Thank you! Your input is very helpful.
Blane
:-)
On Wed, 17 Sep 1997 17:36:34 -0700 W Hinsvark <chill(AT)canby1.canby.com>
(by way of James Lubin <jlubin(AT)eskimo.com>) writes:
>blane n beckwith by way of James Lubin wrote:
>>
>> I have been considering getting a Passey-Muir to better
>> facilitate speech. First, I would like to ask a couple of
>questions,
>> hopefully to be answered by people who have experience with it.
>>
>> For the past 10-11 years, I have relied on a Shiley cuffless
>> trach that allows me to talk "around" it because its uncuffed state
>> allows air to pass by it and through my vocal cords. The problem
>with
>> this system is because my vent breathes on a timed cycle (14
>> breaths/min.), it forces me to pause when talking. As you might
>> imagine, this is an impediment to my being able to carry on the flow
>of a
>> conversation. People who don't understand this, or are just plain
>rude,
>> often use these pauses to talk over me. It gets very frustrating!
>>
>> My first, and most important, question is, will the
>Passey-Muir
>> valve help eliminate these pauses and make it easier for me to carry
>on a
>> "normal" conversation? My other question is, is a Passey-Muir valve
>> difficult to learn to use? I greatly appreciate anyones help.
>Thanks!
>>
>> Blane
>> :-)
>Blane, I have been using a passey-Muir valve now for three years and I
>keep it in all the time. I find it very useful. I have no breaks in
>my
>speech my vent is set at 12 breaths per minute with a flow rate of 64.
>When I first started I had problems with a runny nose for around 3
>months but after that cleared up it worked just fine. I had to break
>it
>in easily by wearing it for only a couple hours at a time but worked
>up
>to wearing it all the time. I find it helps clear secretions by
>forcing
>all the Air out of your lungs through your trachea instead of your
>trache, also you can stack a couple of breaths and cough. I have a
>shilly trache cuffless. At night I flush with a couple of fishes and
>am
>usually able to clear all my secretions, I usually get suctioned about
>once every 2 weeks. Bill
>
>
>
>
>