Re: fear of vent

RCTHAMM(AT)aol.com
Tue, 10 Sep 1996 09:19:18 -0400

Florence:

I know where you're coming from but urge you to go with the vent. I had
bulbar polio in 1994 and was in a lung for a month. Later on I began to lose
breathing function again, and 10 or more years ago Dr. Alba suggested the
same thing to me for post-polio treatment and I followed her suggestion
successfully.

Using a vent at night does two things for you. First, it keeps your lungs
full of oxygen overnight so that you don't wake up with headaches and a
feeling that you haven't had good sleep. You will actually feel better the
next day and be less tired. Oxygen deprivation can cause brain damage, and I
actually think I suffered some memory loss before going on my vent.

Secondly, a night time vent gives your lungs a daily rest which they would
otherwise never get. Remember, post-polio syndrome is progressive and the
only treatment is to avoid overuse.

You may become dependent on your ventilator, as I have, but once you get used
to it you'll be glad to have it.

I would reccomend you give it a try. I use a volume ventilator (LP-10) and,
though I have never used either, would think it superior to CPAP or BIBAP.

Good luck!

Dick