Pain

Hey all.  I'm 17 days post op and last night I started having some new pain.  It's on my left side about belly button height.  The pain isn't bad just kind of dull, almost like gas pain (which is what I thought it was) or a muscle cramp.  I only feel it if I'm in certain positions.  I'm passing gas and having plenty of bowel movements.  No fever or any other symptoms.  I'm on Dr. Greenbaums vitamin regimen until Saturday when I start Vitaladys.  If the pain was severe or I felt uncomfortable about it I would of already been to the ER.  I've gotten to the point where I know it's not gas.  It could still be a muscle cramp.  I'm scared of kidney stones or an obstruction and figured the pros might have a little bit more insight.

I'm also really tender still at the top of my incision right at the top of my breast bone.  When I stand up or sit up straight it feels like someone punched me in the chest.  Kind of like it's bruised.  

My plan is if my side still hurts me int he morning I'm going to the ER just to be on the safe side.   I would go now but 1. it kind of feels like a muscle cramp and 2 my son is leaving for camp in the morning I don't want to ruin it for him.  I'm not in too bad of pain just uncomfortable.  

Did you have your appendix removed along with surgery? I'm not 100% sure that's whats causing the discomfort you're feeling, but it couldn't hurt to chat with your doc about it to make sure it's not something to worry about.

I still had my appendix pre op, so it was removed with the DS. I had some odd tenderness in that general area, but nothing extreme. If I lifted my  left leg or twisted my waist in an odd way that area would feel a little strange. It felt tender for about a month and a half.

My appendix was removed in 2006.  I had my gallbladder removed with my DS.  I normally have a good niche for feeling when something is off and this doesnt really worry me but the wife is treating me like fragile glass so I promised her I would check in with everyone here.  

If the pain isn't bad and you're not running a fever, I'd call the doc to make sure it's just healing pains and see what he/she has to say. You're still pretty early out so the pain from the surgery may linger a bit. But if it gets worse or your temp spikes, definately head for the ER.

Hope ya feel better soon!

Hey there stranger! How come you haven't called your angel yet? *g* I only have your wife's number or I would have called already. I'm done partying with Pycca and back to the "grindstone" of cooking for sis and BIL, so call any time. (Thread and photos to follow soon, we had a blast and you and the family should come out next year.)

What is  most likely to be happening is that you are healing and nerves that were cut are starting to communicate again. It generally happens between two and three weeks out. It's not *quite* the right spot for a kidney stone pain, but that's not impossible.

Generally the things that should raise you to red alert are BAD pain, fever, swelling, heat, redness, incision discharge, bad nausea/vomiting, inability to retain a sensible amount of fluids, passing out etc. If you're basically cranky with pain but not in agony, chances are you're okay. HOWEVER, better safe than sorry. If you get additional symptoms from this list that are uncomfortable but not unbearable (each one individually), then you need to get suspicious before morning. Otherwise yeah, get the kiddo off to camp and then call in/go in.

i didnt want to interupt anythging. ill call you today :)

 

I'm still in the pre-op phase so I can't offer you much advice on healing after DS. What I can tell you is that I gave birth to a bowling ball sized baby in September 2010. He was born via c-section. Healing from that "stomach" surgery was very interesting. The pain I had wasn't necessarily at the incision site. It was toward the top of my "stomach" *aka* fat apron belly and was actually caused by nerves that had been cut that were trying to grow back together. I has been nearly a year and I still have that pain.

You know your body like no one else, so if you feel scared or worried, it is best to get checked out. Best of luck!

***HUGS**** I'm sorry :( I hope that you feel better soon!  I've read other post-op stories that sounded very similar so I'm hoping that's mostly normal.  Let us all know what it turns out to be. 

Thanks everyone! I feel better this morning but I'm still going to call Dr. G.
Now I have to go say goodbye to the little guy for a week ill write more later.