Question:
HAS ANYONE EVER HAD TO COME HOME ON OXEGYN BECAUSE OF LOW BLOOD GAS LEVEL

MY SURGERY DONE ON 05-15-02, AFTER SURGERY I DID THE NORM MOST PEOPLE SLIGHT FEVER AND BREATHING TREATMENTS BECAUSE OF SLIGHT ASTHMA, BUT MY O2 WOULD NOT RISE I GOT OUT OF BREATH REALLY BAD THE FIRST DAY OR TWO GETTING OUT OF BED AT HOSPITAL AND THEY DID XRAYS AND FOUND SMALL LITTLE COLLAPSES{ASCECTILITIS} SPELLED WRONG: NO PNEUMONIA BUT I HAD TO GO HOME AT 6 DAY POST OP ON 2 LITTER OF O2 AND FEEL PRETTY GOOD EXCEPT STUCK WITH O2 AND CANT DO ANYTHING. I DO DEEP BREATHING BUT NOTHING COMES UP. SOMEBODY PLEASE GIVE ME SOME ADVICE ON HOW TO DEEP BREATHE GOOD ENOUGH TO POP OPEN BOTTOM PART OF LUNGS. THANKS ANGIE    — ANGIE M. (posted on May 24, 2002)

May 24, 2002
Hi. Did your doctor give you an incentive spirometer to use following surgery? This is used for deep breathing and should be used every 1-2 hours, 10 breaths each time. You can also do slow, deep breaths on your own without using the spirometer. Good luck!
   — Paulette W.

May 25, 2002
Hi, in answer to your question, I personally did not have this problem but I am a nurse and thought I would share my experience on this. Did they teach you to use a pillow to hold against your abdomen when you take a deep breath and do you cough real good and hard afterwards? Also the incentive spirometer is a little device that kind of makes you take a deep breath. Also getting up and moving---walking or otherwise really helps. Best of luck to you!!
   — Cory F.