I am 2 days post op, and it is so much worse than I anticipated! Lots of questions, please...

My pain is significant.  My doctor has me on hydromorphone, 2mg, PILL FORM but told me to cru****  Why not just prescribe me a liquid med??

I can't stop burping.  It makes me scared to drink because I'm afraid I'll throw up.  And if I threw up now w/ all the pain I'm in, I'd surely pass out.  I'm trying to make my sips very minimal but I'm also afraid of dehydrating.  Will Gas-X help?  Or any other ideas?

The hospital did not give me an incentive spirometer to use.  Now I feel like I have a build-up of mucus.  Whenever I try to cough or clear my throat, I get hiccups, which gives me the same fear that burping does.  Should I go buy an incentive spirometer to use at home or just practice some deep breathing exercises?  Will it even help at this point?

My doctor does not believe in tummy binders.  He doesn't think they help lessen the pain.  Should I got get one on my own to see if it helps?

What's the best way to get in and out of bed or a chair so that I don't feel like my insides are ripping?

I'm sorry to have so many questions and seem so negative but I was NOT expecting all this.  I'm scared I made the wrong decision getting this surgery done.

I have to first ask, who did your band surgery? And how many lap bands has he/she has performed?

Please call your surgeons office and ask for some type of liquid pain meds, I had a revision surgery about 6 months ago and I was given liquid Lortab and it worked wonderful.

I did not have any burping, never had that issue over 8 years with my lap band, but if you are burping make sure you slowly sip room temperature water/liquids cold liquids will further constrict the band and PLEASE DO NOT THROW UP, this can cause early band slippage before your sutures are healed up.

Ideally you should only be eating clear liquids, broth, jello, etc and not eat anything that is thick at this point, please be careful the first 6 weeks will be crucial to protect your band long term, you don't want to slip your band before you heal.

Chewable Gas-X and liquid Lortab helped me, you should NOT be taking any medications that you can't crush. I would NOT get anything to press up against my tummy. I wore loose clothes that did not button up for at least 6 weeks post op, you don't want to put pressure on your stomach or port area, otherwise you may be going in for repeated surgery.

You have to be very careful with your band for at least the first 6 weeks. Please do not lie on your side this can cause your sutures to heal wrong, try to elevate your head with pillows and lie on your back for at least 4 weeks and use a heat pad this helps also.

Good luck

His name is Dr. You, and he's supposed to be one of the best in the business. The place i went to had some kind of accreditation... Center of Excellence or something like that. He travels all over the country and teaches others how to do the procedures. The 6 month program i went through that he oversees is where I learned the importance of so many things that i mentioned. But it's like none of it was followed up on. I'll give my surgeon's office a call now. Thanks for your help!

Ok, that's good to hear. Those first few days post op can be grueling and painful especially when you walk since there has been trauma to the stomach. My first band surgery was awful too, but my revision was not that painful and I had more done, old band removed hiatal hernia fixed and new band placed all at the same time.

It will get better, you are still healing, and if you experience extreme pain, you should let your surgeons office know, because it may be something else wrong,  just get needed rest and don't gulp your liquids just sip room temperature liquids slowly and keep that heat pad on your chest area and request Lortab, it REALLY helped, and after drinking a few sips any pain I had went away immediately.

 

So stay away from protein smoothies for now?

I would, for the first 1-2 weeks you may want to do only broth, some people order from Unjury @www.Unjury.com their protein power is very good taste like Nestle Chocolate Milk and it has lots of protein, I beleive over 20 grams of protein per scoop or jello, crystal lite, popsicles.

The second week you may want to do thinned out grits, oatmeal, cream of wheat and protein drinks and your third week you may want to do mushy food or as tolerated, like pureed beans w/cheese and salsa melted, really good.

 

Here is a guide that helped me, it may not be what your surgeons office have, but it gives you an idea of how the band works and food ideas post op.

http://www.laplose.com/Media/Forms/LapBandDietGuideNew.pdf

 

good luck and hope you feel better.

I am so sorry.   I feel your pain!    I was in so much pain that I freaked out wondering what the hell I did.    Tell your not too smart dr to give you liquid vicodin, or codiene just like alot of us got.   LOL I went through 2 big bottles.   I am laughing now but not then!!!!!!

My partner went to walgreen's and got a thing to put on the toilet to raise it up about 8 inches and this helped!  I slept in a lazy boy chair and that helped with the heating pad as my best friend,     The port caused me the most pain!   The pain for me was bad I hate to say about a week, then slowly it got better.

Warm liquids help the pain meds.    I suggest that you crush that damn pill then put it in a 1/4 glass of warm water, wait a minute then sip away!   

Use a pillow to press against your stomach when getting up and down this really helps!!!

Gas-x  is a big help.    And walk around a bit every few hours and if possible kind of flap your arms like a duck, this helps get rid of the gas.

Good luck to you!!

 

I agree with Anne.  I slept in a recliner for 4 nights so I didn't have to try to get up from a laying down position.  Use the pillow!  Very helpful to prop up your stomach, especially if you sleep on your side.  If you are laying flat, use the pillow to support your stomach, roll to the side of the bed you are exiting and use your elbow and the arm crossed over your body for push.  It's not easy, so if you can use the recliner or a lot of pillows.  I recommend ice vs. heat especially if you have swelling but use a towel and don't let your incisions get wet.  I also carried a pillow with me because one of my dogs jumped on me and opened an incision.  That taught me to keep a pillow over my stomach at all times for support and protection.  Gas X may work but walking is best. Don't be a hero.  Use the pain meds and you should find that tylenol will be fine after about 3-4 days.  If you have to cough to get rid of the mucus, press the pillow against your tummy for support.

It will get better!  Hang in there!

Lisa O.

 

See I didn't think the pain was that bad.  After the second day I only took my vicodin (pill form) at night to ensure a good sleep.  I was in more dicomfort and pain with my gallbladder surgery than this surgery (now that was painful for me).  With this surgery I was up and shopping at Walmart on day 4...and back at work on day 9.  The only problem I did end up having was dehydration.  I had to go into the ER for IV fluids...I don't know what happened I was drinking water...I guess not enough. 

But every person is different and every doctor is different. 

 

 

I had the same surgery and same surgeon.  I have experienced the exact same symptoms.  DON'T drink smoothies.  Its too early.  Clear fluids is the first stage.  Frankly I couldn't even drink water for three days.  The pain you're having is the gas pains.  Walking is the best way to get rid of it.  I had a lot of gas pain.  I could literally massage gas bubbles around my back.  My wife was freaked.  It hurt way more than when I had my gallbladder out laposcopically.  Gas x chewables helped but not much.  I wasn't really taking the pain meds but when I started to it was a lot better.  Don't be so afraid to take them... that's why they gave them to you.