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Incessant dry cough 10 weeks out from Ivor Lewis
My husband had Ivor Lewis on May 28th. He had so many complications post surgery that it's a miracle he's still alive. He had 3 leaks which thankfully have finally healed as of 2 weeks ago, but upon removing the stents he got an increasing and incessant dry cough. The surgeon didn't have any answers as to the cause. It's very exhausting for him and hindering his recovery. Is dry cough a known symptom after surgery? Also, he's still sleeping 18-20 hours a day. It's so hard to watch him after all of this time not getting any energy back.
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Good evening @hockey
My husband had the same surgery. It took place at the end of January. The coughing is bad, but definitely not as bad as it was for the first 3 months. Certain foods triggered the cough. He has "Dumping episodes" but it is getting better as well. I would love to chat with you. As caregivers, it gets to the point where it is really difficult watching the man you care so much about, suffering. Where did he have the surgery?
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2 Reactions10 year post Ivor Lewis. "Esophagectomy"
Coughing is normal for me to this day, but nothing like it was back in the beginning. Certain foods set it off by producing more mucus than others, everyone's pallet is different. It takes hard coughs to clear myself at times. "RABEPRAZOLE" is a medicine I take that helps with mucus, 20mg at night. It helps me when laying at 30°. Less coughing = better sleep. Even if I can only eat a 1/3 at a time, and they produce the worst mucus for me. I'd rather cough than give up eating, Hamburgers.
I wish you the best in recovery, stay strong, and peace to you and yours.
10yearDave
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1 ReactionHey there, my father had a leak as well, he had two stents in place for a few months and didn’t have any drink or food by mouth for 3.5 months.
I’m wondering how your husband is doing? Any thing you can share? It’s really hard to watch.
I am seven years past my esophagectomy I never had a dilation. I've been told that the coughing is like reflux and it's very important to chew food until it's water in your mouth and take a very very long time to eat each meal maybe 35 to 55 minutes. Lying down even if your head elevated is very bad. It's very important to get up after a meal and walk because food only goes down by gravity and if it doesn't go down, they'll be reflux episodes so small then it causes coughing that's what I've been told. It would be good if your husband worked with a nutritionist I use brooke.bussard@gmail.com. She is my fifth nutritionist and she is a doctor nutritionist who I see on FaceTime for half an hour every two weeks I'm not covered but it's well worth the money cause I can get unlimited texts. I'm sure there's a nutritionist that your cancer center it's vital that your husband get up and move lying down for all those hours does not help food move. It's not good for his emotional state either. It's important to exercise every day even if it's minor exercise and walk after every meal and drink a lot of water at least I have to an hour after he's eaten food not with food if he can't tolerate regular food and he won't chew it to make a liquid in his mouth then I recommend liquid hope or nourish which you can get on Amazon and if you Dr call the manufacturing company they might send you free samples. I got my insurance company to cover the cost for 15 days when I was in the hospital in 15 days after, but I had to appeal three times with doctors notes liquid hope does not have any onions or milk products in it or any chemicals or any artificial sweeteners all things that could make a person with an esophagectomy very, very sick I hope I hope you will confirm all this with your oncologist, surgeon. I found most don't know. I think it's important to eat all organic and no processed food no chocolate, no caffeine no alcohol and nothing with artificial sweeteners. He should check all his medication because some inactive ingredients are sorbitol poly sorbate 80, Manitol, and lactose which could all cause bowel problems. Do not suck on candy as sugar is bad and non sugar candy has many irritants in them.
I had an Esophagectomy nine months ago. A few weeks after the surgery, I developed a dry cough that was constant and exhausting. I contacted my lead surgeon and she ordered a CT scan. It showed that there was a substantial amount of fluid surrounding my left lung. I was re-admitted to the hospital, and a drain was placed in my side. Over the next two days more than 800 ml of fluid was drained out. The coughing stopped almost immediately and has never returned. Is it possible you have a similar situation going on?