Re: Coughing fits?

January 8, 2005

I wasn't wired, but I had a persistent cough that did not go away for

months post-op. I have always had a dry cough (since my late teens)

that flares up from time to time (forcing me out of meetings, my

colleagues wondering if I was going to die from coughing). Cough

drops and syrup didn't help.

The tubes used in surgery made it worse, I think. I would constantly

sip icy water at all hours of the day and night, just to try to cool

my throat down. I asked my surgeon about it, he sent me to an ENT

buddy of his, who put a scope down my throat and pronounced

everything just fine. I had gone at the urging of a friend whose

husband had throat cancer. I was relieved that all was well, but the

problem was still not solved.

Eventually through investigation with a respirologist, it was

diagnosed as mild cough variant asthma, and I use an inhaler twice a

day to keep it in check. I also have a different inhaler in case I

have a coughing fit, but I honestly haven't needed it (although I

sometimes use it if I'm going somewhere where I definitely don't want

to cough, it lasts for about 4 hours).

I'm not saying that's what your problem is, but I can definitely

empathise with you. It's a miserable thing to go through. Yes, I

would ask your surgeon about it. There are no dumb questions when it

comes to this sort of thing!

> For any of you that were wired, did you guys have coughing fits?

I've been

> having these coughs that really bother me, they won't go away no

matter what I

> drink. should I ask my surgeon about this?

>

> Jo

January 9, 2005

I already had my surgery this past Wednesday. The coughing fits started

after they took out my NG tube but I'll definitely be asking my OS at my app.

tomorrow. I found that leaning over my humidifier and take deep breaths helps.

Hopefully they will go away. Thanks for your advice!

Jo

<<Hi Jo,

I am just in the initial stages of my research about this surgery,

but I do think you should discuss this with your surgeon. I had

this a few years ago, and it turned out to be mild asthma. These

coughing bouts are the symptoms of it. I didn't know that asthma

frequently presents as coughing fits that do not remedy the way

other coughs do, and I had some real duzzies! I would not want to

experience them with jaw surgery!!

Go in to your PCP and describe what you are experiencing. If that

is what is decided that you have, there are several medications that

will help you with this. I am on daily Singulair (which had a

secondary benefit in that it cleared up chronic atopic dermatitis

that I have had since infancy), as well as daily asthmacort spray,

and Provintil emergency inhaler (which I only use now 2-3 times per

year). You will need to know this before surgery as some of this

takes time to build up in your system. Not long, but when coupled

with the time it takes getting in to your PCP etc it may take a few

weeks.

Take care,>>

January 9, 2005

Hi Jo,