Now that I'm home I have questions....

I'm 4 days out and have questions.................

1. Should I worry that I'm finding it diifficult to get 64 ounces of water in a day right now? Right now I take it 2 ounces at a time and sip on that for 20 minutes. I'm only 6 ounces in and it's past 5:00PM. Should I worry

2. Should I worry because I haven't "pooped" yet?

3. When did your steri-strips fall off? How soon did you shower?

4. I bought the Myoplex Light for protein, but due to the pain I'm in from surgery I'm scared to try it and I keep thinking "what if I can't tolerate lactose and I dump" and dumping while I'm already in pain is not sounding good.

5. Is going updatirs in my house a "No, No"?

6. The gas is drivig me nuts and feel I have to burp all the time. I walk and get it out "sometimes", but I often feel the discomfort. Any remedies?


Thanks for any info you can provide.
~~Gina

I'm three weeks out (and some change) and I'm just now able to get in more than 48 oz of water a day...it will come...just get in what you can.

No - you'll poop when you are ready.  It took me three days.

I didn't have steri-strips, and showered the minute I got home from the hospital...I hate going to the hospital and immediately feel I need to shower.

I used Mypolex light and had no issues - mix it with water if you are afraid of the milk.

I was going up and down stairs the day I came home - if your doctor didn't specify that you couldn't, then it should be ok.

You can try gas-ex for the gas - they have chewables.  The best thing for me was walking...and walking and walking and walking.

 Bernice said it all! Just a few more tips:

1. Try some sugar-free popsicles if you're having trouble with fluids. I also found that I tolerated warm liquids much better than cold liquids following surgery. I didn't tolerate plain water well either. I drank a lot of decaf tea and Crystal Light.

2. The pain meds will  constipate you. It's totally normal.

3. My steri-strips took a few weeks to fall off. If I remember correctly, they fell off not long before my 6 week appt. I'm pretty sure they told me to wait 24 hours to shower, but I showered as soon as I was allowed to. The strips won't come off.

5. Move around as much as you can. It will prevent blood clots and help with the gas.

6. I found the Gas-X strips helped, but really walking is what helped the most.

Welcome home! :)

1. Should I worry that I'm finding it diifficult to get 64 ounces of water in a day right now? Right now I take it 2 ounces at a time and sip on that for 20 minutes. I'm only 6 ounces in and it's past 5:00PM. Should I worry

Nope I would not worry just keep doing what your doing and trying to get as much fluid in as you can


2. Should I worry because I haven't "pooped" yet?

nope...  that will come with time...  we'll talk about fiber and stool softeners in a few weeks...

3. When did your steri-strips fall off? How soon did you shower?

I oiled mine and took them off sooner than most due to the allergy.  I showered the day I got home from the hospital.

4. I bought the Myoplex Light for protein, but due to the pain I'm in from surgery I'm scared to try it and I keep thinking "what if I can't tolerate lactose and I dump" and dumping while I'm already in pain is not sounding good.

I get the fear.... I can't advise on this one.


5. Is going updatirs in my house a "No, No"?

no it's good for you.  walk those steps.

6. The gas is drivig me nuts and feel I have to burp all the time. I walk and get it out "sometimes", but I often feel the discomfort. Any remedies?

gas-x strips i hear they are very good.  I didn't have the gas issues.... I hope they help.

Gina,

1.  Nope, you'll work your way up to that.
2.  My doc told me that if I hadn't pooped by the end of the week, to take Milk of Magnesia.  That's what I had to do and it worked.
3.  They took a while...I showered as soon as I got home...the best shower ever!
4.  Go ahead and try it so you know.  If you can't tolerate lactose, it will probably give you the gurgles and some gas.
5.  Nope.
6.  The only other advice I can give is that lying down on my left side helps since surgery.  Of course, it was at least a week before I could do that.

Hope that helps!
Heather

(((GINA)))

I know it's hard, but just hang in there - it WILL get better.  You've already gotten great advice here, so the only thing I'll add is that I'm just a phone call away if you need to talk, vent, rant, rave, scream, cuss, etc.!!!!  LOL!!!

Hugs,

Tia

Hi Gina,

You may want to get a stool softener and not let yourself get too constipated, if that's what's going on.  Just keep sipping your water, you'll eventually get to where you're supposed to be.  I showered the day after my surgery in the hospital, which felt wonderful - ahhh, the ho****er.  Steri-Strips fell off in a couple of days on their own, so I didn't bother with them.  I'd say the exercise of going up and down the stairs is probably good for you, but if you're sore I wouldn't pu**** too much....your body will let you know.  Good luck with the gas, fortunately, I never had that problem.

Hope you have a speedy recovery!

Debbie

Walk the crap out of you, (pun intended) walking will help with most of the things you listed, I walked as much as I could. It is the best thing for you now.

Tom

Gina

For the constipation, do not wait!!! Take Milk of Magnesia, whatever you can. I waited too long after my gall bladder was taken out and I cannot tell you the discomfort and pain I was in.

The burping, I still have that after eating and I am 2 years out.

I can't answer some of the questions because I'm not there yet but I can tell you from a nurses standpoint you can shower but not bathe, they don't want you sitting in the water with open wounds. I would work on the bowel movement now with the stool softner or MOM because you don't want to find yourself straining that can increase chances for hernias and the other "H", roids!  Hope things are otherwise going well. Can't wait to join you!

crabbyKelly