buffalobillsfan
Well-Known Member
- Joined
- Oct 30, 2014
- Messages
- 81
I don’t know if I’m being paranoid or what. I just have no idea what is normal after this type of event and surgery. I have only had a few hours of pain relief since getting out of surgery. It’s when they added an extra dose of pain meds on top of my pain pump. I guess because I had almost no pain in my stomach during my DS that I’m concerned. I think I may have just gotten lucky and stayed ahead of the pain during that laparoscopic, virgin procedure where this one was open. My back hurt with both surgeries since I am a stomach sleeper and hours on the table do a number on me. I told them in the hospital that I was in pain but they treated me as if it was normal. It has decreased, albeit slightly, over time.
I don’t know how sensitive the repairs are. Getting up and down was quite a battle in the hospital. Of course I needed to engage my core muscles, which is right where my surgery was. Could one push too hard undo everything? Everyone looked at my stomach and no one seemed to think anything was wrong. I feel like I have swelling in that area and a small bubble at the top of my incision. This began in the hospital. It isn’t worse or better since getting home.
I didn’t progress to soft foods until I came home. I was instructed not to eat anything that you need a knife to cut. If I can eat/cut it with a fork or spoon it was ok. Surprisingly I have had an appetite and no problem finding things to eat. I was told to avoid nausea and vomiting and not to eat everything at once. Liquids and foods have not given me any troubles. I had very small amounts of scrambled eggs, fake crab with mayo, a few protein shakes, and yogurt until last night. I had some wonton soup. It was so good so I ate about 4-5 wontons and broth. A few minutes later I started having the same pain in my stomach that I had prior to surgery in the exact same spot.
Of course the very thought of having another surgery gives me absolute panic attack (NYB – not sure HOW you did 2 surgeries in 2 days – OMG!!!). Could the pain just be from being swollen/sore inside where the repairs are? I was instructed to follow up with my PCP in 2 weeks and Dr. Rabkin in 4 weeks.
I still have a lot of gas coasting around my insides and FINALLY had my first bowel movement last night before I ate the wonton soup.
As I write this I guess my pain is getting better. I just had a burning bowel movement but I’m sure all the stuff pumped into me will make it abnormal for at least a little while. I am afraid to eat anything with texture now. I’ll probably stick to the yogurt and protein shakes again today.
I keep trying to remind myself that I just had major surgery 5 days ago and that all of this is normal pain and healing. I’m so traumatized by it though that the thought of another surgery or complication scares the crap out of me. I worried about no gas or bowel movements in the hospital and Dr. Rabkin would just smile and me and tell me not to worry. Since then those have resolved. Will the pain after eating resolve, too?!
I would love to hear in detail how everyone who had a bowel obstruction healed. I know I need to call Rabkin’s office but I think it’s also important to hear from people who experienced this surgery and how they recovered. If I could say exactly what is going on inside my head it would sound like this (don’t judge) “I’m a big baby, I hate pain, I hate that I had to have surgery, I want someone to hold my hand and do medical tests to make sure I’m normal. I want guarantees. I want my pain to go away. I want another CT scan to make sure I’m fixed inside. I want to be in denial. I never want to go to a hospital ever again so if that CT scan can come to my house and be done I’d feel better. I don’t want Dr Rabkin or people on the board to think I’m crazy, over exaggerating, yell at me or tell me to go to the hospital. I will absolutely hate myself and hate my life if I f&^%ed up this surgery by something I did. Did I %&^% up my last one and that’s why I’m in this situation? I wish my mom didn’t die 3 years ago because I can’t imagine going thru this or anything else without her wisdom, guidance, phone calls and her soothing voice. I want to cry but I’m afraid I won’t stop.”
Thanks again for listening.
I don’t know how sensitive the repairs are. Getting up and down was quite a battle in the hospital. Of course I needed to engage my core muscles, which is right where my surgery was. Could one push too hard undo everything? Everyone looked at my stomach and no one seemed to think anything was wrong. I feel like I have swelling in that area and a small bubble at the top of my incision. This began in the hospital. It isn’t worse or better since getting home.
I didn’t progress to soft foods until I came home. I was instructed not to eat anything that you need a knife to cut. If I can eat/cut it with a fork or spoon it was ok. Surprisingly I have had an appetite and no problem finding things to eat. I was told to avoid nausea and vomiting and not to eat everything at once. Liquids and foods have not given me any troubles. I had very small amounts of scrambled eggs, fake crab with mayo, a few protein shakes, and yogurt until last night. I had some wonton soup. It was so good so I ate about 4-5 wontons and broth. A few minutes later I started having the same pain in my stomach that I had prior to surgery in the exact same spot.
Of course the very thought of having another surgery gives me absolute panic attack (NYB – not sure HOW you did 2 surgeries in 2 days – OMG!!!). Could the pain just be from being swollen/sore inside where the repairs are? I was instructed to follow up with my PCP in 2 weeks and Dr. Rabkin in 4 weeks.
I still have a lot of gas coasting around my insides and FINALLY had my first bowel movement last night before I ate the wonton soup.
As I write this I guess my pain is getting better. I just had a burning bowel movement but I’m sure all the stuff pumped into me will make it abnormal for at least a little while. I am afraid to eat anything with texture now. I’ll probably stick to the yogurt and protein shakes again today.
I keep trying to remind myself that I just had major surgery 5 days ago and that all of this is normal pain and healing. I’m so traumatized by it though that the thought of another surgery or complication scares the crap out of me. I worried about no gas or bowel movements in the hospital and Dr. Rabkin would just smile and me and tell me not to worry. Since then those have resolved. Will the pain after eating resolve, too?!
I would love to hear in detail how everyone who had a bowel obstruction healed. I know I need to call Rabkin’s office but I think it’s also important to hear from people who experienced this surgery and how they recovered. If I could say exactly what is going on inside my head it would sound like this (don’t judge) “I’m a big baby, I hate pain, I hate that I had to have surgery, I want someone to hold my hand and do medical tests to make sure I’m normal. I want guarantees. I want my pain to go away. I want another CT scan to make sure I’m fixed inside. I want to be in denial. I never want to go to a hospital ever again so if that CT scan can come to my house and be done I’d feel better. I don’t want Dr Rabkin or people on the board to think I’m crazy, over exaggerating, yell at me or tell me to go to the hospital. I will absolutely hate myself and hate my life if I f&^%ed up this surgery by something I did. Did I %&^% up my last one and that’s why I’m in this situation? I wish my mom didn’t die 3 years ago because I can’t imagine going thru this or anything else without her wisdom, guidance, phone calls and her soothing voice. I want to cry but I’m afraid I won’t stop.”
Thanks again for listening.