Chronic cough after lung surgery: What helps? Rehab?

Did you talk to the doctor? Did you see any other doctor to discuss about it? It may be a side effect of the surgery. It may stop with time going on.

Best,
Helen

Hello. I understand your concern but maybe this will help.
I have had two lung surgeries, one upper lobe lobectomy in 2020, and more recently, four months ago, a resection of upper right and lower right lobes. I too have experienced cough after surgery (I had no cough before second surgery) and have been told by my surgeon that it is the irritation of air passing through the surgical site that causes a tickle and need to cough. Like your wife, it happens more for me when I am moving and talking and breathing harder than when I am sitting quietly. I also have no cough at night when my breathing is calm. It’s unnerving because it sends you down the rabbit hole of fear, but try to stay clear on the facts of her case and realize this is simply an irritation caused by the surgery and hopefully it’ll be temporary.

I have had two VAT surgeries wedge resections (RUL, LUL). For both in the first week I coughed up stuff, cleaning out the lungs. About a month after the first surgery, I developed "congested" cough (wet cough). Mayo told me to get tested, and I had Covid, no idea how. Antiviral immediately cleared up the cough.
I don't recall a cough after the second surgery, but 3 months later I had SBRT on a different lobe. Two months after that I developed a dry cough and increased shortness of breath. That was radiation-induced pneumonitis. Apart from multifocal cancer I also have pulmonary fibrosis in the right upper lung due to the radiation treatment and in the two lower lobes due to smoking (I quit 23 years ago) .
My suggestion is to track with doctor, test for other things like Covid, Flu, RSV. and look at CT scans which can show other issues with lungs that cause coughing

You didn't say if the cough is dry or productive.

I developed a dry cough about 3 weeks after my RL lobectomy and my medical team kinda blew it off as irritation from the intubation tube, which struck me as strange as I didn't even have so much as a scratchy throat after my surgery.

A few weeks after developing the cough, I started having issues with SOB after exertion, so much that I went to the ER and was diagnosed with chylothorax. They performed a thoracentesis and removed 2 liters of fluid (chyle). After they did, my coughing immediately stopped and I remained cough-free for a few days until the fluid buildup reached the point of irritating things enough to start me coughing again.

Anyway, something to ask about

Hi Kenhorse, My wife’s cough has been non-productive. Thanks for your comments & sorry for the slow response. Best wishes.

You have been through a lot,(((Vic)))! You are in my thoughts and prayers. Sending you big hugs!

Holly

Acupuncture helped me with a persistent cough, especially when I spoke, after a lobectomy in December 2019. I started the acupuncture six weeks after the surgery; the acupunccture at first improved and then completely resolved the coughing. I had read that acupuncture is commonly used in China for coughing after a lobectomy and is usually started six weeks after the surgery.

Thanks, very sweet of you