Still not feeling great.....

Hi all! I wanted to ask all you others that had surgery same month as me how you are feeling? I was hurting in my abdomen to the right of my open incision and deep in my belly for the last 2 weeks. I got really worried and went to see my doctor this past monday, he did a CT scan and said my surgery looked good but that I had a LOT of "stranding", he explained this is inflammation in my abd wall and said this is what was causing my pain. I am now resting, not allowed to excercise, walk only and using heat and tylenol regulary. He said this kind of swelling is usually gone by now....guess it's just my luck. he said another full 4 weeks before it will likely go away. I am also very nauseated for most of the day. I am having to make myself eat, when I can stand it. Usually by the time evening rolls around I am feeling better, but still not so great. I literly have had only a few hours here and there where I can say I actually feel great. My question...is anybody else experiecing any of this, do you think it is temporary and will go away? I sure hope so, if not, I am afraid I will be one of the one's that GB made worse instead of better. Help! Any and all advice would be greatly appreciated!!!! Oh, BTW, the doctor office keeps telling me the nausea is normal for a while....I have a hard time beliving this! Thanks!

I think that it's going to take you longer to recover since you had open. I don't know what else to say- except I am sorry you're going through this. I hope it gets better very, very soon!!

Hi Teresa, I also had open RNY and have for the most part been ok. I have had some abdominal pain but I have noticed it is usually because I have not had a BM in a reasonable amount of time. I do not mean to sound like this is ok by any means, but I stopped taking my iron supplements for awhile to see if that is what it is and I have been able to go more often than before. Iron tends to bind you up. On the subject of nausea, I did not have to take any blood pressure meds before surgery then while in the hospital my BP would not stay in a normal range so they put me on a lopressor BP medicine which ended up causing me to be dizzy so they took me off of it and at my 6-week check up it was pretty much back to normal. I also have a lot of scar tissue from other surgeries. I had my gallbladder removed in 1998 laproscopicaly, had a c-section with my son in 1999, and then had a belly button hernia fixed in 2002, so my point here is that the more past surgeries and cuts they have already done on me has caused more scarring on the inside of me than I am able to see...thus...longer to heal. The most painful area is where one of the probes from the gallbladder being removed was put through me which is close to the top of my RNY surgery... Hope this helps some... Mandie

Teresa, I had surgery on the 18th, and have just now gotten to where I'm not nauseated all the time. I literally woke up one morning and was all better. LOL I also ended up having open surgery and losing a spleen and gallbladder during the process. I know that doesn't help you much, but I'm sure the docs advice is correct. Just take it easy, and you'll feel better soon. Keep us posted ok? HUGS Kimberly

I had my surgery on the 14th and I, too, have just gotten to where I am not nauseated all of the time. I have had two scope and dilation (down the throat to dilate the pouch opening) - the last one being just last Friday - and I can now keep down food (yeah!). The surgeon told me that I must be prone to scar tissue - you might be, too. I know that this is true because I have had two spinal surgeries and have terrible scar tissue that causes all kinds of pain when it flairs up. Why don't you take it easy for the next 4 weeks and hopefully that will be what it takes to get everything straightened out. Good luck and keep your chin up! Darla

Teresa Oh sorry your not feeling great.. I had OPEN on July 28th.. I have been okay. I admit I had a few bouts of nauscia but found it was that I needed fluids. I always up the fluids with a warm cup of tea or shake. ALso when constiptated i feel yucky. Started to have a small amt of skim milk and KAshi Go lean at night to help that. I was having some tender pain too in the first few weeks.. they claimed it was healing pains.. I walked a lot of it off. ANother tip I got from someone online was to have a few tums during the day to control the acids and reduce the gas... The gas and swelling from the surgery was the hardest part and contributed to the yucky feelings. It does get better. Remember this was MAJOR SURGERY and all our insides were moved and rearranged.. ALL we have to do is water and nurture with protein... I will include you in my prayers... Get better- keep positive... Love and hugs pattiann

I had my surgery July 5th, and struggled with nausea for quite some time, I was on two different types of meds for it, but I too one day woke up and it was over. Hang in there, it will get better. Kaitlain LapRNY 07/05/05 247/199/145