Ok, so my instructions while in the hospital and upon discharge were to 1) sip, sip, sip 2) walk around for 10-15 minutes at least every 3 hours 3) use my Airlife breath indicator 10x/hour and 4) cough.

Drinking, walking, using my breather - these are easily fufilled. But coughing - holy $#!t man it hurts my incisions horribly! I am using a pillow to brace myself but even a small clearing of the throat kind if cough is super painful. I was told deep breathing and coughing will open up my airways and act as a preventative of pneumonia.

Did you have to cough? How did you deal with it?

Gotta keep coughing . Hug that pillow tight girl. It will get easier.

This might sound bad, but I didn't use that thing at all. When they told me I had to do it that many times an hour, I was like WTF??? I only did it at the hospital and they didn't make me cough.

I did use it at home, but not that many times a day. I only coughed if I needed to. Yes a pillow to support the tummy! I didn't at first in the hospital but when I got home it was necessary just to walk to get the gas out!!

Yes, the pillow...used it even when I had my dry heave fits...It helped and I mean I hugged it!!!

I was told to cough but I never did...

I just worked on breathing and never had any issues.

Sneezing hurt like hell!!!!

Make sure you are taking deep breaths (from deep in your abdomen) even when you aren't using the breathing thingy. It helps a lot. You definitely don't want pneumonia, so I would try to comply with your directions if you can. Even gentle coughing.

This might sound bad' date=' but I didn't use that thing at all. When they told me I had to do it that many times an hour, I was like WTF??? I only did it at the hospital and they didn't make me cough.[/quote']

Same here!

Coughing is just to clear the lungs, and if you do the breathing I think that is the most important thing. When you get anesthesia you breathe super low to the point that the little plural sacs in your lungs deflate and kind if stick together. Using a spirometer type device is the attempt to get those sacs filled back up. I coughed only if I had to but did the device and the deep breathing as much as possible.

Ok, so my instructions while in the hospital and upon discharge were to 1) sip, sip, sip 2) walk around for 10-15 minutes at least every 3 hours 3) use my Airlife breath indicator 10x/hour and 4) cough.

Drinking, walking, using my breather - these are easily fufilled. But coughing - holy $#!t man it hurts my incisions horribly! I am using a pillow to brace myself but even a small clearing of the throat kind if cough is super painful. I was told deep breathing and coughing will open up my airways and act as a preventative of pneumonia.

Did you have to cough? How did you deal with it?

Holy crap Batman!

Cough intentionally? Not only no but HELL no!

Where did you all get your pillows from?

Ok, so my instructions while in the hospital and upon discharge were to 1) sip, sip, sip 2) walk around for 10-15 minutes at least every 3 hours 3) use my Airlife breath indicator 10x/hour and 4) cough.

Drinking, walking, using my breather - these are easily fufilled. But coughing - holy $#!t man it hurts my incisions horribly! I am using a pillow to brace myself but even a small clearing of the throat kind if cough is super painful. I was told deep breathing and coughing will open up my airways and act as a preventative of pneumonia.

Did you have to cough? How did you deal with it?

Same way you did. Held a pillow to my tummy or leaned my big incision against a couch or upholstered chair. Coughing was so painful for the first 2 weeks. I came down with a head cold about 4 days after surgery and knew I had to get the mucus out. Walking also helps it come up along with the spirometer. Try to time your coughing with your meds if you can but honestly, it's going to hurt for awhile.