Question:
I just had hernia repair/panni on the 4th.

The first thing I noticed when I woke up from surgery was a very sore throat. I asked the nurse to look at it and she said, yes it looked red. Yesterday I looked at it and there is a blister on it. Could it be a burn from the oxygen? Has anyone else had this and is it something I should worry about. My throat does feel better. Thanks.    — Helen C. (posted on December 9, 2001)

December 8, 2001
Helen - I usually have a sore throat for days after surgery, due to the breathing tube. It's gone by the 3rd or 4th day. -Kate-
   — kateseidel

December 9, 2001
The oxygen won't burn your throat. The skill of the doctor putting in your breathing tube is the culprit. Some doctors are gentle, some just ram it down your throat, some even break teeth when they put the tube in.(there's a metal lighted instrument they use when they put the tube in. The metal instrument pushes against the roof of your mouth so the doctor can see your trachea and slip the breathing tube in.)The blister can also be from the doctor suctioning in your mouth before removing the breathing tube, it he left the suction rest on tissue it can really irritate it but then again I've seen some doctors just be rough. Try gargling and sucking on ice to numb the sore throat. Just make sure you work at getting fluids it, the dryer the throat gets the more sore it will feel.
   — Helen B.

December 9, 2001
YES! I felt the same thing after I woke up too. It's from the breathing tube. I kept feeling something dangling in my throat and it was sore & I kept pestering the nurses & my dr. about it. It was my UVULA (the dangly thing hanging in the back of your mouth) that was red & real swollen. After I finally figured out what was doing all the hurting I wasn't as worried about it. But it hurt for about 3 days.
   — Betty Todd