coughing, coughing and more coughing

Help, again!
I am 3 weeks post op had a LAVH and I am coughing up a storm. I called my doctor (this started happening on Monday) and nurse told me to go to ER. ER ran tests, did ultrasound on my leg and CT scan...nothing. ER doc prescribed coughing medicine with narcotic in it to help relax me. I am still coughing and I talked to a nurse friend of mine and she said that it could be caused by being immobile, laying down and not getting enough fresh air and not enough walking around. Have any of you experienced this? It's sort of like asthma (never had it) but when I take a breath in a feel an urgent need to cough. My upper back is so tense and sore and my chest is sore from coughing (not to mention my belly!) Please advise on your experience and what would you do? Just wait it out? Just a part of recovery? I have not been completely immobile...trying to get out and run errands and move but sometimes hard because I'm still tired from surgery. Please give any advise or experience from this.

Thanks you guys have been a wealth of information and help!

I have no help im sorry. That is so awfull that your coughing like that, I cant imagine. I puked my first 15 hrs out of surgery and the pain was so bad I thaught It was going to kill me. coughing is one of the many things I avoid!!

bumping to the top to get help and/or advice.

I had that exact same thing 1 week post-op (I'm 3.5 weeks out now). Mine eventually went away on it's own but I have did start walking a little every morning outside so maybe that did it. I also avoided everything that caused congestion like dairy, eggs and believe it or not, orange juice.

I just noticed your quote...I love it!!! I will have to write that down for my daughters!

I was pretty sick with a cough right after my surgery and what helped me was pushing my tummy pillow as hard as I could stand against my stomach while I was coughing. For some reason it didn't hurt as much.
Could it be allergies, maybe try Benedryl (sp), my dd has allergies and she coughs alot like that during the season change.
Good luck and I hope you feel better soon!!!

I went into coughing spasms once as a reaction to a med I was on... that might be a problem...

If it is a back of the throat type of tickle - take a little bit of Vicks Vaporub and dab your pinky in it... then rub it on the just inside of your ear... not too thick - but it can help to get to the tickle...

Hugs!

Shauna

Hi!

If your upper back in sore it sounds like the anesthesia has settled there from not taking deep breaths with the spirometer that the hospital gives you and not walking enough.

I have had this before with another surgery. The only thing that relieved the pain was to have my nephew give me karate chops to loosen everything up.

Good luck!