Question:
I would like more details about the breathing and coughing right after surgery?

I just quit smoking a week ago and my surgery is in one week, will I have a hard time after surgery?    — toni2marie (posted on May 24, 2001)

May 24, 2001
I'm not sure what you want exactly.. just to know why you have to breath and cough after surgery? If so its to help prevent all kinds of side effects.. pnumonia etc.. you get a fluid build up if you aren't breathing regularly.. when you have surgery you are down so long and breathing becomes very shallow... I know I smoked w/ my last surgery which was my hysterectomy. I wasn't told of the coughing and breathing deep until after my surgery and I did breath as deep as I could and coughed occasionally. I can tell you I didn't take it seriously as I didn't understand the impact and after a good 2 weeks of limited movement and activity with ocasional deep breathing or coughing I found it hard to breath and for the first time in my life I was scared to death. I found it hard to breath and often felt like I wouldn't be able to. I know I will stop smoking before this procedure. I am down to a few a day.. and some days I have none. I wish you luck.
   — Dawn R.

May 24, 2001
That depends on your pulmonary health before surgery. Were you noticing the side effects of smoking (hacking and wheezing) before surgery? If so, your lungs may take more than two weeks to recover. I smoked right up til surgery and had absolutely no breathing problems...I don't promote smoking, but I just want to assure my fellow smokers that you can get through this surgery if you are in good health to begin with. Congratulations on quitting!
   — Allie B.

May 24, 2001
I am not a smoker, but I am a nurse who used to work post-op floor. I always encouraged all of my patients after surgery to take 10 deep, slow breats at least every 2 hours while awake. I also had them due 3-5 forceful hard coughs (splinting incision with pillow to help with the pain)every 2 hours following surgery. Doing these breaths/coughs really help to decrease your risk of developing post op pneumonia. You don't have to do these exercises, but they may help. Good Luck. Oh yes, when you first stop smoking, it is fairly common to develop a cough and frequently cough up sputum etc..
   — Krista L. S.

May 24, 2001
Coughing is the most pain endured after abdominal surgery. I am a smoker. And I have asthma. (I know I am a jerk.) I tried to quit prior to surgery but what unsuccessful (though I did cut down significantly). Make sure you do your brewathing treatments with the incentive spirometer faithfully and do it beofre surgery too. Also, they gave me nubulizer treatments in the hospital. When you have to cough... have someone push a pillow into your abdomen... Once you are finished coughing it doesnt hurt anymore. Good luck
   — Jeannet

May 24, 2001
I'm a smoker, and although I cut down considerably pre-op, I couldn't manage to quit. I'm also one of those "weird" smokers who has no respiratory problems whatsoever. I didn't have any more problems breathing post-op than a non-smoker, but I can tell you that it hurts like hell--coughing puts pressure on the incision. But it's something you have to do to clear your lungs (smoker or not). Just remember to brace yourself with a pillow. It helps somewhat.
   — Suzanne B.

January 17, 2003
I am a registered respiratory therapist who recently had lap rny. I can tell you how very important it is to perform breathing exercises ESPECIALLY if you are a smoker, practicing or recently quit. First, the tiny airways in your lungs are still clogged with tar and other substances from the ciggies. They are unable to clear mucous (that is normally produced)to their healthy capacity. Add anesthesia which significanly slows all bodily functions, including mucous clearance, toss in the fact you are not up and about as usual which further decreases mucous clearance,and add a dose of your size/weight and you have a recipe for disaster if you do not comply with breathing exercises. The cough and clear technique serves to forcefully move out the secretions that biuld up in your lungs that could possibly cause pneumonia, or worse, atelectasis (where part of your lung actually collapses. The first instinct you will have will be to stifle a cough...DO NOT go with it. Allow yourself, force yourself to cough, but splint..that is, use a pillow placed against your incision (or on your abdomen if lap rny)and press firmly down and up at the same time you cough out. This relieves pressure and allows for a deeper cough with less discomfort. BREATHE!!!! The more air you get to deeper airways, the less chance that surrounding fluid could cause collapse. Good Luck!!!!!!!!
   — kim C.