bronchospy for partial collapsed lung

a friend of mine is going for a bronchospy following an xray showing partial collapse of the lung and ? mucus plug has anyone else this done for this reason

any advice please as she is quire worried?

anyone know about this inhaler spiriva and what its used for?

thank you

christina

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Hi,

I've had 3 Bronchoscopies, as I am in a trial for a new asthma treatment. Although I was not ill at the time, which may make a difference to your friend.

This is what happened to me. You spend all day at the hospital, and I guess your friend might have to spend the night if she is poorly afterwards. I arrived at the hospital Bronchoscopy suite in the morning, there are beds, then I was given spirometry, (which I think was for the trial). Then they put in a line in your arm, and you get an anathestic cocktail, which actually makes you feel very spaced, but still absolutely with it. Then you get wheeled on your bed into the Bronchoscopy room. You are sitting upright, with pillows supporting you. Then they spray the back of throat with some local anathestic, then they put the tube down your airway into your lungs. Sometimes that makes you cough, then they poke around inside you can watch on the tv, the inside of your lungs. I am not sure what they will actually do while inside your friend, because for me, they were shoving a microwave around. Anyway the whole thing will take about an hour, but some of your memory goes pretty Hazy. I did cough quite abit, and its not particularly pleasant, but nothing really awful.

afterwards you sleep, and you stay at the hospital for at least 5 hours. I had to take 50mgs of pred for 3 days before the treatment and 2 days afterwards to stop the lungs from protesting.

I felt pretty awful the next day, for all 3, but recovered quickly after that. One was much worse than the other two, as I was not quite so well. I suspect with your friend they may well keep her in Hospital. But as a proceedure it was not nearly as bad as I thought it was going to be. Tell her to take an ipod, and some magasines, I found the ipod great to listen to.

I hope this is helpful

RI