Can coughing, sneezing, etc be dangerous?

LiseSeattle · 03-08-2008, 12:26 PM

I was just banded about 4 days ago. Whenever I cough, sneeze, hiccup, laugh (not doing much of that the past week), yawn, etc my stomach hurts...specifically the port side. Can doing any of these things have a negative impact on the port...such as pull a stitch? I'm afraid to clear my throat! Ugh...eeek. Even when I go to the bathroom and "push" I can feel it on my side and I'm all paranoid. Anyone else going/gone through this?
Lise

HarleyGirl · 03-08-2008, 12:31 PM

I went to a pre op appointment yesterday and they actually encouraged us to cough to clear our lungs....did show us how to hold a pillow tightly against our chest to minimize the pain.....

LiseSeattle · 03-08-2008, 12:36 PM

Ahhh - very interesting. I'm going to try the pillow technique. Thank you for your response!

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarleyGirl

I went to a pre op appointment yesterday and they actually encouraged us to cough to clear our lungs....did show us how to hold a pillow tightly against our chest to minimize the pain.....

Cocoabean · 03-08-2008, 12:42 PM

I'd hope it would take a BIG cough to rip a stitch. My port site was VERY sore for a couple of weeks. It still reminds me it is there (3 weeks post-op). I caught a chest cold right after my surgery and was a coughing fool. It hurt like heck, but all seems OK now. The hospital told me to cough for several days post-op to help clear the anesthesia gunk. So, I'd think it is not too dangerous a thing to do.

But, if you feel something is not right, don't hesitate to call your doc.

I saw my surgeon just as the cough was kicking into high gear, he was not concerned. I was given a stuffed moose at the hospital to hold against my abdomen when I coughed. It was a huge help. Now when I cough or sneeze it doesn't feel as though my innards are going to spill out through the incision.

Denise

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiseSeattle

I was just banded about 4 days ago. Whenever I cough, sneeze, hiccup, laugh (not doing much of that the past week), yawn, etc my stomach hurts...specifically the port side. Can doing any of these things have a negative impact on the port...such as pull a stitch? I'm afraid to clear my throat! Ugh...eeek. Even when I go to the bathroom and "push" I can feel it on my side and I'm all paranoid. Anyone else going/gone through this?
Lise

Jpet · 03-08-2008, 07:22 PM

About four weeks post-op, I caught the flu pretty bad and was coughing and sneezing practically constantly. I called my doctor to let him know I wouldn't be getting my first fill yet and mentioned that I was coughing a lot and sneezing. He wasn't concerned about me doing any damage.

I suppose when you think about it, coughing and sneezing uses mainly our diaphrams and lungs, but it's the muscle pain you're probably feeling. I doubt you're doing any damage, but that doesn't it mean it doesn't hurt, huh. I ended up holding my port area when I coughed and sneezed and this support helped so much.

Take care!

jennibee · 03-08-2008, 07:28 PM

I actually did do some damage by coughing/sneezing. The second night after my surgery (during one of the worse seasons for my allergies ever) I had a coughing/sneezing fit. During one rather bad spell I felt a burning right "under" my port incision. It hurt all weekend long and I got worried so I called my dr's office. The nurse told me not to worry that it's posssible but not probable that I ripped out stitches. Two months later when I went in for my first fill we discovered that my port had totally flipped over. I had to have port revision surgery and the dr. said that all four of the stitches had been pulled completely through. I am certain that things like this don't happen that often but in my case it sure did. It's only two months after port revison surgery and my port if flopping around like a dying fish again. My dr. said to grin and bear it for a little while longer as he is planning on putting in a smaller port soon anyway.

LiseSeattle · 03-08-2008, 08:37 PM

wow. stories like yours make me wonder how any of us will be able to go for more than 10 years without some sort of problem with our ports...ugh. it's like one bad cold/flu and the risk of the port flipping goes up so much higher. i wonder how they will fix this in years to come as they get more advanced with the surgery.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jennibee

I actually did do some damage by coughing/sneezing. The second night after my surgery (during one of the worse seasons for my allergies ever) I had a coughing/sneezing fit. During one rather bad spell I felt a burning right "under" my port incision. It hurt all weekend long and I got worried so I called my dr's office. The nurse told me not to worry that it's posssible but not probable that I ripped out stitches. Two months later when I went in for my first fill we discovered that my port had totally flipped over. I had to have port revision surgery and the dr. said that all four of the stitches had been pulled completely through. I am certain that things like this don't happen that often but in my case it sure did. It's only two months after port revison surgery and my port if flopping around like a dying fish again. My dr. said to grin and bear it for a little while longer as he is planning on putting in a smaller port soon anyway.