One part of my journey Post op in hospital surgery

 I learned along time ago not to compare my journey in anything to anyone else’s. There's no way to account for all the variables in determining what normal is. Having a strong scientific research background I do like to look at meta data to at least see where a specific set of data does “fit”.

The day after my surgery Dr. Ferrari said the surgery couldn’t have gone better. The next day the leak test passed with flying colors. I was meeting liquid intakes and protein intakes. I was walking starting on Thursday and doing respiratory exercises to “exceed” from the beginning. so on Saturday afternoon I was discharged.

There's a different side of the story that the data doesn’t cover. Here is my side of that story and the problems I’ve had.

24 years ago I was in a military accident during a typhoon. I was thrown across a room and pinned against a wall by a desk. I ended up spending about 6 months in rehab, mostly consisting of being in traction for several hours a day. I’ve lost about 40% muscle mass in my left arm/hand/chest and back. For the last 8-10 years I get about 3-4 attacks a year. I don’t know what triggers it other than moving in a particular way. I do know how it feels when I’m going into it and I have about a 45 min window to get a med mixture into me. Then when the meds were off I’m in a little pain but retain 90% of motion. If I miss that window, no amount of drugs is going to help and I’m going to be locked up for a minimum of one day, typically three days. I can’t tolerate any pressure on my neck, head, shoulder etc and basically can’t move from the waist up except my right arm.

While the doctors were moving me from the gurney to the table back to a gurney back to bed they tweaked my neck and I was partially locked up for 2 days.

So I get back to the room and they put my in my bed. I’m still pretty wasted from all the surgery drugs and am not really feeling anything. I finally get out bed because the pain in my back was overwhelming. I couldn’t get back in bed because of my tweaked neck and the entrained gas in my gut cavity. I haven’t laid down since then. I slept sitting up in a chair leaning back or leaning forward over a couple of pillows and waking up every ten min. Now that I’m home, I sleep in a partially reclined recliner. I can’t wait to lay down again. Beside the neck pain my belly is so incredibly tight with all the gas that it hurts to stand up straight or lay out prone.

Now, I’m 72 hours out past surgery and haven’t been able to alleviate ANY of the cavity gas pain. I do burp a little bit when I drink anything but volume wise it’s probably a trade off, drink 5ml. burp 5 ml.  I did rip one good gas bubble last night, first on since surgery and last one since then. Good hang time, low volume. Before surgery I was a gas producer of renowned repute. In the morning, it meant “good morning’. my wife would say, “I live, therefore I have gas”. Those days are gone for at least now.

By far the great majority of pain right now is from entrained gut cavity gas and moving isn’t working. I will continue to move because of all the other benefits but it won’t be gas relief.

One last item, I know this bothers a lot of people so that’s why I added it. I gained 15 pounds in surgery. “I thought this was supposed to be weight loss surge….”wha wha wha. It doesn’t bother me a bit I’ll lose that in the next 3-4 days.

I couldn't purge gas either. In my case It was a harbinger of impending complications. In the end "pun intended" the hospital gave me gas med's to bring about some much needed relief. I hope the rest of your journey is smooth sailing.

Welcome to the dark side! Definitely keep moving as best you can...and sipping, can't forget sipping.

--gina

 

 

I’m 3 weeks post-op. The first couple of weeks I could not get any relief from gas. I felt so bloated and no matter what I did, it didn’t help! It hurt so badly! Then, I started passing it and as my boyfriend says it’s “offensive.” LOL I have never in my life smelled something so bad! I feel sorry for your wife once it starts moving!

BELLY JUST POPPED LIKE A FULL TICK.

I don't like to sit back or recline in any chair anytime because of my neck back injuries. So I sit up straight on the couch and have three pillows behind me just to relieve the strain of sitting straight up. wife had to step out to run some errands so I was sitting here on the computer when I thought I had to have as close to a bowel movement as I've had in the last 4 days, I wouldn't really classify it as a bowel movement... I went in the bathroom and grabbed my shirt and I was shocked. my stomach was literally draining all over the floor. my shirt was soaked. it took me about an hour to get myself cleaned up and bandaged and then clean up the floors. I'm almost glad my wife wasn't here for that.

the liquid was a mostly clear lightly red tinted fluid, so I don't think there's any sign of infection. it is the naval incision so its the deepest. none of the other incisions are painful or open.

I do have one question, my stomach, intestines most likely, are gurgling and bubbling, almost like broccoli is being processed and that is a spike in the pain from the usual, ever present gas pains. Any ideas on what's causing-how do I get the gurguling to just lighten up a bit?

Good luck!

With regards to the gurgling, I was 4 months out on Sat.  I cannot stand it.  At first, it was horrific!  Constant - Never Ending!  I even put a post up about it.

Fast Forward to now.  I know what causes my gurgles ANYTHING that has Equel or Nutrasweet in it!  I stay away from Krystal Light!!!  Different protein caused them as well.  This is a "Your Mileage May Vary".

I rarely have the gurgles now.  I stick with one protein brand.  I don't have the gurgles using it.

Feel, and get in touch with your body.  That is the best advice I can give you so that you know to pay attention to what your body is telling you.

 

BTW, I use Unjury protein.  If you call to order it and get set up on auto-delivery, you save 15%.

Best of luck!