Almost one week out, and questions please!

Ok, tomorrow is my one week surgiversary.  I have a few questions.  Well, actually I'm going to tell you how I feel, and I want to know if this is normal?  Because it doesn't all seem "normal"

#1 - I'm out of pain meds (took them as scheduled) and I am still in quite a serious amount of pain.  My left side, OUCH!!  Getting up or down out of a chair will nearly bring tears to my eyes.

#2 - I seem to be able to drink as much as I want as fast as I want.  I thought I had to sip sip sip, but I can gulp gulp gulp and come back for more with hardly any "full" sensation?

 #3 - Anytime I drink something, here comes the gas.  Instantly.

#4 - And yes, this is probably TMI so just stop reading but, no BM as of yet?  Doesn't even feel like I need to?  Probably due to the clear liquids diet, but....

Anyone?  None of this seems right to me?

 I would call the dr.  it is too long with out the b.m. I am 3 days out and have gone twice.
I have not used much pain meds.  came home yesterday.  Have not used them since day 2 and only then because they pushed them on me.  It did help I guess I did not realize I needed it.
Pain in left side is normal as that is where they did most of the surgery.  That is what the dr. said.
Judy

hi my name is frank and had my bypass on june 10th ive lost almost 70lbs but still cant eat any bread,pasta but i have 2 protien shakes a day with 1% milk and add a banana and blueberries or strawberries as far as being in pain i went back to work 6 days out if i did not eat i would not have much pain just a lot of gas pains and still do and boy do they stink its all the protien that dose that as far as a bm it will happen so start taking stool softners now so that when it comes it wont be like giving birth good luck & god bless and remember nothing tates as good as thin feels

Hi there! I had my surgery on 9/2. I am still in a fair amount of pain and it is also on my left side. I guess that is where they do most of the work. I was doing very well but now that incision is infected so I have a considerable amount of pain thare again.

I have to sip. I am very thirsty. But every time I do sip anything, there is a lot going on inside that I can feel. I can literally tell when it leaves my stomach and then has to come out.

Don't ever worry about giving TMI, this is not your typical blog. The more info you give the better. We are are going through very similiar situations. Be very careful of your first BM. Mine was totally liquid and I thought it was just gas. Do you know what I mean? I have yet to have any form in my BMs. I can go on pureed food Tuesday. I hope that changes things.

I would talk to your Doc on prescribing you more pain medication. If you are in too much pain you can't get up and around very well and we need to do that.

I think you should be full. Discuss that with your doc too. Are you hungry?

Take care and good luck to you!

First, sorry you're having so many issues.  My surg was on the 4th so we're pretty close... I was rehospitalized with some swelling issues, but my symptoms were opposite - I couldn't get anything to go in. 

About your pain... my first question would be, are you moving around, walking, & getting active?  I think that might help (but as always... please just call the Dr. to get thier advice).  I got home Wednesday and I feel like 200% better already.  Hardly any pain, just some minor aches getting out of bed in the morning from laying still all night.

About the gulping fluids and such... that may be adding to your gas issue.  I have heard that we have to re-teach ourselves how to drink without ingesting a lot of air.  Perhaps your large gulps are trapping a lot of air and causing upset that way.  You may not feel full because your swelling has gone down so well that the liquids are just flowing through as they should.  Keep drinking to stay hydrated, just slow down. 

About the BM... that's definitely a Dr question.  I have been having them daily since the barium X-ray last Friday.  In fact, mine have been getting more dense each day (as opposed to diarrhea-like in consistency - now THAT'S TMI!!! LOL).  Maybe your bowels haven't "woke up" yet.  My doc says walking helps 'wake' the bowels and strongly recommends it.  Walk around the house, if its nice out, go outside for a little while.  BUT PLEASE CALL YOUR SURGEON.

hope this helps a bit.    ~Jules from Ohio

I am only 5 days out and I really only have very little pain on the top under my chest bone and on the left side.  The pain is very bareable and I haven't had any pain meds since the night of surgery.  My stomma was a bit tight so I was on clear liquids since yesterday.  I do feel content drinking the clear but I do love the yoguart - activia vanilla lite low fat, and the cream of mushroom soup strained.  This just hit the spot.  I keep sipping until I have to burp to me that burp means that that is it and don't even try to sip anonther pit of liquid.  Then I wait 10 minutes and sip again.  My nut said that I can drink 12 oz of calorie liquids and the other 50 needs to be clear non calorie liquids. (water and crystal lite).  I prefer the water. 

As for the BM talk to your doctor.  I was able to have a BM in the hospital and let me tell you that was relief.  The release of gas pain was fantastic.  My doctor also said that he would not let me leave until I pass gas. 

Good luck.  I don't start puree foods until the following Tuesday however I am in no hurry.

Aloha,
Asia

I need to clarify something, I'm not actually practicing gulping my liquids, I only did that to see if I could get a reaction.  A test if you will.  Trust me, I'm sip sip sipping.  But, only because I was told to, which is why I'm confused.

I've been walking a ton.  We are having a walking contest at work, and we are all wearing pedometers.  According to this little thing, I've been getting in over a 1/2 mile a day.  I'm thinking that's a reasonable amount of walking considering what I've had done.

I will say that in the last few hours my pain is getting better.  We had some storms around here, and I went outside with some friends who came over to help out with the trees that were down.  Friends are a wonderful thing, I am truly blessed.

Oh, and thanks so much for the replies, makes me feel better.  I will be speaking with my surgeon in the morning.

As for the am I hungry, it's weird.  I'm definintely NOT hungry.  But, at the same time, I'm not "full" feeling or even thirsty?  I honestly think I could go from morning until night with maybe just a single glass of water and "feel" ok.  Now, I have not and I won't, but this isn't the sensation I was expecting.  Well, I guess I'm not sure what I expected.  I have been getting in 3 protein shakes a day for at least 60g of protein and NO LESS than 64oz of water/fluids.

Hi. I am 6 days post op and I am having the opposite of you. I have diarrhea sometimes pure water and sometimes just loose little plops  almost every time I go to the bathroom. It happens whenever I have the Isopure protein clear flavored drink..It can also happen just  with water. One person said she swallows and can feel it going through till it comes out. I kindof feel like that too. I have heard it could be the antibiotics they gave in the hospital, and I have heard it is normal, and I have heard it may be the artificial sweeteners in the protein drink?? I am making sure to stay hydrated..that's all I can do for now. I for sure have to sip sip sip..One big drink and it really hurts right below my breast bone. What kind of protein shakes are you drinking? Are you mixing them with water or milk? Do they have any fiber in them? Maybe that is causing the constipation?

I'm fairly convinced now that I have a good case of constipation, and that that is causing a lot of my discomfort.

I've been taking only Unjury unflavored and chicken soup, mixing them with water, jello or other clear liquids.  No dairy.  I've also had Isopure and two Protein Bullets.  Drank each straight up.  Well,  I did sip water along with the bullets.

FYI I did just have a small BM.  Not runny AT ALL.