Compliance

Over 2009 I have become very compliant with my CF treatment, it was part of my aim to reach fev1 of 60% which never happened but at least I tried!
I was thinking how compliant I had actually been and I think I have only missed 3 physio sessions out of 730 (since I do physio twice a day). These were a) on my wedding day, I only did physio in the morning b) coming home from Thailand due to time differences and been on a plane I missed a session somewhere along the way c) the wedding we went to in November because there was noway I could do it in the evening really as we didn't have a room. There may be a few others, however I think I'd remember as I have been very determined.

It's a shame these kind of achievements are not recognised so that I can get a pay rise or a bonus, sadly it goes unnoticed by the world and I don't even feel better for it, it just keeps me going. I just have to try and think that if I hadn't done this, I would be worse off that I am, not great compensation but it helps a little.

Many people with CF find it extremely hard to be compliant with their treatment, I can't blame them. It's not easy! Some have said it's their New Years resolution, so I'm going to blog about times I find it difficult to be compliant so try help them overcome problems they also face.

So first this is my treatment routine (doesn't include gym and tablets with food)...

Morning (sometimes early afternoon!) : morning tablets, morning physio which is usually pep mask with me patting my lowers, I do 4 on each side sometimes 5 if very productive. Followed by tobi nebuliser on the i-neb (I do tobi all the time, I do not do one month on, one month off). Cleaning it all and put to dry.

Evening : Physio, I either use the acapella (I do 10 cycles of 10) or get Pete to pat my uppers whilst I use my pep mask (4 on each side, sometimes 5) followed by pulmozyme through the i-neb, clean it all and put to dry.

Late Evening (or at least an hour after the pulmozyme) : Tobi through the i-neb, clean it and put everything in the steriliser for the night. Take evening tablets.

So that's the basics, its quite easy to do if you can be bothered (a task in itself) and nothing gets in your way e.g. nights out, getting up really early etc etc

Factors that help me be compliant

• Physio is important, you cannot miss it, let people know this and yourself! They wouldn't expect you to miss doing your insulin or taking a tablet, physio is just the same. The effects if you miss it are not instant (although you will probably feel more productive that day) but they can be in the long term.
• Saying you will do it later won't make it go away, just get it over and done with. Also washing those dishes or changing the bedding is not more important....stop putting it off!
• Yes if your mates/family are over and you do it in another room they probably can hear you... but... you have CF for gods sake what do they expect? Maybe hearing you cough your guts up will do them some good too.
• If you need to get up early, do your physio first. Otherwise you will be rushed and claim you don't have time for it if you leave it until last. You may even subconsciously take longer to get ready so you don't have time..... you sly thing!
• Yes it's your birthday/Christmas/Easter/your hamsters birthday bla bla, do you think your lungs know this? Those infections don't care and will continue to breed and destroy your lungs whatever day it is so don't think you can take a holiday because they certainly don't!
• Don't rely on parents/partners/mates to force you to do your treatments. They won't force you and even if they try, you will talk them out of it because afterall you are the expert and they will believe what you say. You must force YOURSELF, it's called willpower!
• Self pity is permitted but remember - bacteria do not feel compassion, so continue to fight those ba$tards!

In my next blog I'll go over instances during Christmas/New Year, when I have found it difficult to be compliant and how I got around it!