Coughing - and now open incision

Luvs24
Luvs24 Member Posts: 75
in Esophageal Cancer #1
I am back in NH and not with my dad anymore. :( Thankfully my very capable mom is doing great at all she can do.
A little background:
Dad's Ivor Lewis Surgery was done robotically in the Moffit Center - Tampa on 10/07/11.
The feeding tube was removed about 10 days after surgery but the incision took FOREVER, well maybe just about 4 weeks. It finally did heal and dad could get to the pool.
He was told he could eat ANYTHING. He did.

About 3 weeks ago he stopped being able to eat anything. Come to find out his Pyloric Valve didn't let all the food through so it was just binding up in his stomach. Now he is on a liquid "diet" until Dec 14th (the only next available date for the endoscopy) in hopes his stomach would have emptied out by then. (Frustrated that he wasn't told to eat soft foods first and limit the dairy, but that is another story.)

About 2 weeks ago he started to have a cough. Mom picked up a cold so we attributed it to that, but Mucinex or other liquid cough meds hadn't worked. But we have just shrugged to say it is just his system not being able to digest the medicine. However I am remember reading things about coughs but can't seem to find the related threads. Is there something else we should ask the doctor where the cough is coming from?

So Sunday, two days ago, his incision has opened up and he will be seeing a wound specialist on Wednesday. Is there any red flags that this is triggering to anyone or sounding familiar to anyone?

Thank you!
Beth

Comments

  • paul61
    paul61 Member Posts: 1,392 Member
    #2
    Cough after surgery
    Beth,

    I had a cough that lasted about a month after surgery. I had Ivor Lewis surgery. It seemed to be the worst after I went to bed, or maybe it just seemed that way because I was trying to sleep. It seems to be relatively common because I have seen other people discuss having a cough for a month or so after surgery. Mine got better on its own after about six weeks.

    As far as the open incision, I am afraid I have no suggestions about that. I did have a large incision in my back that took a very long time to heal because it became infected in the hospital and had to be re-opened. In my case in order to accelerate the healing process they used a product called a "wound vac". It kept a constant vacuum on the wound and it was amazing how fast it closed with that product.

    Best Regards,

    Paul Adams
    McCormick, South Carolina

    DX 10/22/2009 T2N1M0 Stage IIB
    12/03/2009 Ivor Lewis
    2/8 through 6/14/2010 Adjuvant Chemo Cisplatin, Epirubicin, 5 FU
    Two year survivor

    Life may not be the party we hoped for, but while we are here we might as well dance!
  • sandy1943
    sandy1943 Member Posts: 824
    #3
    I also had the Ivor Lewis
    I also had the Ivor Lewis and had a bad cough. My surgery was in May, so we were using air. I would sit in front of the vent and the blowing air would help control the cough. The doctor prescribed a cough med. with codeine which helped a little.
    It eventually went away, but I don't remember how long it took.,
    Sandra
  • suezque1214
    suezque1214 Member Posts: 15
    #4
    Cough and open incision
    Beth,
    My understanding is that lots of EC patients develop the cough. My husband had MIE on August 31, 2011. He is still fighting the cough. Primary care provider prescribed tussinex. this cough developed within 3 weeks of surgery. A lot of others have needed to have esophagus stretched because of strictures. They will be able to spot the stricture when they do the endoscopy. My husbands surgeon felt sure he had a stricture, but there wasn't one and he has said the cough may be due to nerves that were cut during surgery. He also had rads prior to surgery and his radiation oncologist said that leaves some people with a cough due to damage to healthy tissue.
    I can't believe it's going to take them that long to get him in for an endo!
    The open incision is of more concern. If it opened up, it probably did not heal. This can be caused by infection, or if your dad is diabetic. If he is diabetic, then he has a compromised ability to heal. Wound clinic is a good bet, but, I would definitely want to know why it happened, especially if it appeared healed at any point.
    My heart goes out to you, expecially since you aren't able to be there with him.
    Susan
  • Luvs24
    Luvs24 Member Posts: 75
    #5
    suezque1214 said:

    Cough and open incision
    Beth,
    My understanding is that lots of EC patients develop the cough. My husband had MIE on August 31, 2011. He is still fighting the cough. Primary care provider prescribed tussinex. this cough developed within 3 weeks of surgery. A lot of others have needed to have esophagus stretched because of strictures. They will be able to spot the stricture when they do the endoscopy. My husbands surgeon felt sure he had a stricture, but there wasn't one and he has said the cough may be due to nerves that were cut during surgery. He also had rads prior to surgery and his radiation oncologist said that leaves some people with a cough due to damage to healthy tissue.
    I can't believe it's going to take them that long to get him in for an endo!
    The open incision is of more concern. If it opened up, it probably did not heal. This can be caused by infection, or if your dad is diabetic. If he is diabetic, then he has a compromised ability to heal. Wound clinic is a good bet, but, I would definitely want to know why it happened, especially if it appeared healed at any point.
    My heart goes out to you, expecially since you aren't able to be there with him.
    Susan

    Wound Care on Friday now
    Dad was suppose to go yesterday to have it looked at, but it was postponed until Friday. SOOOOO Frustrating!
    My mom is convinced it is just due to the cold that she brought home, but I am still not convinced since he is not stuffed up, it is just a cough. But, time will tell.
    Dad is not diabetic. It took a lot longer for the wound to heal than they thought it would. They said he would be in the pool by the time my sister left (Oct 24, about 10 days after the tube was removed). It didn't happen until 10 (maybe even 14 days AFTER that...) No one was concerned though.
    His temperature rose at night, but was normal throughout the day.
    It had healed. My sister thinks maybe it abscessed? I will be looking up that information today as I have no clue what that means, other than it is like a big blister inside.
    Thank you Susan, I really miss not being there with them. I treasured the time with him and my mom. I know he watches the Price is Right so if I get to see it I will text him and make a comment about who is being shown. Just so he knows I am thinking of him.
    Every day is something "different". There are so many frustrations because we feel like we are just fumbling through and are scared that we will do something wrong. I have learned (from the site and all the caring people on here), you just have to do what is best for you, keep asking the questions and share you thoughts and fears. And if you learn things that make the "new normal" better, BONUS!

    God Bless and thank you all for being with me through this journey. I am sorry for the circumstances that brought us together, but so grateful for everyone's posts, concerns and prayers.

    Beth

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