Can't Stop Coughing!

wobin · June 11, 2008

I was banded on 6/5 and I feel like I am having a rough go...my newest thing is coughing. It started last night, after my walk, and since this morning I have done nothing but cough. Very irritating when I am working. Anyone else have this? I called the nurse and unless I have a fever they don't think it is a big deal. Any advice?

Cadets71 · June 11, 2008

Wobin,

I was also banded on June 5th and I have had a cough everyday; seems to come in spurts. The first few days it felt like a cough when you get a little chest cold. Now it feels like a tickly cough. I just saw my Dr for my post-op visit and he said it is probably residual tracheal irritation from the endo tracheal tube during surgery.

Several people on the site have recommended keeping cough drops around.

Hope it gets better for you!

aubrie · June 11, 2008

Yes, that cough after surgery is not uncommon. It's good to try to cough that stuff up though. You don't want prolonged congestion or leave yourself open to pnuemonia. Did they give you the little breathing contraption at your pre-op to work with before and after surgery? I was very consistant with mine, breathing deep into it and trying to get the little pointer to get to the right place. It was hard after surgery, but expanding the lungs during pre - op helped.

nmh0604 · June 11, 2008

I had sort of the same problem except with sneezing. My allergies were really horrible with all of the rain that we just got. The only thing that helped me was allergy and to make sure I had a pillow near by to put over my stomach, lightly press into your stomach, and cushioned the sneeze/cough. I learned this in nursing school for patients, like us, who had abdomin operations. Also if you put the pillow over your abdomin and take a deep breath and then cough it should help. Hopw this helps!