Cold before surgery....how much of a problem is this?

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#1 Post by **mountaingirl** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 8:23 am

My son came home from school with yet another cold, and of course I caught it. My nose is pretty stuffy and my throat is a little sore. I'm wondering if there's a chance they would cancel my surgery? It is on Wed (two days away). I sure hope it clears up a bit by then! I'll have to call my OS and check, but has anyone had this problem?

#2 Post by **MetalMedic** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 9:24 am

Surgeons, especially orthos don’t like people having colds if they’re going to be operated on soon. It causes more swelling as well as healing problems because of increased mucous production, and the extra tax on the body’s immune system to heal. I know there were a few people on here that had to get their surgeries rescheduled because of it. I know that my surgeon wanted to know right away if I came down with anything. I hope for your case its mild and they still let you go through with it. Good luck. Keep us up to date!!

#3 Post by **Audra** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 8:06 pm

If you do have a cold that doesn't resolve it can cause complications if you don't tell your surgeon.

#4 Post by **revolutionary** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 8:51 pm

I would tread carefully, and especially make sure your nose and throat are clear. You're gonna wake up with a breathing tube and a feeding tube up your nose, plus a lot of congestion and blood and mucous coming out, so it's best that you're 100% in the nose and throat area before surgery.

#5 Post by **mountaingirl** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 10:28 pm

revolutionary wrote:I would tread carefully, and especially make sure your nose and throat are clear. You're gonna wake up with a breathing tube and a feeding tube up your nose, plus a lot of congestion and blood and mucous coming out, so it's best that you're 100% in the nose and throat area before surgery.

I could wake up with a tube down my throat??? I seriously hope that's not the case.

Things seem to be a bit better this evening. I woke up stuffy but after getting up and moving around it helped. My throat still hurts though.

I called the OS and they said they will still proceed unless things get more congested.

#6 Post by **mountaingirl** » Mon Jun 21, 2010 10:30 pm

haha When you said breathing tube I thought that meant down the throat, but I'll be wired shut so that must not be right. The nasogastric tube must be the one you meant...?

#7 Post by **geordie999** » Tue Jun 22, 2010 9:42 am

At least for my surgery I was explicitly told that they would add the breathing tube after I was asleep and take it out before I woke up. Apart from a little scratchiness at the back of my throat and some nose bleeds, which happen anyway, I never would've known I'd had a tube...