A surreal moment - pooping!

Ok this may seen like a really odd thing to post about but seriously, who else am I going to tell that will really understand? I had surgery on the 22nd.  Everything went great and I was home two days later.   No issues.  Unfortunately severe constipation led me back to the hospital on the 27th.  Due to the excruciating pain and my inability to sit at all we had to go to my local hospital which was a 25 min drive vs where I had my surgery which was about an hour fifteen.   I ended up being admitted and the short version is they were at a bit of a loss how to treat me. They kept trying to make me do things that I cannot and I kept fighting back.  ( like drink about a litre bottle of medicine for catscan in half hour).  I lay there in agony and all they could do was pump me full of drugs.  They had me totally off food at this point too.  Iv only.  After the catscan Tuesday  afternoon they determined that I didn't have any other problems from the surgery which was the fear but didn't want to give me any Meds by mouth.  By late Monday I was now also unable to pee.   They finally decided to give me my very first and second enema.  Those produced minimal results. They decided I was safe to eat though and gave me their idea of a full fluid meal.  I couldn't touch any of it but luckily I had asked for my protien drinks from home so I had them.  Breakfast on Wednesday morning they delivered me a breakfast of chicken broth and one milkette.   I still have not figured out what I was supposed to do with the milkette????  Anyway, by this point all they're doing is pumping me full of morphine and asking if I went to the bathroom. No Meds or any other assistance and I was in so much pain.  I hadn't sat up since Monday at this point.  I finally got the okay to walk as they'd also confined me to bed for the last thirty six hours.  So I got up, went down the hall to the lounge and called my surgeon.  I'm sure he had a difficult time understanding me as I was  crying a fair bit.   Not something I normally do. I explainedy concerns as it felt like I was telling them what I could and couldn't do diet wise and I was  seriously   concerned they might decide to do something that could cause harm.   We decided that really I needed to get to his hospital and we set about trying to do that.  I gave him my info and we set it in motion.  My assigned dr showed up later in the day as he'd been in surgery and basically tried to make me feel guilty and said it was unnecessary.  Seriously though. In two days the only things they did were one catscan and two emenas.  No actual exams or any other attempts. So anyway Wednesday evening I got transferred back to Humber.  They took me off the constipating  drugs is been pumped full off the last two days and immediately set a plan of action. We had mild results at first but it was relieving some if the pressure.  I think also what happened was my surgical gas just disappeared and never came out because well it couldn't squeeze out.  I had been having brutally painful internal hiccups for days.  Thursday I started tooting and burping and it was glorious.  Other small things were happening too.  They gave me a lot of different   combinations of laxatives very aggressively.   I was treated well by nurses and they understood my food restrictions.  

Thursday night I was given a big ol ****tail  of stuff and immediately felt my stomach rolling. It was like there was an alien trying to get out.           It was LOUD and I knew we were gonna hit the jackpot.   So about an hour later I went into the bathroom and this is where it gets surreal.  I think id been half delerious all week and so thats probably why it  happened.  Things started happening quickly and it was like coins dropping out of a slot machine!!!!! Jackpot!!!!! I had visions literally of rockets taking off, fireworks over the hospital, a marching band and parade going by, a fighter jet fly by, Elmer Fudds eyes popping out of his head and about every looney toon sound of success you could ever remember.  Fred flint stone kicking his heels up in the air, the whole shebang!!!! I had visions of mom2TNT whom I had met in the hallway waving a checkered flag.  ( thanks btw you are amazing lol).   It was extremely loud and sounded like gunfire going off.  Luckily my roommate had a late surgery and was heavily sedated lol.   I'm not kidding you.    I was delirious! Eventually the slot  machine ran out of coins and I was able to leave.  I went into my bed and sat down on it for the first time in four days!!! Yes I was sore and sitting long is still not good but I can do it.  I'm not sure what was going through my head in that bathroom but it was the most unusual experience in my life and no I wasn't drugged!! Lol. So luckily I got to go home on Friday.  Four days in the hospital for constipation!  I'm still having problems and it's not perfect but I'm taking more  than the average assistance and am so on top of this. 

Lol quite the description haha. Seriously though I am glad you are feeling better. Keep a bottle of Senokot S on hand and stay on top of pooping. It's the worse thing ever to be constipated!!

I had a few issues with in my first yr post op & had my hubby drive me to Humber for care & it's over an hour for me too. Last week I went to our local ER due to sudden onset of pain & hubby wasn't home. Very disappointed. Should have just gone to Humber somehow. I used to work there & cannot believe how horrid the experience was. I had just finished watching Greys Anatomy too & I just keeper hearing Derrick I'm going to die because they aren't trained. Humber is my ER of choice now for all things abdo related!

Cheryl!!!! YOU POOPED!!!  I love how you thought of me while going to the slot machine LMAO  You are too funny.  Very descriptive and IMPORTANT post.  I guess this happens to quite a few people after our type of surgery.  I am so happy you are on the mend and it was a real pleasure meeting you!  Now hopefully next time we meet it will not be in a hospital!  HUGS

Hi Cher, Glad to hear you are home, and pooping! 

take care,

judy

I was thinking as you mentioned the pain med they gave you that it would probably only make you worse. Sorry the first hospital was clueless. I niece had a similar problem going to non bariatric hospitals.

Your description of your time in the loo cracked me up but I know the relief. Even three years out I have to keep on top of it.

Glad you are finally on the mend.

Congratulations on getting things moving!  And thank you for sharing this experience with us.  I think it's important for all of us pre-ops to hear about the realities of the surgery, so we can prepare ourselves.  Although, perhaps nothing could really prepare us for this.  I'm so glad that you moved hospitals.  Boo for doctors trying to make you feel guilty for advocating for yourself.

You should be a story writer lol! I was in tears reading it. I'm 4 months post op and wS constipated for 2 weeks, bit did not have the pain you did thankfully!  I now have the opposite problem where everything I eat or drink comes pir immediately:( can be hard when  I'm work but I'm dealing with it :) 70 pounds since surgery makes everything easier!

Oh my goodness, that narrative was hilarious!...  I'm so glad you finally got relief!  And good on you for advocating for yourself and calling your WLC to be transferred! Sounds like your local hospital had no idea how to care for you and could have made things much worse.  Thanks for sharing your experience, some great lessons in here for pre-ops!