Question:
Tell me about breathing treatments.

I just visited someone in the hospital, 3 days post-op and she had to do a breathing treatment. Why do they do it and why does it take so long each time. Is it painful?    — Melissa T. (posted on August 24, 2001)

August 24, 2001
Breathing treatments are done so that pnemonia doesn't set in. The anesthia causes phlem and stuff in your lungs and after surgery you are in pain and don't want to cough it up. But you need those breathing treatments to open your lungs up again and make sure everything is working right. They aren't fun - but make sure you do them and your recovery will be much better.
   — K T.

August 24, 2001
they usually use something called albuterol in a nebulizer for the breathing treatments. This opens your lungs up allowing larger breaths to expell the anestesia from your lungs to prevent pneumonia. this is also why you will probably be given something called an incentive spirometer which you blow in and take big breaths. you don't feel the breathing treatment. Only bad part about it is they often wake you up for it *L* It takes so long because this is how long it takes the air to evaporate the liquid medication for you to breathe in.
   — paula B.

August 24, 2001
Breathing treatments are nothing. They are not painful in ANY WAY! You just breathe in medication that has been nebulized by compressed air or oxygen. It pushes the medication deep into your lungs. Babies and little children with asthma often have to have breathing treatments, so it's nothing to be concerned about. I have (had) severe asthma and used to have to (pre-op)take breathing treatments several times a day every day! It wsn't exactly fun, but no biggie. The treatments usually last between 10 and 20 minutes, although when I've had a major attack, or sometimes after surgery, they will give me a "mega treatment" with enough medication to last at least an hour. That's kind of annoying, but again, no big deal. Despite all my asthma difficulties, I had only a few treatments after my WLS and it was fine.
   — Maria H.