mucinex

My dr office is closed or I'd call there but I started getting a cold like the day after my surgery coughing up crud and now 4 days post op I'm coughing alot now and it feels like it's all settling in my lungs and not moving anymore. I really don't want to end up with pneumonia, I'm doing my incentive spirometer but wishing I could take some mucinex to help thin the crud in my lungs so maybe I can get it moving. But I know mucinex thins secretions I'd hate to take something that could interfere with my healing, like scab formation and stuff? Idk if that's possible but wish my office was open so I could ask. Anybody here know if that's ok to take?

There has to be a doctor in call you could ask. isn't there liquid mucinex as well?

As a post surgical patient, you should contact an on-call doctor just to make sure they aren't worried about your crud being something more serious that requires more intense treatment than Mucinex.  As you said, you don't want pneumonia. 

Plain Mucinex is guiafenesin which under normal cir****tances isn't known to interfere with healing.  I have never heard of it being avoided in post surgical patients but honestly, I am not around a lot of post surgical patients except myself.  

I think that mucinex tabs are pretty big and I believe timed release so you wouldn't want to crush them.  But, its active ingredient is the basis of Robitussin syrup (also available otc) which would go down easier.  There are many varieties of robitussin, many with added ingredients to treat multiple symptoms.  If you want just plain guiafenesin, buy plain Robitussin (plain generic Robitussin is just as good!.)  Ask your friendly pharmacist if you aren't sure.  

~Shel

call your surgeon , pcp or go to the ER pneumonia  is very common and dangerous after surgery  someone should be in your surgeon or pcp office 24/7 they always have someone on call