bronchiectasis and Your Health
Bronchiectasis can take a serious toll on your health and also your wellness. Being unable to catch your breath, experiencing uncontrollable coughing, or dealing with repeated illnesses that remove you from the comfort of home is stressful and often frightening.
But here’s what you need to know:
Though bronchiectasis is permanent, its symptoms do not have to control how you live your life.
At Electromed, we’ve worked with patients like you, who struggled to breathe and manage flare-ups that often resulted in more hospital trips, antibiotic usage, and lung damage.
We’ve been privileged enough to hear their personal stories and honored to help them find relief from their chronic symptoms through The SmartVest Airway Clearance System.
If you don’t know about SmartVest, we can’t wait to tell you more about it. However, sometimes, it’s better to hear it from someone who understands what you’re going through and can show you the life-changing benefits you can experience with SmartVest.
Meet Samuel Hall
A SmartVest user since 2011, Samuel has bronchiectasis, but he doesn’t let that detail prevent him from living the lifestyle he chooses.
Below, we’d like to share his story and hope it will inspire you to talk to your doctor about making SmartVest a part of your bronchiectasis treatment plan!
Samuel’s SmartVest Story
I first learned I had bronchiectasis in 2011, after being placed into a medically induced coma. After a bronchoscopy, I was diagnosed with bronchiectasis. I had never heard of it before then.
Though a doctor diagnosed me with bronchiectasis, my pulmonologist was familiar with the disease and prescribed SmartVest. As a result, I received my respiratory vest shortly after leaving the hospital.
Soon after, a registered respiratory therapist arrived at my house with my new SmartVest in-hand. She got me set up with the device and generator and walked me through the process.
Honestly, it took me a couple of months before I decided to use SmartVest. But this was due to my stubbornness. Finally, I decided to use it one day because I couldn’t breathe—even with 3 liters of oxygen on.
Desperate to Breathe
I finally decided to listen to my wife, who, at the time, was a nurse. I put the SmartVest on and began therapy. I was desperate to breathe.
I used it for about 20 minutes, clearing my airway of a mucus plug lodged in there.
After using SmartVest, the relief I felt was amazing. I knew I had to use it more often. The results I experienced from this therapy and HFCWO (high frequency chest wall oscillation therapy) technology was a clear winner for me.
Making SmartVest a Daily Routine
I start my day at 6:00 a.m. with a mile-and-a-half walk and some other exercises. Then, I begin my first session of SmartVest therapy for 20 minutes with a breathing treatment to help open up the airways.
I use SmartVest three times a day*, so around noon or before lunchtime, I’ll perform therapy for the second time, which lasts 20 minutes.
Around 6:00 p.m., I’ll perform my third and final session for another 20 minutes before dinner.
*On average, SmartVest is performed twice a day for 20-30 minutes.
Impact of Using SmartVest
For me, the results of using SmartVest speak for themselves. I spend more time going places and doing things with my family. It improved the quality of my life.
I have more energy and sleep better. I also breathe better and spend less time in hospital readmissions.
Samuel’s Advice
Be a warrior, not a worrier. You have to be willing to face your challenges and fears head-on. So start by focusing on the things you can do.
Do your research and educate yourself about your disease. Knowledge is key to empowerment. Use the tools that are helpful to you and your condition, and if nothing else—NEVER GIVE UP!
Breathing is everything, so EVERYTHING changes when you can breathe better. Your overall quality of life gets better with airway clearance therapy.
Breathe Easier. Breathe Better
Find out how SmartVest can help you manage your chronic lung condition. To get started, request an informational packet today. Inside, you’ll have access to more resources, clinical studies, and testimonials from other SmartVest users.
We’ve also included a prescription form that you can bring to your doctor’s office, so you can start experiencing the difference of airway clearance via SmartVest right away.
We also have a team of patient care advocates who are ready to answer your questions and get the information you need to share with your doctor.
Call 1.855.528.5690 or click below to set up a time to chat.
