PLEASE HELP, DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO-surgery 10-18-05

I'm supposed to get my 5 protein shakes in me but I can't I get full, but after I get full my tummy rumbles as if it's hungry, is this normal for pos--op. In the hospital I had broth 2 meals a day, crystal light with each meal, carnation instant breakfast, jello and something like italian ice. I've had since I've been home today, 2 bowls ofbroth, 3 protein shakes, diet snapple and all the medicine 1 can take. Am I doing something wrong. Also, am I supposed to be very black and blue below my belly and get very dizzy. Do I need to get in more liquids. Thanks, Lisa J

Lisa, my surgery was at Mass General, and I know yours was not, so our protocols are different. But, yes, I was very hungry (or thought I was) the whole first week. My diet for that time until my first meeting with the surgeon and dietician (mine was at 8 days out) was 24 oz of water (or other clear liquid) and 24 oz of carnation instant breakfast (nsa) each day. They told us, before going, not to worry about it on the day we got home, but to start the next day. Additionally, they told us that if we didn't care for the CIB, to just be sure to drink either the skim milk/smart milk/lactaid no fat, as that was the nutrition we had to get (and of course, the vitamins and calcium). The 24 oz. each was the minimum. I felt hungry every day, and couldn't wait for soft foods. Just follow your doctor's orders, they do know what they are doing. Yes, I was also very black and blue, especially on the wound where they had 'rested' the instruments during the surgery. And, yes, I got dizzy too, but oddly enough just walking around inside my house helped that (seems counter-intuitive, but it did work).

Wow Lisa, I can barely get in 20 oz of water a day right now, so I think you are doing fine! I hate the way everything tastes right now, but I'm not hungry either so I guess I have no incentive to try to get more liquids. You took in way more in the hospital than I was able to... I was worried about dehydrating when I got home, but my doctor said to check my urine in the bowl, so long as it's not getting to be a really dark yellow, you are OK! It will get easier each day, hang in there. Right now all I can get is about 2 ozs of a protein shake in so I take a 2.7 oz vial of protica profect (www.protica.com) to get in 25 grams of protein. I'm going to try to up that to two a day and eventually 3! I have a lot of black and blues too, some people bruise more than others. HUGS, Vi

How much protein are they having you take? I'm only doing 3 at 20 gms protein apiece. That's all the protein my doctor said I needed. 5 shakes seems like a lot to me. I'm hungry all the time too. I think once I start on actual food (I'm still on clear liquids) this will get better. My tummy rumbles all the time, but I think a lot of it is normal digestion noises....just magnified by 50x. My whole digestive process seems louder since the surgery. Sheryl

AS FOR BEING DIZZY ... IT COULD JUST BE BECAUSE YOU ARE LAYING DOWN MORE AFTER SURGERY ... THEN, JUST TRY WALKS AROUND THE HOUSE FIRST & THEN THE YARD ... TO GET YOU BACK TO NORMAL LEVELS. BUT, IT COULD BE DEHYDRATION ... 2 CLOSE FRIENDS HAVE PASSED OUT & 1 OF THEM WAS DEFINITELY FROM DEHYDRATION PER HER DR. IF YOU DON'T HAVE ENOUGH FLUIDS THEN WHEN YOU GET UP, YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE GOES DOWN VERY RAPIDLY ... WHA-LAH ... YOU FIND YOURSELF CHECKING THE DUST BUNNIES UNDER YOUR BED. SO, GET UP VERY SLOWLY & START WALKING SLOWLY TO ALLOW YOUR BP TO LEVEL OFF. ALSO, BE AWARE OF DARK COLORED URINE OR A VERY STRONG URINE SMELL WHICH COULD INDICATE THAT YOU ARE NOT GETTING ENOUGH FLUIDS. GOD BLESS YOU, MS LISA J DAWN & NICK

my doctor told me to drink 32 oz of fluid a day the first couple of weeks. this is to include 24 oz of milk or koolaid, snapple, etc. he didn't push the protein shakes just wanted to make sure i took my 2 vitamins a day. i practically lived on sugar free fudge sickles, sugar free pudding and my nutritionist said i could have tomato soup made with milk and the milk in the soup also counted towards the 32 oz. i got dizzy too but it subsided and is should with you too. i still feel like crap and my stomach is still sore inside. it is so hard knowing what is right and what is wrong isn't it?? i still feel hungry and my stomach really really rumbles especially at night. hang in there...cheryl

Are you sure those are bruises?? they could be from the shots they give you in the hospital to prevent blood clots. Both heperen and LOVENOX cause large black and blue areas.