breathing exercise

[Barbara]

Hi again -
a couple questions -
Shoud I be starting a new thread when I have a question - or just add to the previous one?? or does it matter?

Also - What are the breathing exercises? I am wondering about that
and about how far can you lift your arms after surgery? - can you reach the top of your head?
Barbara

 

[Georgia]

Questions

Questions

Hi! We're not picky. I think most folks just keep adding to the original thread unless it hasn't been added to recently. Sometimes I think a person can get too many going and on different forums. Can get confusing. And it doesn't take much to confuse some of us.

I washed my own hair in the shower the day I got out of the hospital, so yes, you can reach the top of your head. And I don't remember my arm movements being particularly restricted as long as I took my painkillers. Actually, the more you move your arms (within reason) the better, because it really helps the shoulder/upperback/neck pain that results from the surgery.

And while I think of it, you'll want someone available to massage your back and neck and shoulders for a while. My husband rubbed my back 2 - 3 times per day; some folks have professional masseuses (massice?) come in. The pain you get from cramping muscles can be quite distressing and can even break through the pain meds. The massage will pretty much eliminate it. It's amazing.

Keep asking, and now that you're retired, take some time to read old threads. We might forget something.

 

[Ross]

Barbara don't worry about starting another thread. It's actually a different question, so it seems to be the best thing to do. If you make a boo boo, I can always make adjustments.

The breathing excercises-You'll get a Spirometer in the hospital which will be set to a certain degree of difficulty. You have to raise and hold the ball in it for X amount of seconds, so many times per hour. This keeps your lungs from developing pneumonia and helps get you to breath deep.

 

[ccrawford]

Barbara- There may be several types of spirometers. The one I was given measured inhalation volume.The surgery and the anesthetic they give you tends to want to make your lungs lazy and unable to take a full breath. The spirometer is typically set at one half your max inhalation volume before surgery by your respiration therapist. After surgery, you will be using the spirometer to try to take the deepest breath you can several times a day after first exhaling all the air you can. Most people can get back to the 50% level in a few days. It can take a month or more however, to get back to 100%. Aerobic excercise, of course, will help you reach this goal. Hope this helps. Chris

 

[ALCapshaw2]

I STRONGLY recommend pushing the Breathing Exercises as much and as often as you can. Originally, I was given a 'normal' schedule but my one of my lungs did not fully inflate and then fluid settled in the cavity between the lung and my chest wall. I was 'then' told to do the exercises for 10 minutes continuously every two hours. I pushed until I could 'feel' the fluids being squeezed out (minor discomfort level). This GREATLY improved my breathing capacity.

Three weeks after a previous ByPass Surgery, I developed 'walking pneumonia'. I often wonder if that setback could have been prevented by a more agressive breathing exercise routine.

You may want to visit the hospital or ask your surgeon if he has a handout with recommended exercises. A vibrating massager is a useful tool in case your caretaker(s) are not skilled in massage. Massage works a LOT faster (and often better) than pain pills when a muscle cramp 'gets your attention'. :-(


When it comes to NEW questions, I believe you will get more responses if you start a new thread. Including an accurate description of the topic makes it easier to for others to find when searching through the archives.

'AL'

 

[Barbara]

thanks for the info - I didn't know what it was all about - I ran across it reading some of the posts - I
know I read this also somewhere -but don't remember - how long beforre you can walkup a flight of stairs? - my shower is on the second floor - how did anyone manage that?
I plan to sleep in a recliner on the 1st fl -
Barbara

 

[ccrawford]

Climbing stairs

Climbing stairs

Hi again Barbara - I got out of the hospital on the 4th day after surgery and spent the night at my daughters house. I slept in her second floor bedroom. It may take awhile to climb the stairs, but you can do it if you want to-just go easy for awhile. Your body will tell you when to slow down-usually. Chris

 

[Georgia]

I was given a spirometer prior to entering the hospital and was advised to start using it a couple of days prior to surgery so that I'd be used to it. As foggy as I was after surgery it was probably a good idea. The practice also helped me to learn to breathe slowly, etc.

And I think everyone here is right about breathing more often than they tell you. I used the spirometer more often than I was told - every time I woke up in the middle of the night I worked on it, for instance. Then I found this site and the advice to breathe ten times every hour. Started doing that and reached goal very shortly.

Stairs - boy, I'd be careful and not even try without someone there who's strong enough to help you. And be particularly careful coming down after a shower for the first week or two - you tend to get a bit dizzy. I had a two-step plastic stool in the shower so I could stay in a nice long time and not get light-headed.

 

[Barbara]

Hi all -
thanks again got the advice - I am going for the pre-admit exam tommorrow and will ask about the breathing machine - see if they will let me have one -
also will wach the stairs - prob go up -shower-stay up for a while - my computer is up here - Hopefully check in here - and get all rested before the trek down
I do expect to be PERFECTLY fine after the surgery -plan to just get up and walk out right after they're done - (I have an extremely active denial system)
Think good thoughts -
Barbara

 

[Freddie24]

Yes - the spirometer is an absolute must. I actually enjoyed it (kind of) because it made me feel like I was actually doing something to hasten my recovery, not just lying around, waiting to heal. It's a bit unsettling the first few times as you begin to expand your chest after surgery, but it's a necessary evil, and once you get used to it, it's not bad at all.

Best of luck!

 

[fyrfytr]

Hey Barbara,
Best of Luck with everything. You going to be amazed at how well you feel after surgery and you have to remember not to over do it. You will not have a problem putting your arms over your head. Also remember to use your breathing device often. Also remember to walk often and nap often. Again Best of Luck and keep up posted.

Dave

Keep your fires small!
___________________________________
Surgery: 4/21/03
Aortic Aneurysm Repair
AVR, with a St. Jude Mechanical valve.