spirometer?

[myrnalu]

Can someone tell me what this is?How is it used?Is it hard to do after surgery?

[ginnyde]

It is a plastic toy looking device with a tube on the end. You blow or suck, I don't remember which, and try to raise a ball in a tube as high as you can. It is a very good way to exercise your lungs.

[Kasey]

I had to breathe IN and try to raise the ball and keep it sort of dancing. I started the day after surgery. It is no big deal to do, BUT very important that you do it religiously. My breathing got to be VERY good, in large part to keeping up with those spirometer exercises.

This is NOT any of the things you need to be worried about, Marie.

KAsey

[myrnalu]

THANK YOU,all this info is so helpful.Taken some fear away.Im still very scared,still smoking,but it helps some to know a little more on what im facing.i have not only read but i printed all the encouraging comments.I thank each and every one of you and i pray we all get through our trials together

Marie

[Benny boy]

The spirometer really isn't a big deal (my mom had contests with me and my siblings with her's), imagine a clear inhaler that's really tall, or a pipe that is short and tall. You inhale from it moderately at a constant rate for as long as you can with one breath. A little ball goes up the tall part with your breath and kinda floats or stays at a marked location on the tall part.

If people say it hurts, it's not because of the device itself. My mom had a talc procedure (pleurodesis...don't worry about it) and it made larger breaths painful for a few days.

Trust me, smoking shouldn't be a part of your life after this, it's not like smoking when you have a sore throat, this is different. Also, you should try to realize that you don't want to smoke, even if you're addicted (I know because you've been posting about it). I've quit smoking, and for me it was about realizing that I'd be happier not smoking. You'll think that you'll lose a part of your life or it will become less fulfilling (cigarettes make good fake friends) You'll realize you've been brainwashed by them, and you actually won't miss anything about them after the first week (drinking can make it tougher). It's also important to be proud of quitting. Tell people often that you quit, and brag, it'll be like a special skill.

As you've heard from some people here, the surgery will be a little painful afterwards, so just take the meds, do your breathing excercises (spirometer) with great regularity, grit your teeth, and know that you are a stronger person after the surgery than before. Infact, going through surgeries like this make you and everyone else on this board, stronger than most people on the planet. Marie, your courage, and every survivor's courage is humbling.

Thinking of you,

Ben

[bunny]

my mom used one after both surgeries. she didn't find it painful. she did have varying levels of "success" with it, depending on what else was going on.

you inhale to raise the ball, and look at the numbers to see how you're doing. they called it an incentive spirometer at the hospital.

good luck!!

xoxo

amie

[wfshaw]

It's a little hard at first but it gets easier as time goes by.