Surgery next week and I have a horrible cough -- reschedule or go through with it?

[Mayastone 6]

Hi Everyone –– I am due to be sleeved this Tuesday on 11/24 and I've been very sick. I've had a very, very high fever that's been difficult to control and a whole host of other issues. The worst has been coughing. I have a very dry cough and I literally have coughing fits where I can't stop. I cough constantly all day and all night. And it's not normal coughing. It's hard, dry coughing -- hacking, really. I cough so much that my abs are killing me and I wouldn't be surprised if they now find a hernia when they operate. The only thing that seems to help at all is constantly sipping Water.

I called my surgeons office to reschedule the surgery that they urged me to wait. They said the only reason they can't operate is if I have a fever and that anesthesia would cancel my surgery if I had a fever on the morning I go in. In other words, the only reason to cancel the surgery is if you have a fever -- and none of the other issues matter.

Honestly, I'm not so worried about the fever. The fever has almost gone away and I'm sure I'll be fine on Tuesday morning. My concern is the coughing. The coughing is horrible and I can't immagine what it would be like to cough incessantly after having major abdominal surgery. I feel it would just be too painful. I'm also worried about rupturing my newly sleeved stomach.

My surgeon isn't worried. He is urging me to come in and go through with the surgery if anesthesia clears me.

As a side note, they are booked through the end of the year. So they could not do my surgery until January if I reschedule. The problem is that I have already met my out-of-pocket maximum for this year. It starts over on January 1. So not doing the surgery next week is the difference between paying nothing and paying $3,000.

So, I have some incentive for going through with the surgery next week. However, I don't want to do something I will regret. If I'm going to have a horrendous recovery, it can wait -- but I'd love to be in a position to go through with it.

Does anyone have experience with coughing after surgery? Please tell me about it...

Thanks so much!

Maya

[Bufflehead 6,358]

You aren't going to rupture your stomach with coughing. If you are concerned about that, specifically ask your surgeon. Presumably you trust his/her answer, correct?

I can see that coughing would be painful after surgery. On the other hand, you'll be loaded up with opioid painkillers after surgery so it may not be as bad as you think.

If I were in your shoes, I think I would go ahead with the surgery, but you are the one who knows how sick you are and what you can tolerate. Good luck in your decision.

[RILEYSMOM22 344]

If they clear you for surgery, I would go ahead with it. You will be on great painkillers and if it is laproscopic, the coughing won't hurt anything. Good Luck!

[aclark27 4]

I was getting over just a normal cold right before my surgery. Let me tell you, it is not fun to cough with all those stitches. I never ripped any of them, but it was definitely painful. However, that being said I wouldn't put off my surgery if I had to do it all over again.

[AmyBug 38]

@@Mayastone did you end up going through with it?

My whole house is now sick, and I've started with a tickle in my throat and an awful cough. I meet with anesthesia today for pre-op testing and plan on discussing it with them, but would love to know how you made out.

My surgery is December 9, and I've been saving my FSA funds for this all year. I'm basically out of $1000 if I reschedule for next year, plus January 1st, I get new insurance, and might have to start all over again.

[Mayastone 6]

So sorry to hear that! As for me, I went in at 5am on the morning of my surgery and they canceled me on the spot. I found out when I went to my PCP later that day that my white count was 20,000, so it's a good thing we canceled. However, the actual reason they canceled was that I had taken Advil in the week prior to my surgery, which is a blood thinner. I had a fever of 104 two days in a row and was unable to bring it down with Tylenol, so I had to take Advil. My surgeon called me personally that afternoon to touch base. He said he is going to try to squeeze me in before the end of the year so I don't have to start from zero with my out-of-pocket maximum in January -- so far, however, his scheduler is telling me it'll have to be January. So, things are still in limbo for the moment, but at least I'll be healthy when this happens.

[JupiterinVirgo 846]

Coughing jags are gonna hurt like hell right after surgery!

[siddarhi 44]

Coughing, sneezing, blowing your nose, and hiccups are AWFUL right after surgery. (at least they were for me) And not to mention they make using you spirometer a pain.