I had a complete thyroidectomy 9 days ago. I do have phlegm, but not coughing. I always spit the phlegm out, not swallowed.
I hope your Mom feels better soon.
Hello,
After my mother had a total thyroidectomy, her coughing started, and now it’s been 7 months, and the coughing, along with clear phlegm, still continues. During the surgery, her left vocal cord was paralyzed, but now her voice has recovered by about 80%. However, the coughing persists.
We’ve checked everything, including her lungs and acid reflux, but the doctors haven’t reached any specific conclusions and just keep telling us to wait. I’m really worried about her because she can’t sleep at night due to the coughing.
I would appreciate it if you could suggest a solution.
Hello,
After my mother had a total thyroidectomy, her coughing started, and now it’s been 7 months, and the coughing, along with clear phlegm, still continues. During the surgery, her left vocal cord was paralyzed, but now her voice has recovered by about 80%. However, the coughing persists.
We’ve checked everything, including her lungs and acid reflux, but the doctors haven’t reached any specific conclusions and just keep telling us to wait. I’m really worried about her because she can’t sleep at night due to the coughing.
I would appreciate it if you could suggest a solution.
@shohreh, I can imagine that you and your mother are worried about the coughing and what it might mean. One always leaps to the possibility of recurrence. I'm glad that her doctors have thoroughly investigated to rule out any obvious issues. But this still leaves you with fear and the cough. And you both need to have good nights' sleep to recovery and reduce stress.
Hello,
After my mother had a total thyroidectomy, her coughing started, and now it’s been 7 months, and the coughing, along with clear phlegm, still continues. During the surgery, her left vocal cord was paralyzed, but now her voice has recovered by about 80%. However, the coughing persists.
We’ve checked everything, including her lungs and acid reflux, but the doctors haven’t reached any specific conclusions and just keep telling us to wait. I’m really worried about her because she can’t sleep at night due to the coughing.
she also underwent radioiodine therapy one month after her surgery, and her white blood cell and platelet counts have dropped below normal.
Is this something to worry about?
Could the coughing be a sign of cancer recurrence or secondary cancer due to the radioiodine therapy?
I would appreciate it if you could suggest a solution.
I put a pillow under the top of my mattress and sleep with a humidifier. I also had a cough suppressant prescribed. This was for a bad cold/cough that eventually got a little better but is still lingering. I did have thyroid surgery 30 years ago and was left with 1/2 a thyroid and a diagnosis of a minute amount of papillary cancer. I used to get annual ultra scans to check for nodule growth. It's been 30 years and now I have this cough, but it has gotten better. Hope your mother gets better soon. Debbie
Hello,
After my mother had a total thyroidectomy, her coughing started, and now it’s been 7 months, and the coughing, along with clear phlegm, still continues. During the surgery, her left vocal cord was paralyzed, but now her voice has recovered by about 80%. However, the coughing persists.
We’ve checked everything, including her lungs and acid reflux, but the doctors haven’t reached any specific conclusions and just keep telling us to wait. I’m really worried about her because she can’t sleep at night due to the coughing.
she also underwent radioiodine therapy one month after her surgery, and her white blood cell and platelet counts have dropped below normal.
Is this something to worry about?
Could the coughing be a sign of cancer recurrence or secondary cancer due to the radioiodine therapy?
I would appreciate it if you could suggest a solution.
I hear your concern. This must all be so unsettling for you. Thyroid surgery affected my vocal cords as well, including some mild paralysis of a few nerves. This resulted in hoarseness and coughing for me as well.
I am assuming your mother's drs are following up on her cancer levels with blood tests etc. I would think It's a little early for a secondary one to be affecting this, but understand why that would be a concern of yours. That's normal when going thru the difficulties of cancer.
I would suggest discussing Benzonatate, Tessalon Perels with your mothers doctors. If she is able to try them, they could help. They reduce the urge to cough , but if she has swallowing issue, may not be reccommended
Additionally trying to elevate the head of her bed, so she sleeps at an angle to reduce any reflux that may be contributing to it. Or sleeping in a recliner?
Hoping it eases soon!
Hello,
After my mother had a total thyroidectomy, her coughing started, and now it’s been 7 months, and the coughing, along with clear phlegm, still continues. During the surgery, her left vocal cord was paralyzed, but now her voice has recovered by about 80%. However, the coughing persists.
We’ve checked everything, including her lungs and acid reflux, but the doctors haven’t reached any specific conclusions and just keep telling us to wait. I’m really worried about her because she can’t sleep at night due to the coughing.
she also underwent radioiodine therapy one month after her surgery, and her white blood cell and platelet counts have dropped below normal.
Is this something to worry about?
Could the coughing be a sign of cancer recurrence or secondary cancer due to the radioiodine therapy?
I would appreciate it if you could suggest a solution.
Hi,
I don’t know if the cough is a sign of anything more serious or if it is just a related issue of having throat surgery followed up by radioiodine therapy, however some things that help coughs might help bring some relief. It is very important to keep your throat moist by drinking plenty of liquids. Hot tea, water, honey, lozengers and hard candies can help sooth the throat and might help calm the coughing. Both the surgery and the follow up treatment are very harsh on a throat, and the chronic cough would be very irritating for the throat too! Soothing the throat during the day with liquids and lozengers, and maybe sleeping with a humidifier at night, might help with the coughing and aid the healing.
You might also want to consider having a videoflouroscopy to make sure the coughing isn’t related to swallowing issue. Certain consistencies might be causing residue that could be causing your mother to cough. Some people have issues with coughing after drinking the high calorie Ensure/Boost drinks because of the residue left after the swallow.
You might also want to notice if the coughing at night is related to your mother swallowing water when she brushes her teeth right before she goes to bed. If there is a delay in swallowing abilities, this could result in coughing when she lays down. (Your mother should wait at least 30 minutes before laying down, after eating or drinking.) Swallowing concerns are not always considered, however it is an easy thing to rule out as a possible cause for excessive coughing.
You might also want to check your mothers medications for side effects of coughing or swallowing concerns; many medications have dysphagia and dry throats as a side effect; the surgery might have changed her ability to manage it and it is causing the cough.
Good Luck!
Hello,
After my mother had a total thyroidectomy, her coughing started, and now it’s been 7 months, and the coughing, along with clear phlegm, still continues. During the surgery, her left vocal cord was paralyzed, but now her voice has recovered by about 80%. However, the coughing persists.
We’ve checked everything, including her lungs and acid reflux, but the doctors haven’t reached any specific conclusions and just keep telling us to wait. I’m really worried about her because she can’t sleep at night due to the coughing.
she also underwent radioiodine therapy one month after her surgery, and her white blood cell and platelet counts have dropped below normal.
Is this something to worry about?
Could the coughing be a sign of cancer recurrence or secondary cancer due to the radioiodine therapy?
I would appreciate it if you could suggest a solution.
Hello,
After my mother had a total thyroidectomy, her coughing started, and now it’s been 7 months, and the coughing, along with clear phlegm, still continues. During the surgery, her left vocal cord was paralyzed, but now her voice has recovered by about 80%. However, the coughing persists.
We’ve checked everything, including her lungs and acid reflux, but the doctors haven’t reached any specific conclusions and just keep telling us to wait. I’m really worried about her because she can’t sleep at night due to the coughing.
I would appreciate it if you could suggest a solution.
she also underwent radioiodine therapy one month after her surgery, and her white blood cell and platelet counts have dropped below normal.
Is this something to worry about?
Could the coughing be a sign of cancer recurrence or secondary cancer due to the radioiodine therapy?
Hello,
After my mother had a total thyroidectomy, her coughing started, and now it’s been 7 months, and the coughing, along with clear phlegm, still continues. During the surgery, her left vocal cord was paralyzed, but now her voice has recovered by about 80%. However, the coughing persists.
We’ve checked everything, including her lungs and acid reflux, but the doctors haven’t reached any specific conclusions and just keep telling us to wait. I’m really worried about her because she can’t sleep at night due to the coughing.
I would appreciate it if you could suggest a solution.
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I had a complete thyroidectomy 9 days ago. I do have phlegm, but not coughing. I always spit the phlegm out, not swallowed.
I hope your Mom feels better soon.
Try saline up her nose. Might break up the phlegm. Helps me in the morning.
@shohreh, I can imagine that you and your mother are worried about the coughing and what it might mean. One always leaps to the possibility of recurrence. I'm glad that her doctors have thoroughly investigated to rule out any obvious issues. But this still leaves you with fear and the cough. And you both need to have good nights' sleep to recovery and reduce stress.
You may also be interested in this related discussion:
- Thyroidectomy: Still have a constant cough 3 months later. Normal? https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/thyroidectomy-1/
Might it help for your mom to sleep slightly elevated? She could try elevating the legs of the bed slightly or adding a pillow.
I put a pillow under the top of my mattress and sleep with a humidifier. I also had a cough suppressant prescribed. This was for a bad cold/cough that eventually got a little better but is still lingering. I did have thyroid surgery 30 years ago and was left with 1/2 a thyroid and a diagnosis of a minute amount of papillary cancer. I used to get annual ultra scans to check for nodule growth. It's been 30 years and now I have this cough, but it has gotten better. Hope your mother gets better soon. Debbie
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Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionI hear your concern. This must all be so unsettling for you. Thyroid surgery affected my vocal cords as well, including some mild paralysis of a few nerves. This resulted in hoarseness and coughing for me as well.
I am assuming your mother's drs are following up on her cancer levels with blood tests etc. I would think It's a little early for a secondary one to be affecting this, but understand why that would be a concern of yours. That's normal when going thru the difficulties of cancer.
I would suggest discussing Benzonatate, Tessalon Perels with your mothers doctors. If she is able to try them, they could help. They reduce the urge to cough , but if she has swallowing issue, may not be reccommended
Additionally trying to elevate the head of her bed, so she sleeps at an angle to reduce any reflux that may be contributing to it. Or sleeping in a recliner?
Hoping it eases soon!
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 ReactionHi,
I don’t know if the cough is a sign of anything more serious or if it is just a related issue of having throat surgery followed up by radioiodine therapy, however some things that help coughs might help bring some relief. It is very important to keep your throat moist by drinking plenty of liquids. Hot tea, water, honey, lozengers and hard candies can help sooth the throat and might help calm the coughing. Both the surgery and the follow up treatment are very harsh on a throat, and the chronic cough would be very irritating for the throat too! Soothing the throat during the day with liquids and lozengers, and maybe sleeping with a humidifier at night, might help with the coughing and aid the healing.
You might also want to consider having a videoflouroscopy to make sure the coughing isn’t related to swallowing issue. Certain consistencies might be causing residue that could be causing your mother to cough. Some people have issues with coughing after drinking the high calorie Ensure/Boost drinks because of the residue left after the swallow.
You might also want to notice if the coughing at night is related to your mother swallowing water when she brushes her teeth right before she goes to bed. If there is a delay in swallowing abilities, this could result in coughing when she lays down. (Your mother should wait at least 30 minutes before laying down, after eating or drinking.) Swallowing concerns are not always considered, however it is an easy thing to rule out as a possible cause for excessive coughing.
You might also want to check your mothers medications for side effects of coughing or swallowing concerns; many medications have dysphagia and dry throats as a side effect; the surgery might have changed her ability to manage it and it is causing the cough.
Good Luck!
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Like -
Helpful -
Hug
2 ReactionsHello,
After my mother had a total thyroidectomy, her coughing started, and now it’s been 7 months, and the coughing, along with clear phlegm, still continues. During the surgery, her left vocal cord was paralyzed, but now her voice has recovered by about 80%. However, the coughing persists.
We’ve checked everything, including her lungs and acid reflux, but the doctors haven’t reached any specific conclusions and just keep telling us to wait. I’m really worried about her because she can’t sleep at night due to the coughing.
she also underwent radioiodine therapy one month after her surgery, and her white blood cell and platelet counts have dropped below normal.
Is this something to worry about?
Could the coughing be a sign of cancer recurrence or secondary cancer due to the radioiodine therapy?
I would appreciate it if you could suggest a solution.
-
Like -
Helpful -
Hug
1 Reactionshe also underwent radioiodine therapy one month after her surgery, and her white blood cell and platelet counts have dropped below normal.
Is this something to worry about?
Could the coughing be a sign of cancer recurrence or secondary cancer due to the radioiodine therapy?
Hello,
After my mother had a total thyroidectomy, her coughing started, and now it’s been 7 months, and the coughing, along with clear phlegm, still continues. During the surgery, her left vocal cord was paralyzed, but now her voice has recovered by about 80%. However, the coughing persists.
We’ve checked everything, including her lungs and acid reflux, but the doctors haven’t reached any specific conclusions and just keep telling us to wait. I’m really worried about her because she can’t sleep at night due to the coughing.
I would appreciate it if you could suggest a solution.
Hi @anna125, I'm wondering if you tried any of the helpful tips from @koh? How are you doing? How's the cough?