Eye Surgery and Postural Drainage
Posted , 4 users are following.
I have BX and have been doing my postural drainage for nearly 40 years now. As my lower lobes are the most affected I tip down off the sofa putting my head on a cushion. This has worked so well for me, but as I am having cataract eye surgery later this week I have been told that I will not be able to do the drainage this way for 2 weeks, I am really worried about this. I have tried doing drainage lying on the bed, but this has never got the kind of result as with the tipping off the sofa.I take nebulised medications each day and will continue with this. Has anyone like me with severe BX had eye surgery, I would love to hear from you, also if anyone can help and advise I would love to hear from you too.
0 likes, 8 replies
aitarg35939 stellaclark
Posted
Ask the nurse/doc/surgeon where they'll do procedures whether you can have your (upright) chest pounded during that first 2 weeks post-surg. If yes, line someone up to do this for you. I can reach behind and & up well enough to do this sometimes myself.
stellaclark aitarg35939
Posted
Aitarg, thank you for your reply. You are right in making the point that it is important to keep the mucus coming up. I am good at doing my own pounding , so will keep this in mind. One day I may be able to own one of those special vests, which they say are equal to 8 pairs of hands working at the same time.
dancing_queen stellaclark
Posted
Hi there
Firstly, I hope your eye surgery goes well, which I'm sure it will.
Have you tried a Flutter or Acapella? You can get these from the internet but you may also be able to get one from your GP. These can be used in any position, so you could sit up and use either. They help to loosen all the phlegm prior to coughing so you don't strain so much either, which will be better for you after surgery.
Best of luck.
stellaclark dancing_queen
Posted
Thank you dancing-queen, Yes I have thought about a flutter but not yet got one, so may be this is the time. Keeping the phlegm loose is a must so it can easily be coughed up.
aitarg35939 stellaclark
Posted
All of these suggestions, from pounding on the chest to flutter/acapella, need to be cleared with the eye surgeon. One of my aunts went blind in one eye because she disobeyed the post-surgical restrictions she was given.
stellaclark aitarg35939
Posted
I will be making the eye surgeon aware of my situation. I will follow his advice. My Chest Clinic Doctor has given me some strong oral antibiotics to take along with my regular nebulised medication . Thank you for your concern.
John_N_B stellaclark
Posted
I was given a new technique for postural drainage by the physio at UCH last year, and it works really well.
You don't tip yourself upside down (she said this causes heartburn) You sit up or lay down flat.
It works well for me, and is much easier than the other methods.
Best wishes.
John
stellaclark John_N_B
Posted
Hi John, I was interested to hear what you had to say and I'm going to try it today.
I had my eye surgery many weeks ago now and my lungs didn't suffer too much for the two weeks when I was unable to do the drainage in my usual way. I had my sputum cup next to me and decided that I was going to fill it to the same level as it usually is. I slumped down in the bed strait after lunch and as it was heavy on my chest it made me cough and I got quite a lot up, then many times in the day I lay on my side and used the breathing technique then got more up. It was an all day thing but it got me through.
Thanks John for taking the time to reply. Stella