I am 9 months post op and heave been coughing for the last 5 months when i eat most foods. i have found the only things that i can eat that don't make me cough are soups and yogurts. i have spoken to my surgeon who didn't seem worried he just said it is caused by reflux when i'm eating. he did not tell me what i could do to help myself with this problem. I don't enjoy eating now as i spend the whole mealtime coughing. does anyone know if there is anything i can do to stop this problem please?
thanks Marg
Written by
margie1
To view profiles and participate in discussions please or .
I am almost 3 years post op and I still cough when I eat. I was told by a radiographer that anyone having long deep anaesthesia would be left with a cough due to the gases during surgery. But my surgeon was a little dismissive of that. I have recently seen an ENT consultant and he thinks it is sensitive scar tissue.
Basically Marg many of us are left with a cough but they don't know why.
Thank you for your reply I do find it embarrassing to eat when I'm out so just stick to soup all the time and wish I could enjoy eating again as I cough that much I make myself sick with other foods but hopefully this will calm down soon. Work is ok thanks very tiring now I'm back fulltime but need to earn some money now my husband has lost his job. Hope you too are ok and keeping well
It might be that you need a dilatation. I always cough a lot coming up to the time when I need a stretch. Check my other answers or do a search on coughing when eating.
best wishes
Krysia
If you use the tags, you will see that this has come up before.
I think that you do need more medical help to work out exactly what is happening. I understand what the surgeon meant, but this is a significant issue that affects your quality of life, so it does need to be sorted out, either by a dilatation, medication, or some other approach. Part of your treatment should be to try to restore you to a stage when you can eat without this sort of thing happening.
Try asking for dilation or some form of medication like lazansoprol for reflux
At only nine months post-op you should still be in the care of the hospital team,particularly if you have recurrent/ongoing problems.
Don't be shy about making a nuisance of yourself.
The NHS operates a de facto rationing policy by only dealing with the most acute &/or the most persistent.You were the former now you have to become the latter.
It would be most unusual if your GP knew anything at all about your condition.
Become an expert about yourself - then 'they' will listen and take notice.
Content on HealthUnlocked does not replace the relationship between you and doctors or other healthcare professionals nor the advice you receive from them.
Never delay seeking advice or dialling emergency services because of something that you have read on HealthUnlocked.
Diabetes and oesophagectomy 
Reactive hypoglycemia
From a Carer’s Perspective 
Post op sleeping position 
