Thanksgiving & PostOp Update

I had a wonderful Thanksgiving, just me & DH in a very romantic setting. I felt good enough to cook a small turkey breast, stuffing, veggies, mashed potatoes & gravy, apply & pumpkin pies.  Check out my plate on my profile page. I took a pic of it cuz it was hilarious my portions. If it weren't for the surgery...OMG...I would have had 2 heaping plates full (like DH had!  LOL)   Also, I am still concerned regarding the level of pain I'm having with my left incision where the camera goes in..you all know the one.  Can I please get some feedback as to when that subsided for you? I had my 1 week post op check and I told the MD about it. I was told it was either a constricted muscle or a pocket of blood (it felt hard about the size of an egg) behind the muscle. That night at 5am I woke up covered in blood tinged fluid and the incision is open. The skin all around it is pink & warm to the touch. I have been taping a Kotex to my side for the drainage which is now minimal. The pain seemed better for a cuple of days but is worse again now. I filled the script for antibiotic they gave me "just in case". I've had no fever and would be very well if it weren't for this pain. I can't bend at the waist or getting up from a chair...kills!  I am back on the LorTab.I will call the MD Monday if its not better after being on antibiotic all weekend. Has anyone else had anything like this????  Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving.

Nothing like that here and I'd definitely definitely see your doc if it opened back up.  It might need more wound management than you are giving it in order to heal properly and not get infected.  Some people have to clean and pack incisions a certain way as per doc instructions, or even have a nurse do it - although it seems to be the open surgeries that have this problem most.  Our incisions are so small they don't have as many problems.  Is this the incision near your belly button?  That one hurt on me for quite a while (not seriously bad pain, but definitely uncomfortable for several weeks), but the one over my liver hurt for the longest (more than a month).  And - not everyone has incisions placed in the same spots, there is some variability there - your shape, the thickness of your body wall, and the surgeon's preferences can make some difference in the placement and number of holes.  I had 4 and a drain hole.  Only two were large - over my liver and on the left side of my belly button.

The incision I am talking about is right under my left breast.  I didn't have an incision near my belly button...maybe 4 inches above it.  All other incisions are healing nicely, even the drain one.  I had to go to work on Friday. I have the world's cheapest boss and she wouldn't pay me for Thanksgiving if I couldn't come to work on Fri. Luckily, I am a nursing supervisor for a home health care agency.  (desk job) so I took it easy all day and it wasn't busy at all, but it tired me out wicked. I was there by myself and even caught a few zzzzz's in the afternoon. Shhhhhhhhhhhh don't tell the boss!  LOL I started the antibiotic on Fri afternoon. I called the MD on call Sat AM and would you believe she was willing to meet me at the Bariatric center if I felt I should be seen.  We talked about my symptoms and she said it could even be an internal stitch that adhered to the muscle...it happens. So she prescribed a muscle relaxer. By Sun. I started to feel better. I think the antibiotic kicked in so I am thinking I might have had an abscess.  It is now draining alot less and the color is yellow so guess its a good thing I filled that script.  Once this hurdle is over I can start walking more.  Hope all is well with you!!  HUGS

I agree with Jenn, you need to see your MD. You want to nip whatever it is in the bud. My incision over my liver hurt the worse and for quite a while. I think it was very smart of you to fill the antibiotic script. But please call your MD.

Yup, I called the doc. They were willing to see me on a Sat. I was blown away by this! I have awesome doctors.  Anyway I am better, pain is subsiding and I think I'm on the downhill slide. Thanks so much for your concern and help.  HUGS