Incision burning, can't laugh or cough

Hi, I am new here. Had my surgery June 9th, TAH by abdominal incision. I am home now and feeling pretty good, but my incision burns if I walk too much, and I definitely can't laugh or cough, it hurts too much! I'm not on pain meds except for extra strength Tylenol when it gets too sore. Is anyone else's incision burning? when will I be able to laugh again???

thanks, it's been nice to find this community!

I had a TAH on May 6th, and I still get muscular pain when I laugh or cough. I have to support my tummy with my hands when I know something's coming lol. it just must take those muscles awhile to heal.

Good luck to you!!

LOL, beware the comedians, funny movies, and indiscreet moments when you're caught passing gas!!! (don't laugh!!)

i hope you'll feel better soon. it was SO hard for me to get deep breaths when i was one week post-op. that took awhile, along with straighter posture. (about 10-14 days both improved immensely.) both help with coughing and clearing throat -- so i couldn't do either effectively, or without serious pain. practice closing your mouth, and inhaling through your nose, nice and slow and even, and often! this will help. laughter was a killer! avoid it all costs -- which is hopefully impossible, so just grab your belly and hang on. you'll be encouraged as the days go on that you can measure your progress by stronger coughs, longer laughs, and soon enough, even a sneeze! (i was fortunate -- first sneeze was not until my second post-op week, and even then, it hurt like h***!)

btw, i had a hard time not coughing my first week -- between dust and dry throat. i savored peppermint candies to soothe and create secretions deeper in my throat to ease my irritation. i think i've gone through 5 packs of mentos so far!!

hope this is helpful, and hang in there. feel better soon! do NOT watch Mr. Bean on youtube until at least your first post-op checkup!!

Hi Homeschooler- I was told by doctor the burning sensation is normal and will eventually. I also had a TAH and was told that the burning sensation was due to the nerves reacting. ALSO I am sure you will see that all of us have had issues with laughing and coughing.

I found it is helpful to hold my belly when I cough or sneeze. You will feel better soon so hang in there.

Hey, I can cough or sneeze while walking now. So I've made some progress. But a hard sneeze or laughing is painful. The more I remind my DH and DS the more they tell jokes. So I'm always holding a pillow to my tummy and trying not to laugh. Hopefully, it will get better soon.

I also had a TAH on June 9th! I feel the burning sensation too...and also wondered about it...if felt like I was popping a staple! But I'd get a little mirror and check my incision and all looks pretty good! I also heard that it was normal for the burning feeling, that it was just your nerves sorta coming back to life. I dont know about you, but my belly is still pretty numb around my incision. I go to get my staples out tomorrow, so hopefully the numbness will make it so it wont hurt lol. Good luck with your recovery!!!

Incision burning - at 8 weeks still sometimes get it but it took 6-7 weeks for it not to be a problem. Everyone is different.

Coughing - best thing is to sit up, hold a pillow to your incision area and take a deep breath then cough. Almost painless! It is much better if you take a deep breath first!

Thanks for your replies everyone! Wap, you made me laugh!!! And geeze, I didn't even think about sneezing, that would be BRUTAL!
Madison.....they took my staples out yesterday, I was terrified! But in the end it was really not bad at all, and I actually think if I had not been so nervous, it would have been even easier. I did ask for Tylenol a half hour before. The first one hurt just a bit, the second I didn't even feel, and the others were okay after that because I realized that it wasn't so bad.
Thanks for the advice everyone, I'll have to have a pillow with me at all times!

YES YES YES I FEEL YA GIRL...the laughing, the coughing and the sneezing especially if you are a hard sneezer...OH MY SWEET JESUS...hellified pain...i cannot sugarcoat it honey...it hurt! HOWEVER, i'd take all the hurt in the world than go through what i have been going through the last couplle of years...pure misery...now i have a new outlook on life and feel like i got my life back...i hurt everyday and bled days on end...just plain misery...they took a six and a half lb uterus loaded with fibroids out of me...so now do you understand...i am a new woman...and after exercising iim gonna show nuff be all dat and a bag of chips! believe that!

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Thanks for the advice everyone, I'll have to have a pillow with me at all times!

...and don't forget to keep the tissues nearby for dabbing tears streaming down your face while you're begging for mercy, "don't make me laugh!!"