I'm home, I'm sipping, I'm walking, and I have a question

First and foremost, thank you to my OH support network of Jen, Debi and Bill for coming to Barix to see me, walk with me, be entertained by me when I was drugged up, for giving me advice and pointers the past few days, for the support of the past year and a half on this journey, and for dealing with me in agony with all the gas!  You guys rock!

Also thanks to Jen for updating the board and the well-wishes from all of you!!!!

 

Like my subject line says...I'm home and following Dr. Boe's orders.  I am struggling a bit with getting stuff into me, but I hit about 40 ounces today in fluid and about 25 grams of protein, so I am really really proud of myself for being only 3 days post op.  I am actually going to go pace through my apartment for 5 minutes when I am done with this quickie post.  I feel pretty ok, save one thing.

I have this KILLER hunger pang and it doesn't go away.  It isn't head hunger, as I am not really jonesing for any food and it isn't emotionally based.  I can watch Steve eat like a crazy person and I don't care.  What it is is downright painful.  It feels like the kind of hunger pangs you get when you eat an early dinner, and then nothing else til the next morning...the kind that physically hurt and cause you to burp painful burps until they go away or you eat something.

 

Is this still gas?  Or could it be my nerves in my new pouch and old stomach going "WTH????" and messing with my brain chemistry due to healing?  I have heard both from a couple of people and am just wondering if anyone else has had this problem....  I do have some upper torso gas left in me from the surgery, but the majority of lower abdominal gas is gone.

 

Any ideas?

I would have to say that it is either gas or depending on where the pain is, it might be from the surgery itself.  If it is near your biggest incision, then it is from that. 

Keep walking, keep sipping.  It will get better.

Glad to hear you are home and so far doing well!!!!

As for that pain ...I would say the biggest thing is that it is probablly gas.  Yes, the gas can be quite painful right after surgery.  So it is really really important that you keep walking and moving and sipping to get that gas out of you.  If its not gas then it could be the incision where the went thru the abdominal wall...that was a bit painful for me for a few days too....

If it gets worse-- CALL YOUR SURGEON.  Hope you continue to do well and WELCOME TO THE LOSERS BENCH!!!!!!

Much luv!!
Laura

Is the pain on one side more than the other?  When they do lap surgery there is one site (normally bottom right or left) that is much deeper, and on the inside, much larger. It's where the larger instruments are placed, and it goes through a few layers of muscle.  Susan once described it to me as a "little man with a burning hot pitch fork stabbing you" and that was about right.

Does taking any pain medication help it subside at all?

I'm betting that's the pain you are feeling.  Any type of "true" hunger is pretty much close to impossible because all of the nerves that allow you to FEEL hunger have been cut and take quite some time to grow back.

So glad you are home and are doing well!  As you probably know from reading so many others posters early out, getting fluid and protein in this early out is hard.  The fluid is what you want to concentrate on the most.  I'm not saying ignore the protein - but definately work on your fluids.

As an aside....if you take one of those little medicine cups (that come with robitussin or whatever) that is marked with "30 ml" somewhere on it....fill it to 30ml and if you drink one of them every 15 mins for 16 hours of the day (assuming you sleep for 8....but you probably are sleeping a little bit more than that right now as well you should!) you will hit your 64 ounces of fluid in 16 hours.

CONGRATULATIONS!!!!

Pam

4 layers of muscle on the upper Left too, so there is so many reasons to have pain, also the gas.

Congrats and welcome.  I am 8 weeks out and doing great!  The first 3 were the toughest.

Just stay close to your support people and follow directions of the surgeon and you'll do great!

I'm 3 1/2 weeks out, and Dr. Pupkova told me to build up my protein intake over several days. You won't hit it right off the bat.  If you hit 25 grams yesterday, try to increase over the next 3 or 4 days till you hit your target. It gets easier. And honestly, my 3rd day out was the hardest...it does get easier!