Coughing aids

[SCCWS]

As I posted in my post surgery thread, I was very lucky after my avr last week. I had literally no pain and was not taking any pain meds in the hospital after the first dose. Since getting home however, the coughing which was limited the first few days after surgery has really picked up. Hospital suggested regular adult cough syrup. I was wondering in post surgery if anyone has any tips on things they used post surgery to reduce the coughing or prevent it. Tuesday I thought too much talking triggered it. Yesterday I thought it was the opposite. I have these 3--- 1-hour bouts a day where if I am not coughing, I feel like it will start up any time. Sitting up versus prone does not seem to matter either.
Any ideas are welcome

 

[SusQ]

Do they have you taking prilosec or something similar? Hubby had a lot of coughing post op and turns out the meds were causing acid reflux that didn't give him heartburn, just coughing fits. I guess its a side effect of many meds such as beta blockers. Might want to run that by your doc.

 

[SCCWS]

Do they have you taking prilosec or something similar? Hubby had a lot of coughing post op and turns out the meds were causing acid reflux that didn't give him heartburn, just coughing fits. I guess its a side effect of many meds such as beta blockers. Might want to run that by your doc.

Susq: You may be on to something. I was put on a beta-blocker but not priolsec or similiar. I never get heartburn taking/eating anything maybe the coughing is the side effect for me. I will pursue it. Thanks

 

[Jkm7]

Have you spoken with your Primary Care or Cardio? What is the cause of your cough...... important to know why you are coughing so much. I so hope you are able to get some help. You sound very uncomfortable and suffering from it. Seek all the help you can get. This is not totally unusual but many (most) of us get through post op without such severe coughing.

Let us know how you are doing.

 

[epstns]

I, too, had nasty bouts of coughing after surgery. The doc prescribed tussalon pearls (little pearl-shaped capsules of a cough suppressant) along, finally, with a codeine-based cough syrup. Nothing helped, but at about 5 or 6 weeks, it just stopped. I was already taking Prilosec, so reflux wasn't the cause. Never did find out.

 

[SCCWS]

Well Doc sent me for A Chest X-Ray in case of fluid. Another possibilty is that the breathing tube irratated a spot that is now very sensitive. So I will stay on cough syrup days, pain killers at night, and a ton of hugs on the coughing pillows they issue.

 

[Fundy]

If the cough is related to discomfort in your throat maybe pain meds would help. I took 2mg dilaudid every 4-8 hours for first five or six weeks. Each time after pill as time neared somewhere in the 4-8 hours my throat was very uncomfortable,even painful early on. The dilaudid helped alot in removing any discomfort.