Spirometer
- Thread starter Mom2izzy
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Boston Tiger
Well-known member
Remember what you've said about me before? Well here's another -- I didn't have to use one of those in the hospital. My lungs worked perfectly from when I came to in the ICU, and I was breathing easier than I had been for weeks before the surgery. I was able to draw long deep breathes whenever the doctors or nurses asked, although one of the doctors chastised me for clearing my throat rather than coughing when he asked me to cough. So I just gave my pillow a big hug and gave him the full cough he asked for. But I'm really glad he didn't ask me to sneeze!
Normally, the IC (Inspiratory capacity) for adults should be about 3000 ml. Here is an article that is a lot more clear than others if you wish to see how the values are calculated. A number of things might be temporarily reducing your capacity including tension caused by the anxiety of not reaching 3000 ml. IC is also effected by your body size, your current health and most certainly by your past. Smokers will usually fall below the expected value and it may take some time for former smokers to return to normal. If the state of your heart is causing congestive heart failure, lung capacity can be reduced. You can only know why your own capacity seems to be limited by checking with your doctor.
Larry
http://www.unboundmedicine.com/nursingcentral/ub/view/Davis-Lab-and-Diagnostic-Tests/425095/all/Pulmonary_Function_Studies
Larry
http://www.unboundmedicine.com/nursingcentral/ub/view/Davis-Lab-and-Diagnostic-Tests/425095/all/Pulmonary_Function_Studies
Why are you concerned about your spirometer PRE-surgery? I could barely breathe at all before surgery, and
immediately after surgery I noticed that taking a breath was suddenly so easy.
TOTALY agree with this
I guess I thought I was trying to determine a baseline...something to strive for coming out of surgery. I have never thought I was "symptomatic" but maybe I am.
Just as additional notes: I'm about 5'5", 140ish lbs. I am a former smoker, but quit just over 4 years ago now. I pretty much never push any type of exercise to the point of being out of breath...mainly because I'm just that lazy.
Tom Berning
Active member
Good for you for practicing! I didn't realize until about 4 or 5 days post surgery that there was some technique involved in using the #@$& thing 
. I wouldn't get to hung up over the number, it'll give you something to shoot for after surgery.
Tom
. I wouldn't get to hung up over the number, it'll give you something to shoot for after surgery.Tom
N
Nancy jane
Wow. How d u even get one of those things ahead of time ? I had left mine at hospital thinking no big deal will pick one
Up at Walgreen s. NOT. They don't sell em. But my husband went back & picked one up for me So all ready now.
Suppose to help you "not" get pneumonia So I'm doing it ! Feeling good folks ! Hoping &praying all goes well for next group. Warmly. Nancy Jane. St Louis 2-9. Avr. Over !!
Up at Walgreen s. NOT. They don't sell em. But my husband went back & picked one up for me So all ready now.
Suppose to help you "not" get pneumonia So I'm doing it ! Feeling good folks ! Hoping &praying all goes well for next group. Warmly. Nancy Jane. St Louis 2-9. Avr. Over !!
bradvo
Well-known member
Ovie
Well-known member
Ugh. I'm/was a smoker..this will not be fun for me, my lungs are awful, even though my chest X-Rays are always fine, last time I had to do a breathing test, it was embarrassing. The nurse looked at me like "are you serious?". It was a hose connected to a computer and a little animation of a fireman with a hose trying to put out a fire. To say the least, I wasn't able to save the building from the flames
Ugh. I'm/was a smoker..this will not be fun for me, my lungs are awful, even though my chest X-Rays are always fine, last time I had to do a breathing test, it was embarrassing. The nurse looked at me like "are you serious?". It was a hose connected to a computer and a little animation of a fireman with a hose trying to put out a fire. To say the least, I wasn't able to save the building from the flames
Ovie, have you gotten your spirometer yet? It's different than what I expected...I've also had some embarrassing moments with breathing tests (back when I was smoking), but that was a test where they stood at my ear yelling "blow, blow, blow" and you blew as long and hard as you could. For this it's more of a controlled inhale.
Nancy...I got my spirometer to practice with at my pre-op appointment when they did the chest X-ray, blood testing, EKG, etc.
Ovie
Well-known member
Haha, I've had those to, I haven't got mind yet, I have all my pre op meetings day before so I imagine they'll give me it than? Or after surgery, not sure. Is that the tube like device with a ball in it that you try and keep level for a certain amount of time?
Ovie
Well-known member
I defiantly know I have problems breathing, and although a previous smoker, I can tell the 2 differences, it's very difficult for me to take a deep breath in and feel like I'm even really inhaling anything, so I try and breath harder and it just ends up making me lightheaded. Even with the smoking, I could tell something wasn't right, which actually led me to the cardio and eventually finding out I needed surgery.
Yep...you try to keep the little thing (not a ball on mine, but could be I guess) in a range.
Can you tell that I'm super excited to get to answer some questions here instead of just asking?
Boston Tiger
Well-known member
I knew when I discovered that I was having trouble breathing when tasks that I thought were normal (pulling a carry-on through an airport or to the hotel, walking and talking at the same time, or even walking a half mile to the lunch place) caused me to get out of breath. Heck, even talking on the phone became tough in the last week or two leading up to my surgery. I never knew how much of that breathlessness was due to simple nerves versus problems from my severe regurgitation, but the difference when I came to in the ICU was night and day. That made it a little bit easier to deal with any of the indignities of the hospital stay, because I knew that I was better than before.
I have noticed a little with the walking and talking and occasionally while reading a story to my daughter just after climbing the stairs. I definitely notice it with very long flights of stairs, but I just blamed that on being out of shape. Maybe I have more to look forward to than I thought.
I knew it full well.....denied it BUT KNEW IT ....could not walk down the mall on a FLAT surface without stopping and gasping now if I stop I am shopping and it is going to cost me!!!!!
;-)
I got mine after I was put in a private room.
(Fewer things to keep up with pre-op.)
(Fewer things to keep up with pre-op.)
