Coughing after thyroidectomy

tmwarnke
tmwarnke Member Posts: 3
edited March 2014 in Thyroid Cancer #1
Hello,

I just had my thyroid removed last Friday due to Hashimotos & goiter and found out today that there were cancer cells in it. Luckily they were small so I don't need the Chemo or Radiation treatments.

I do have one question though. Since the day I woke up I have had this nagging cough that will not go away. Has anyone else experienced this? If so how long did it last?

Comments

  • pfmerriell
    pfmerriell Member Posts: 22
    #2
    I had a second surgery
    I had a second surgery mid-July and noticed a cough. It lasted two or three weeks. I'm not noticing it now.
  • tmwarnke
    tmwarnke Member Posts: 3
    #3
    pfmerriell said:

    I had a second surgery
    I had a second surgery mid-July and noticed a cough. It lasted two or three weeks. I'm not noticing it now.

    Thank you very much. I am
    Thank you very much. I am really hoping it goes away.
  • blytheholmes
    blytheholmes Member Posts: 1
    #4
    After my second thyroid
    After my second thyroid surgery I noticed I was having to "cough" to clear my throat a lot. Especially after I ate. It just felt like something was hung in my throat, often times I didn't even realize when I kept clearing my throat until someone asked me if I was ok. Mine seems to have gotten better, that or people just stopped asking because they are used to it too. I think it may have to do with everything in that area getting used to the added scar tissue. It gets better.
  • dakaydon
    dakaydon Member Posts: 1
    #5
    Coughing After Thyroid Surgery
    Hello, I had a partial Thyroidectomy, on Monday, due to Follicular Adenocarcinoma and I too have a nagging cough that wakes me up from my sleep. I had a similiar cough prior to the surgery though. The coughing im told is due to being under general anesthsia, and having a breathing tube in my throat. I was given a breathing exercise machine and told to do deep breathing exercises to clear the mucus that accumulates because of not breathing deeply due to pain after surgery. It has helped a lot. I also take an expectorant so I wont have to cough so hard to get the mucus out. Lots of fluids, and throat lozenges help. The breathing tube really irritates the throat. My mom suggested that I gargle with salt water to help. She said sometimes surgeries can be a bit traumatic so you have to pamper your throat. I to was blessed not to have to do chemo or radiation therapy.
  • RONLAY
    RONLAY Member Posts: 2
    #6
    blytheholmes said:

    After my second thyroid
    After my second thyroid surgery I noticed I was having to "cough" to clear my throat a lot. Especially after I ate. It just felt like something was hung in my throat, often times I didn't even realize when I kept clearing my throat until someone asked me if I was ok. Mine seems to have gotten better, that or people just stopped asking because they are used to it too. I think it may have to do with everything in that area getting used to the added scar tissue. It gets better.

    POST THYROIDECTOMY
    Just had total thyroidectomy on 9/18/09. Preliminary path. report is papillary thyroid cancer. Immediately after waking up in recovery room had feeling of shortness of breath and like I couldn't get a satisfying breath. contued as i was taken to general floor. Horrible feeling like I was suffocating - did ekg/stata cxr said no hematoma all tests fine . Coughing up thick yellow mucous - difficulat to bring up , don't seem to be able to get a strong cough. Discharged yesterday, still have some shortness of breath and a lot of thick yellow mucous - difficult to clear and shortness of breath/cough worse after liquids. I still can't eat solid food and voice very hoarse. Pain not bad. Anyone else experience similar?? - would appreciate reply.
  • LBelle
    LBelle Member Posts: 42
    #7
    *cough cough* Oh boy.... *cough cough*
    I sure remember my first cough after the surgery... Thankfully my sister as a nurse was there and adviced me to press my hand on my chest and "pull" the skin up before coughing. It helped but it took me about six hours for my having full-blown cough. Instead of chewing Cepacol tablets ( I only took three tablets), I'd drink a lot of hot chocolate and it helped a lot to me. Hot chocolate milk contains a lot of calciums as well.
    My coughing lasted about a week... Drink a lot of fluids and continue to pamper yourself after surgery for about two weeks.
  • lnealley
    lnealley Member Posts: 3
    #8
    Did that come out of me??
    Hey there! I had my thyroid removed about 10 days ago. The coughing has just stopped. I had a really productive cough. Lots of phlegm (hope that didn't gross you out). I was told that coughing is healthy. It is how we ensure our lungs are clear after surgery. I drank a lot of fluids, it made it easier.
  • cgoeschel1
    cgoeschel1 Member Posts: 1
    #9
    lnealley said:

    Did that come out of me??
    Hey there! I had my thyroid removed about 10 days ago. The coughing has just stopped. I had a really productive cough. Lots of phlegm (hope that didn't gross you out). I was told that coughing is healthy. It is how we ensure our lungs are clear after surgery. I drank a lot of fluids, it made it easier.

    I just had TT two days ago
    I just had TT two days ago and I too am coughing up some yellow gunk. I've been drinking lots of fluid but it hurts to cough with my throat being so sore. I also noticed a slight inflammation that I'm assuming is normal for the trauma to the area of the neck that was worked on. I've been using my breathing machine (airlife) to keep my lungs working at capaciy. How long till the sore throat goes away? This hurts!
  • weberdns
    weberdns Member Posts: 154
    #10
    cgoeschel1 said:

    I just had TT two days ago
    I just had TT two days ago and I too am coughing up some yellow gunk. I've been drinking lots of fluid but it hurts to cough with my throat being so sore. I also noticed a slight inflammation that I'm assuming is normal for the trauma to the area of the neck that was worked on. I've been using my breathing machine (airlife) to keep my lungs working at capaciy. How long till the sore throat goes away? This hurts!

    The cough is good
    Keep drinking fluid. If you run a temperature you should call your surgeon. The sore throat is not only from the surgery but from the breathing tube as well. It will get better with time!
  • amorriso
    amorriso Member Posts: 185
    #11
    RONLAY said:

    POST THYROIDECTOMY
    Just had total thyroidectomy on 9/18/09. Preliminary path. report is papillary thyroid cancer. Immediately after waking up in recovery room had feeling of shortness of breath and like I couldn't get a satisfying breath. contued as i was taken to general floor. Horrible feeling like I was suffocating - did ekg/stata cxr said no hematoma all tests fine . Coughing up thick yellow mucous - difficulat to bring up , don't seem to be able to get a strong cough. Discharged yesterday, still have some shortness of breath and a lot of thick yellow mucous - difficult to clear and shortness of breath/cough worse after liquids. I still can't eat solid food and voice very hoarse. Pain not bad. Anyone else experience similar?? - would appreciate reply.

    Same here
    I just my thyroidectomy last week and am experiencing the same problems. I'm getting tired of spitting! I also find it worse after I eat or drink. It feels like there is always a lump of mucous in my throat. Have you found any solutions?
  • sunnyaz
    sunnyaz Member Posts: 582
    #12
    amorriso said:

    Same here
    I just my thyroidectomy last week and am experiencing the same problems. I'm getting tired of spitting! I also find it worse after I eat or drink. It feels like there is always a lump of mucous in my throat. Have you found any solutions?

    Time
    The cough and that feeling in your throat will go away with time. It took about six weeks for me.
  • Chilo1224
    Chilo1224 Member Posts: 1
    #13
    Partial thyroidectomy
    New

    Hello, i just had  a partial thyroidectomy done on monday 9/9/13  due to a large hypervascular mass found a large mass in the left lobe, maximum diameter of 3.2 cm. This is suspicious for malignancy. A smaller less vascular mass with a maximum diameter of 1.2 cm it is posterior to the dominant mass in the left lobe. There are no enlarged lymph nodes in the neck.  before surgery i had this weird cough like if i was smoking, after surgery i still have the same cough! Is that normal?

    i havent got my tesults from the surgery but anyone can tell me if could be benign and is nothing to worry about?  Thank you

Discussion Boards